Too often I focus on all I have yet to do and forget to celebrate how far I’ve come. When progress is made and goals are attained, it’s easy to move on and completely ignore how much I’ve accomplished because of the things I haven’t yet accomplished. So this post is an ode to the things I’ve already accomplished. It’s me pausing briefly to take a deep breath and recognize that although there’s still more work to come, I’ve already come a long way.
Celebrate: Writing & Publishing
At age twenty-five I developed what I can only describe as a deep hunger to write. I’d always dreamed of becoming an author. As a little girl I wrote stories and as a teenager I finished up some smaller novellas that the public at large will never see. But as I’ve said elsewhere: adulthood took over and I pushed that desire away for awhile. Sometimes, late at night when I was bored, story ideas would come to me and I’d write them down. But I never sat down to pursue the art calling out to me.
Writing is hard work. Creating and creativity are hard work. It takes practice and diligence to get better at any form of art, and that includes writing. Mentally, you must keep the end goal in sight on the days when everything you’re trying to do seems insurmountable. Publishing is complicated whether you go the traditional route or self-publishing route.
But I did it!
I wrote the first book then let it sit for a while. I edited then sent it to trusted friends. More editing ensued. It was non-stop work spread over months and years. I wrote the second book and published the first. There are so many amazing things I’ve accomplished that younger me would never have believed was possible.
That’s worth celebrating!
Celebrate: Pursuing Dreams
There’s so much doubt involved in being an author. Imposter syndrome will meet you in any profession, but for authors it seems to be more common. There were so many times I wanted to give up on pursuing my dreams of being published. Sometimes that dream seemed silly, frivolous, and like a waste of time. However, if I dug down deep into why I felt that it was silly to pursue publishing, all I found was self-doubt and a lack of personal worth. It was easier to believe it was silly or frivolous to create and pursue my art than to face the underlying feelings of inadequacy. I found it so easy to pretend my faith didn’t have room for creativity, all the while knowing that I believe God is the ultimate and most amazing Creator.
Some in my faith would most likely disagree with me. That’s okay. I don’t need their approval, I only need to do what I believe God has called me to do: create stories of hope in a world of darkness. None of my stories are particularly religious in tone, but they do contain overarching themes that I believe strongly in giving to everyone who needs them.
Bad things will happen in life. So will good things. Love is always stronger than hate. Light will always defeat darkness – even if not in the way that we might expect. We are meant to play a part in the world in which we live. The world needs us. We need each other. Friendship is beautiful and possible. Dreams and the pursuit of good are worth celebrating.
Just like my characters, I didn’t give up on my dream. It was put there for a reason. If my stories help bring hope or comfort or joy to even one person who needs it, then all the hard work will be worth it. I didn’t give up and I don’t want anyone else to give up either.
That’s worth celebrating!
Celebrate: Finding a Way
Once my first book was close to being finished I had the very serious and awful realization that I needed to decide what to do with it! Did I want to submit it to agents in hopes of finding a publisher? What about self-publishing? Which decision was the right decision? Did it matter which path I chose? Was I being a coward by not pursuing traditional publishing or was I being foolish for not trying the equally hard path of self-publishing?
You get the picture. Questions raged in my mind for months. I would decide then change my mind then change it back. I did research agents and submit it to several of them. Most I never heard back from, which I’ve heard is common. Others were simple rejection templates.
So what made me land on self-publishing? I realized I could either continue to work on the same book for the next few years, hoping to attract an agent and a publisher, or I could do it myself and move on. If I’d waited and made it to a publisher I might have sold more copies and made more money. However, there’s no guarantee. Even traditionally published authors are expected to do a lot of their own advertising and most never make more than their initial royalty check. A lot of people wrote books during the pandemic and a lot of publishers and agents closed up shop or became inundated with choices.
My choice came down to deciding what I wanted to spend my time and energy on: researching agents or getting my stories out there? For better or worse, I chose the latter. I found my way through self-publishing with the support of Patreon subscribers, encouraging friends, and lots of extremely boring work. I’ve come so far and I understand so much more about what I’m now doing.
That’s worth celebrating!
Celebrating: What’s Next?
As I look back and celebrate how far I’ve come, I also look forward with excitement and anticipation for what’s to come. Book two will go through another round of edits soon and will be the source of a new Patreon campaign. I’ll also continue to work away at writing book three.
But my goals are going to be a bit slower than expected. We’re unexpectedly moving this August and that has thrown my planned schedule off. I will not be meeting the deadlines I initially set for myself at the beginning of the year. That’s okay. It’s okay to change plans. I don’t control everything around me, so I will make the most of the time I do have for creativity and I’ll pour the rest of my time into packing, moving, and re-settling.
Which is part of why I wrote this post. Because changing my plans is hard for me. All the self-doubt and judgment crop up. I was messaging with a friend the other day and she told me not to forget how much I’ve accomplished. She said it’s been so fun to watch it all unfold. I appreciate her words because she reminded me to celebrate.
I hope you’ll celebrate with me as well as celebrating in your own life. I’m thankful for you and I truly believe this world needs you and you have a beautiful purpose.
Until next time,
Ellen
Ellen ES Ceely 
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