A Published Author?

So am I a published author even if I self-published? What is the measure of my success? Let me count the ways...

1) Number of copies sold? Is this the truest indicator of success? I'm not sure. I have read posts by many indie authors (I didn't realize that was the term for self-published authors until I got myself on Instagram) and many say that they barely sell any copies. So, maybe my measure of success should be if I can sell more than 2 copies (1 bought by my husband and 1 by my bestie/soulmate). Maybe I should buy a few copies myself so that the reports look better. 🤣

2) The feeling of accomplishment? Well truthfully, I feel more relieved that I got a product out there that isn't an absolute mess. 😅 There is also the fear that comes with putting something out there in the public domain to be criticized. However, I believe there is a vulnerability to creativity that one must endure in order to keep creating.

3) My first hater? A friend playfully said, "You know you're gaining popularity when this happens." It was a rude awakening... no really... I woke up and opened X(Twitter) and it pulled me out of my sleepy stupor. Thank goodness, since I had a ton of work to do that day.

4) Lessons learned. The whole excruciating process of editing, formatting(don't get me started on margins, headers, page numbers and emojis), cover design and determining book size. Also realizing how much it takes to market and promote your work. No wonder publishers get paid the big bucks. Speaking of big bucks, I also found out that Amazon takes 60% for each paperback you sell. Crazy, right?! In the end, I feel much more educated on the process and what it takes to publish a novel.

5) Growth of community. It's been quite a ride and I don't think I would have come through it without the support of my reading and writing community. Meeting other writers and seeing how they have come through their trials and tribulations to achieve success has heartened me.

In conclusion, all of the above can be indicators of success, but for me, none of them come close to when I held my first published book and my daughter looked at me and said, "I'm so proud of you, mommy."

So am I a published author? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

You can find my first published work here: https://linktr.ee/JJSin