It's just one of those things: When you know, you know.
When writing a book for the first time, many of us think that finally finishing a polished, shelf-ready version is the ultimate achievement. It's only half the battle! You have to also sell your book. And if you're a self-published author, as I am, you don't have a big-budget publishing house to get the word out and put your books onto the end caps at book stores.
Nevertheless, writing a book is one of the most transformative experiences you can have. It's not like you're writing a rambling journal of your thoughts; you're curating your thoughts in an organized way and writing it in a compelling narrative. You learn so much about yourself, your values, your paradigms, and your insecurities when writing a book. It teaches you introspection, validation, reflection, and quite honestly mindfulness. Want a reason to lock yourself in a quiet room for hours? Bingo!
So that brings me to this post, which features me in an article on the noble Nonfiction Authors Association about what I and other authors felt were the most significant challenges of being an author. There's a ton of first-hand knowledge and sharing of honest opinions about the experience of writing, and marketing, a book.
Here is the article, and be sure to check out all the amazing resources on their website, including the Freebies tab, Blog and Book Club!