Fear & Flight with Writing
I hate flying.
But if you’re a traveller, you have to bear with the means of transport to get there. Yep… airplanes.
I began writing this post while on an airplane kicking off my mega-vacation — Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. and my old stomping ground of London, England. 4 flights and 3 weeks later, I’m now back home — and yep, I’m still not a fan of flying!
I could tell you a zillion things I don’t like about flying. Off the top of my head:
- Getting to the airport early and waiting forever
- Getting to the airport late (or being in the wrong place in the airport) and dashing to get to where you need to go
- Uncertainty about if you’ll end up with the worst seat-mate ever, on a long flight
- Cramped spaces — I’ve never flown first/business class; maybe one day!
- Loss of control — having to leave your safety completely in the hands of a stranger you haven’t met and perhaps haven’t even seen when you boarded
- Turbulence — that moment when you are 100% positive you ARE going to die!
- Packing — I usually start too early, and I always always overpack
- Repacking on the way back and going crazy trying to make everything fit
- Airplane bathrooms. Nothing further needed.
- Airport bathrooms. Yep. Same here.
- That moment when the customs agent is scoping you out, and you and all start wondering if you’re a criminal!
So yeah… not a fan of flying!
But once you get land, once you get there… there’s relief.
Taking Flight with Writing
I guess that’s what the writing process is, sometimes.
Just like with flying, I could name more than a zillion things I don’t like about the post-publication phase of being a writer.
I’m not a fan of marketing myself. Everything seems to be stacking up against me as I swim in this vacuum of knowledge I didn’t realise I didn’t have, until it’s called for and I realise I don’t!
Actually getting your name out there takes hard work and a LOT of legwork.
You’re trying to be friendly and approachable [social media], not offend anyone [author groups], be a technical wizard [the bajillion websites to sign up and social media specs to follow], a marketing guru and queen of promotion [Amazon/Facebook ads] — all while shopping your soul around to strangers!
I’ve been stomping around in cyberspace for about two months now, accumulating quite the Digital Author footprint on what seems like a zillion sites.
I’ve been creating content like a mofo, spending far too long debating what to post and what not to post and what to reveal and what to hold back.
I’ve been cross-pollinating my social media and wondering — would I be pissed off if I followed someone on three forums who posted the same thing I’m tired of seeing?
So… yeah… make no joke, being a self-published writer is EXHAUSTING.
…BUT, I’m loving it.
Gimme more of that Author Crack!
Just like travelling, I can’t get enough of this writing journey, this author crack that I’ve been bingeing on for the past 2 months.
Just like travelling, I have to bear with the “flying” part and the “fear” part, to get to the good stuff.
Because despite the *awful* moments of self-doubt that are almost as bad as airplane toilets and turbulence, there’s also the great moments…
- When you finally DO publish (a huge, HUGE accomplishment! — don’t let anyone dampen your spirits as to how HUGE this is!)
- When you finally DO sell some books (even just a trickle — every one counts!)
- Making awesome writer friends and knowing you’re not alone
- When a new reader reaches out saying he/she can’t get enough of my characters!
…WOW. Yep, relief.
Someone gets me. Someone gets them.
I’ve done my job.
I’ve taken flight.
