4 Fears of Becoming an Author
Here is a list of my 4 fears of becoming an author. Let’s be honest, becoming an author is one of the scariest things imaginable. There are literally a million things that could go wrong and yet for some of us brave souls, it still seems irresistible. We put ourselves out there, bare our souls to the world, and hope it will be kind in return. It is a leap of faith and with a little luck and a lot of prayers it will all pay off. What scares you about becoming an author?
- Making the wrong decisions
I’m not sure where to start on this topic. To be honest, it could probably be its own post because the decisions seem to be endless. I live with the fear of making the wrong one and research constantly, hoping to avoid any pitfalls. I have a wonderful friend who often warns me about “going down the rabbit hole.” She has a valid point but I always remind myself that someone has been there and done that and I could learn from their mistakes. I think it’s a balance but a tricky one to navigate.
The first of these “decisions” starts when the manuscript is complete. I do not have a money tree flourishing in the backyard, so right out of the gate, decision after decision faced me. With a limited budget, I had to weigh where my money would be most effective. The options were artwork, formatting, and editing. Then I had to decide how many editors because there seems to be one for just about everything.
Next comes the publishing component, which brings its own set of mind-benders. Do you self-publish or go the traditional route? If you do self-publish should you start your own publishing company to look more professional? What self-publishing platforms do you go with Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Ingram Spark? The list goes on and it will give you more than a reason to pause.
And last but not least is building your author brand, building an audience, and where to put your advertising dollars. Do you build your own website and if so, which host do you go with? Do you purchase your own domain or go the cheap route? Do you focus on building an email list and if so, which plug-in do you use? Should you be engaged in all social media platforms or focus on one? Do you advertise on Facebook, Bookbub, or Pinterest? Where will your advertising dollars give you the most bang for your buck?
2. Bombing
This one is even scarier to me than having to make a billion decisions. I have invested so much into this little dream of mine and to see it not come to fruition would be crushing. Losing the money and the time would be bad enough, but not seeing my dream become a reality is the scariest thing of all to me.
3. Being judged
Once I became a writer, one of my very first fears was putting myself out there. The thought of having my friends and family read my work scared me to my core. I honestly did not tell anyone for a long time. When I did, it was only my best friend and immediate family. I was very careful to only share my dream with people who would invest in it. I didn’t need any dream suckers, so I purposefully shut them out. I even wrote under a pen name at first but over time, my confidence grew. I still do not share my stories with anyone and everyone, but I am a lot more comfortable talking about it to those who count.
4. Saying the wrong thing
In our current social and political climate this has become more and more of a fear for me. I am hyper-aware that you can say something with the best intentions and the purest of heart only to have it twisted into some sick version of itself. I find myself more and more critical of myself so as not to offend anyone else.
I don’t know if your head is spinning yet, but mine sure is. I did not understand when I started this little venture that I would be CEO of my company, but that is exactly what I am. Having no one to bounce ideas off of is frightening, but it’s also liberating because sink or swim, I am calling my own shots. I am doing with a little research and a ton of prayer, but I am doing it none the less.