When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

Insecure Writers Want to Know

Oh, the “imagined” life as a writer for me. You know…NO marketing required on my part. I could just sit and dream up stories that everyone couldn’t wait to buy and read. Like Mary Higgins Clark, my favorite author, or J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. I’d have an editor—in fact, a whole publishing team—excited for my next story. People who eagerly want to discuss my next book with me. Iron out the few troubling details so that the manuscript would shine, and they would be excited to publish it. No revision necessary.

And then the big publishing house would send me out on tour. Paying for everything. City after city. Meeting all my enthusiastic readers and signing my books. Attending big events. Engaging in truly meaningful conversation. I’d be a household name, like Danielle Steel.

Wait…you want reality now? Oh well. Here it goes…

I came to realize that there is much more to creating a good story than there is to simply reading one. It took me years to understand how to write an engaging story. And even more years to convince the gate-keepers of the publishing world to consider paying me for my intellectual property and publishing my stories and personal essays in their magazines and anthologies.

I became braver from these publishing successes and created a full-length memoir, Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College. I thought I could inspire others to believe in themselves. To find the courage to attempt their own personal dreams—and succeed, no matter the odds.

Then came the marketing side of being an author in today’s world. And this is where Victoria Marie Lees, published author, climbs back into the cupboard where she had hidden Inferiority all those years while attempting to become published, attempting to obtain that golden college degree. 

I’m not very social on social media. Writer friends suggested I create short posts, attach a relevant photo, and try to engage an audience. I do it steadily for a week or two. Receiving a “like” or “love,” but not much engagement.

I prefer meeting and talking to people in person.

I enjoy doing live readings, although it’s difficult to get people to come out to them.

I enjoy teaching local writing classes, although I only sell a book or two.

I try to submit my book to local contests or smaller contests, although there aren’t many around.

I look for podcasts to guest on, but many require a fee. So does PodMatch. https://podmatch.com/

I need to get more determined reaching out to podcasters just to get my name out there. Create more essays and posts and reach out to bloggers.

How do you, my dear successful IWSG friends, handle marketing your published books? I’m open for any suggestions. 

Additionally, did you find any surprises in your writing life? I can’t wait to read about them.  

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This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ I’d like to thank our co-hosts for November: Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove! Please visit them if you can.    

Our group posts on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.