The Challenges of Becoming an Author

Becoming a Writer/Author

Almost two and a half years ago (mid 2019), I decided the time had come to fulfil my dream of writing a book. ‘Why not?’ I hear you say. Little did I know!

I soon learned that writing is the easy part – and don’t get me wrong, I am loving it, and even more than that, I love that my readers enjoy reading my books.

What I didn’t realise before I started was that there is so much more that goes with having a book published. I can only liken the experience to an Iceberg – with the written book the part that is visible above the water-line, and everything else below, invisible to the reader – and every bit as important.

While the reader is sitting in his boat admiring the Iceberg, the author is madly paddling beneath, editing, rewriting, dreaming, thinking, researching, writing—oh and when that’s done–PUBLISHING and MARKETING.

With millions of books available online these days, having our precious work published and marketed properly is crucial. While those under forty years of age seem to have no trouble at all mastering the barrage of social media platforms available (FaceBook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter for a start), those of us in our later years can only liken it to a five year old attempting to write a legible essay.

Suffice to say, it’s tough – and very, very rewarding!

If you enjoy reading a particular book that you have purchased (whether it’s an eBook or a physical page turner), why not consider giving the author a review?

Start with a sentence or two telling us what you liked about the book. But – don’t give away any spoilers.

Talk about what you liked about the book. Characters? The way the author writes. Did it make you laugh, or cry?

It’s also okay to talk about the things you didn’t like so much. Was it too violent? Did you hate the ending? Was a character too weak or too dominant?

Lastly – the star rating. I know a lot of authors get upset if you give them less than a 5-star rating. But here’s the thing. I don’t like every book I read so I’m pretty sure you won’t like all the books you read either. Be honest – but not cruel! Remember “It’s easier to catch a fly with honey than vinegar” – and of course, if you can’t find anything nice to say, then please move on and read a book that interests you more!