Finally, I shoved all my insecurities to the side and did what I always tell my kids to do. I analyzed the pros and cons of my possible paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Path 1: start querying agents. It entails an extended period of personal unpleasantness, but the payoff is oh-so-sweet. Downside: it could take me ten years to land an agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Path 2: go the self-publishing route. Build myself up as some sort of celebrity, push out books (the more the better), and go marketing crazy. Downsides: the celebrity thing scares me, and I could end up doing a whole lot of work (and spending a whole lot of money) for basically nothing. Upside: total creative freedom (mwahahaha!), and I can claim to be an Indie Author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, my analysis came up short. Both paths had a price I didn’t want to pay, and the chances at succeeding at either seemed ridiculously remote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s when I realized I didn’t have to do path 2 the way everyone else does path 2. Instead of focusing all my efforts on marketing myself and try to push out book after book, I could focus on building something new. I’ve built businesses in the past, with mixed success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I decided to stop thinking of myself as a struggling writer, and start thinking of myself as a struggling publisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The clouds parted above the darkness that is The Waiting Place, and ideas started to flow. What if I didn’t just do writing? What if I viewed my books as the launching pad, and explored new ways of bringing stories to kids and their families? What if I committed to the long haul, and specifically avoided the trap of viewing my books as revenue engines?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s how Second Story Up was born, my new publishing label. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I started by publishing The Boy With The Sword<\/a>. In retrospect, that was a mistake. It was the sequel to Dragon Run, and I had no way of reaching those readers. Worse, I had no way of calculating the impact on the initial launch on it being a sequel. Lesson learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, I published Bradley’s Dragons<\/a>. This is a story that holds a special place in my heart, and I’ve been dying to get it out for a very long time. I read countless books on how to launch a book, watched videos, and carefully enumerated the mistakes I made on The Boy With The Sword. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, I kind of blew the launch. I learned a ton, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On both of these books, I’m super happy with the reviews, and the feedback from fans has been incredibly gratifying. My goal, however, is the same as every other writer’s: to share the stories with as wide an audience as possible. The businessman in me forces me to recognize that I came up short in the marketing and messaging department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m actually okay with that. Building a business is a process, and I’m in this for the long haul. I’ll keep getting better at marketing the books, and keep my fingers crossed that their audience will continue to spread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the meantime, I’m done with The Waiting Place. I have more stories “in the bag,” as it were, waiting for my final push to get them out. I’m also continuing to write, and sequels to Bradley’s Dragons and The Boy With The Sword are on the roadmap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as exciting, I’m working to add more experiences than books. You see, that’s the key advantage to being a struggling business owner. There is no waiting place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you’re all-in, as I am, there’s always something to do, never enough time to do it, and no guarantee that it will be successful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That life, as you might imagine, is terrifying, exhilarating, and exhausting. It’s a rollercoaster of emotion and effort. Honestly, though, I think that’s how I like to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That’s my story. I hope it is somehow helpful for your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also hope you check out Second Story Up. If you have any questions, or just want to chat, please reach out to me on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, or Instagram<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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