Becoming a writer – three years on

This month’s featured post is the first Random Jottings blog I wrote just after publishing my first book, ‘Angel with Drumsticks’.

Looking back, I remember feeling very proud of my accomplishment but also unsure if it was good enough to share bookshelves with other authors. I was fortunate to find some reviewers willing to read the story and they gave my work some very kind reviews. This gave me the confidence to publish my second book ‘For the Love of a Dingo’

I read as much as I could about Indie (independent) or self-published authors and the need to promote not only your books but yourself. There were two key areas I have focused on. 

• Building relationships with other authors

• Social media and internet presence

Meeting and sharing with other authors is beneficial in many ways. My small circle have honestly reviewed each other’s books, shared each other’s social media posts and freely offered advice on a range of topics relating to writing and publishing.

More recently, I joined my local branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW). Not only is my writing critiqued, and therefore improving, I have found a group of people who are friendly, sharing and encouraging. I get inspiration, learning and friendship.

Three years ago I published one little eBook. Last year I published my second book. I am now researching my next book, writing three blogs, compose short pieces for the local FAW magazine on given topics, review books for other Indie authors, administer four Facebook pages related to my writing and actively post on other social media forums.

Life as a writer does not have to be a lonely existence.   

Excerpts of both books, copies of the reviews, links to my other blogs and social media pages are on my website www.pam.id.au)

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As my original blog post explains, originally “Angel” was only published as an eBook. Today, both books also have print editions and “Angel” has also been translated into Italian.

This has been made possible thanks to Ingram Spark’s easy to use print on demand process and my husband’s patience in laying out the books to meet their requirements. (http://www.taufer.com.au/)