When people discover that I wrote and published my own children's book, I'm often confronted with questions like...How do you even begin writing a book? How do you go about finding an illustrator? How did you know all the steps to follow?
The simple answer is: Every journey begins with a single step.
When I first started on this passion project, I truly didn't know what I didn't know. Even today, I still don't know what I don't know. The only thing that felt certain was my commitment and desire to conquer this new endeavour. Learn, hustle, achieve, pivot, then hustle some more.
Like anything that's new, if you look at it from a birds eye view, it can feel very overwhelming. So overwhelming that it deters you from even starting. Since becoming a mom, I had the idea of writing a series of children's books for a while. I ruminated over it and thought it was too lofty a goal for 'little old me.' I couldn't put my foot on the accelerator because my toes were firmly planted on the breaks.
Then a surge of inspiration came over me and I started writing one day. I wrote and wrote and wrote some more. The next thing I knew, I had a children's picture book series in my hands. Thus began my journey. I didn't have a masterplan or a schedule of tasks to complete. I simply took my first step.
For me, the first step was what came most naturally - the actual writing. It was an organic process that resulted from many of the questions my then 3 yr-old was asking. He was inching closer to his 4th birthday, and he started to think about all the things he might be able to do now that he was getting "older." His questions were thoughtful, amusing and inadvertently the inspiration behind Tate's Big Birthday. I continued writing for months which resulted in a few more Tate stories.
The steps that followed became more methodical, and I knew that I had to rely on industry experts along the way. Networking and connecting with others is so invaluable! That would be my #1 piece of advice to any aspiring entrepreneur. Surround yourself with an awesome group of people...I sure did!
Editor, check! Network of self-published authors, check! Marketing mentor, check! Illustrator, check! These were the key people that helped me along my journey. Now that I'm part of this author community, I feel a sense of empowerment to help others along their journeys too.
With the launch of Tate's Big Birthday around the corner, I look back and see all the steps that led me here. It's been one heck of a journey!
Cheers to taking that first step, and as always...happy reading!