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Guest post from author, Carissa Andrews
It’s not uncommon for writers to feel like they aren’t truly authors unless they’ve been published and represented by the big names. This mentality will not yield the publishing results you’re looking for and could be costing you time and earnings.
A lot has changed in the publishing world in the past decade. Amazon and other platforms have made it super easy to go from a blank page to published author. Yet, even so, many authors who don’t sign on with one of the “Big Five” traditional publishers either feel like frauds—or are told they aren’t really authors by friends and family. Both are dead wrong.
The second you begin the process of writing; be it an article, a poem, a nonfiction book, or fiction novel—you’re already an author. Taking on the moniker has zero to do with being published, or even how you’ve been published in the past. All it means is you have a piece of work you’ve written. That’s literally it. Don’t let others tell you otherwise—including yourself. If you do, you’re setting yourself up for failure, and ultimately, depriving the world of your creative vision.
Enter, Author Impostor.
When I first started writing this book, it wasn’t even a book at all. It was an online course aimed at helping other authors get into the right mindset to write their books.
I’ve been in the publishing industry for a long time—and I’ve even witnessed the birth of digital technology from the publisher’s perspective in the late 90s. When the self-publishing digital boom was unfolding in the late 2000s and early 2010s, I was also there, finalizing my first novel. The one thing that’s remained consistent has been the hang-up of mindset in order to pave a way forward.
As technology blazes open trails for us to walk down, we have to get control of our mindset. One of my favorite quotes has always been, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t—you’re right.”
Getting a Handle on Limiting Beliefs
We all have a propensity to limit ourselves—they’re actually called limiting beliefs. Sure, in days gone by, they likely helped to keep us alive by avoiding unnecessary risks. However, holding onto them now will likely keep you back from success if you let them control you.
Determining which limiting beliefs are holding you back, learning to let them go, and training your brain to go all-in on your author endeavors is the only way to move forward confidently in your writing. The good news is, you have it in you. All you need to do is take the first step forward—investing time and energy into your writing and embracing your life as an author.
Carissa Andrews is a self-published author, award-winning graphic designer, and freelance writer who strongly believes it’s time to take back our own power as authors. With the rise and ease of self-publishing to platforms like Amazon, Barnes, and Noble, and more, the boom of authors publishing books has certainly taken the world by storm—and you could be next. To learn more about her and the books she writes, visit her website at www.carissaandrews.com
