5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I SELF-PUBLISHED ONLINE

5. Your goals are your biggest motivators

Have a REALISTIC short-term goal and a FANTASIZED long-term goal. For example, when I self-published my short novel, my short-term goal was to sell 50 copies in the first two or three months and buy myself a handbag when I succeed. Did I succeed? No. But did I get close enough? Heck yes, and I still bought myself that handbag. Because of how realistic my goal was, it motivated me to finish writing the book before publishing it and it also motivated me to keep advertising it on my social media platforms until I was content enough to take a break. And of course, many of you will have bigger short-term goals than mine, but what matters is that your goals should keep you motivated.

For long-term goals, having both realistic and fantasized goals make the journey sweeter. Do you see your story being published into a hard copy one day? Do you dream of making it to the New York Times Bestsellers? Do you dream of signing a movie deal with Netflix for your novel one day? Do you imagine Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie holding your book in her hand one day? Fantasies fuel the dreamer’s dream. Sometimes these fantasies can be visions too. Like a wise man once said, ‘You become great in your mind before you become great on the stage.’

To wrap this last point up, there is one important thing that does the trick: reward yourself for every little win. Have fun with your little successes. Don’t be too hard on yourself because this is just the first step to your writing journey. What matters is that you have finished your story and you should be proud of that win and celebrate it. Not everyone is brave enough to do what you just did. Writing a book is a big deal and it is an exciting journey too. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

So, to the future writers out there, happy writing, and congratulations on becoming the author of your dreams!