Words @3am: Fame or Passion? Secrets of a Self-Published Author

It’s 3AM and I’m sweating with dread. I’m on my way to release my next book this coming August (thank you very much even though nobody asked, LOL) and yes, I’m also excited. However, there are a few things I need to express especially when it comes to talking about fame. Now, before you all jump the gun at me, no I’m not claiming to be a genius of sorts before I get straight to the point. When I made the decision to become an author, I was pretty disillusioned as I was blindsided by the idea of becoming famous overnight. That’s not possible since I’m still learning as I go, but in a way, it is possible for some people to achieve fame overnight, which I’m still not sure on how they do it.  Anyhow, the more introspection I did when it came to creating my destiny, the more I started to ask myself this one, very important question: Am I writing because I want to be famous? Or, am I writing because It’s a craft that I want to cherish for the rest of my life?  

The more I thought about it, the harder it was for me to accept the fact that I was writing…simply because I wanted instant fame. Sadly, that was the truth since my mind was far too preoccupied on the number of reads, I desperately wanted to see, instead of trusting in my creative process that success happens organically. Ladies and gentleman, I managed to get out of that shell by first spending at least fifteen minutes of my time daily before I sat down to write. I cleared my mind by giving myself ample time to understand and accept that organic success is beautiful. Losing that one passion…that one gift which has chosen me is my biggest fear. In order to get over that, it applies to every author starting out in general; Write because it makes you happy. Write because the ability to create a universe and being able to communicate with characters who are excited to talk to you, gives you the much-needed push in having a beautiful story written. 

Write because the ability to write anywhere at any given time and place…is simply badass and thrilling. How rare is it for us writers to automatically come up with a potential chapter that would turn out to be fantastic? (In our minds it’s always fantastic because it’s our story!). Your time to shine will happen one day. When will that day come? I can’t exactly tell you. What really matters, is to embrace and cherish your craft and never stop writing. Write, live the moment and just keep writing. 

Transforming your passion into a reality is enjoyable in its truest form.