My Self-Published Journey
A few reflections from a spontaneous decision
Yup, that’s me.
Now you might be wondering: how did I get here?
For context, that’s me at Barnes & Noble, where I happened to work, holding my first book. It’s not my first published book, though. At least, not traditionally published. It’s my first self-published book of poetry titled the world is burning and i’m late for work. It’s a short collection of poetry I have written over the past 5 years, and I put it together in one day. I uploaded for self-publication on a Sunday, though it wasn’t available until a few days later due to system updates and whatnot.
But now the book is available wherever books are sold: including Amazon (blegh), B&N, Bookshop, Kobo, and your local indie, of course. You can also find it on Goodreads and leave a nice review (or not).
The book has been positively received so far. It sold modestly online when it first came out, though those sales have now stalled. Sales do best at the bookstore and through my handselling. I don’t think I would have sold as many had I not been a bookseller at a popular B&N location. But everyone I know has been so supportive of the book, the reception has been positive, and for that I am grateful.
I mean, look how happy I look.
Anyway, this has all been very exciting. And this post isn’t meant to be a sort of shameless self-promotion. It’s just a genuine reflection on what it’s been like to be a self-published poet. Despite the excitement, it’s been admittedly difficult to put myself out there as an author. I’ve set up a TikTok shop, contacted bookstores, introduced myself as a poet, and practically begged people to help sell and promote my book. Poetry isn’t a money maker. If there’s any art form that represents the love of labor, it’s poetry.
That said, do I regret it? Absolutely not. I put this book out of a moment of desperation. My life was not going well, and I wanted to show something for all of my efforts, to prove to myself that something of mine was paying off. Self-publishing my first poetry collection has been a huge boost to my morale. I do not regret this at all.
Of course, there’s always the next project. I have other ideas brewing in my head. But I wanted to take some time to write this short blog and reflect on what putting myself out there has done for me. It’s done wonders. And I’m sincerely grateful for that.
Thank you for reading this short blog of mine. Once again, you can purchase my book at any of the links above—whichever one you prefer—or physically at your local bookstore. Any sort of support is greatly appreciated.
For my next project, I’m trying to decide between a novel or another screenplay. That’s the thing about living the life of the artist/ poet—you’re never without ideas. There’s always an idea knawing you at the back of your head. So I’ll have to make a decision soon.
Otherwise, I’ve been okay. Dealt with a few things this year and hit some roadblocks. But we persevere, don’t we?
Also, there’s some new folks here that have recently subscribed to this newsletter. Thank you for that. I always promise that I’m going to post more, but then life gets in the way. I’ll try to be better about life getting in the way. I promise.
My current read is The Emperor of Gladness, the latest novel by Ocean Vuong. I’ve been reading pretty slowly this year. But I managed to get through this book pretty quickly. I highly recommend it. It’s sad, just like a lot of my favorite novels. So fair warning there.
As always, I’m wishing everyone a lovely day, week, month, year, and lifetime. I hope you’re all doing okay.