I can’t believe that it’s been 10 years since I started writing children’s books. In Part 1 I talked about my current books, reflecting on how things have gone since 2013. In Part 2, I’ll share why I haven’t written as many books as other authors…
I Got Sick…
I developed chronic pain all over my body. Chronic means the pain doesn’t go away. The chronic pain started in my hands in 2011, which was very upsetting. I’m a writer, I need my hands to work! Eventually the pain spread all over my body from head to toe. Vitamins help me manage the pain, but I can’t write for as long as I’d like to. I have to pace myself and accept that I can’t write thousands of words daily like some writers do. But something is better than nothing, right? If I’m in too much pain to write, I do other things instead, for example, design my book covers.
I’m Not Giving Up…
I’ll have up days and down days. Times when my body pain is too much. Times when my anxiety is too much. Times I wish I could write more. Times I wish I could be read more. But I’m still here, still writing, still reading, still learning.
I’ve learnt a lot about books over the past decade. I know a lot more about covers, blurbs and publishing. Now I know that writing a book is much easier than marketing it. Now I know that “success” is different for everyone. Now I’ve accepted that I’ll never be read by millions of people. Being “successful” or “popular” isn’t as important as making a difference to the world. I can make a difference by raising awareness of important things like social anxiety, obesity, tinnitus, unemployment, and fun topics like picking up dog poo and not picking your nose.
What’s Coming Next?
After everything I’ve been through, I’ve still got books planned for the near-future. So, what’s coming next? You’ll find out in Part 3…
