Hindsight Luxuries of Self-Publishing
Writer: D.S. Davis
Simply by remaining alive you gain luxury. Experience is like the dollars and cents of knowledge, it isn’t exciting to gain, but it adds up over time.
I recently turned twenty-seven years old, the age all the cool kids die, and even though I’m falling into my next year with little life knowledge gained, it has been a tremendous year of learning on the writer side of things.
I’m thinking today about myself at twenty-four, publishing for the first time. I’m thinking about myself at twenty-one, writing for other people’s attention. I’m thinking of myself at six, when I was encouraged to write creatively for the very first time. Here’s what I would say to them if I could.
- Writing is not music. It may feel like it is, but it’s not.
- If you choose to take on a social media persona for your writing, you are taking on a tool that should be used wisely.
- Other writers are not your opponents. Don’t treat them like they are.
- You may think you are producing something completely new and unique. The reality is, you probably are not.
- The previous is a chance to learn, not a reason to quit.
- Be prolific rather than innovative.
- Writing is not the same thing as speaking. If you try to write exactly how you speak, then translation might be affected.
- You need to know all of your characters beyond just their names.
- Just because you’re an artist, doesn’t mean you get a pass to be an asshole.
- Writing is instinctual. Crafting and editing are skill-intensive.
- Show your work to people who won’t let you embarrass yourself.
- If you feel like you’re ripping off another author, you are.
- If you want to try to emulate another author, riff off, don’t rip off.
- It’s hard to do good work if you are not working silently for sufficient periods of time.
- It’s hard to find an audience. Accept the reality of working without one.
- Your books will outlive you. Remember this.
- If you gain a following, it’s important to remember that you are also gaining responsibility.
- Learn KDP front to back.
- Poor formatting CAN hurt how your book is received.
- Be grateful when somebody tells you they’ve read your work.
Born Drew Davis Stryjewski, D.S. Davis published his first novel, Storyteller, in 2019, and has since released both a short story collection titled Scream at the Mirror (2019) and a second novel titled I.P.A. (2021). A devout independent, Davis’s books can be found exclusively on Amazon.He holds a degree in English Education from the University of South Florida. Currently, he lives and works in Asheville, North Carolina with his cats, Luna and Foster, and his dog, Delia.
Website: D.S. Davis