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Abstract

.</p><p id="d5d3">But what happens is this: I keep talking myself out of it. I’ll get all ready to go — and then decide that I’m just going to wait until I have <i>three</i> novels ready to go. Or I’ll get an idea for another middle grade or young adult book, and go all in on that instead.</p><p id="34a1">No joke. I have a booking coming out in March 2024 because I was putting off self-publishing romance.</p><p id="b06f">I’ve made a decision. And I’m going to put it here for some accountability.</p><h1 id="7dc1">I’m going to self-publish a novel on September 29, 2023.</h1><p id="f00f">It’s written. It’s with an editor now for copyedits. I have a gorgeous cover.</p><p id="3758">I’m not going to publish on September 29 of this year. And I’m going to put up a pre-order for book two at the same time — for the end of October 2023. One month later.</p><p id="8680">Because that book is <i>also </i>already written and already has a great cover. It just needs an edit.</p><p id="1215">But wait, there’s more. I’m going to put up a pre-order for book three, too. For December 2023. That one needs more work. But it’s written. And it has a cover already.</p><p id="5506">I’m using a pen name, because I don’t want to mess up the algorithm on Amazon. But I’m going to do it. I’ll check back with you all here and let you know when it’s done.</p><h1 id="859e">In the meantime, I have some tips for you, for doing something that scares you.</h1><h2 id="aa5e">Find a friend to do it with.</h2><p id="61f2">I have a friend who is successfully self-published. She’s publishing on September 29. I’m riding her accountability coattails. If she can do it, I can do it.</p><h2 id="ec9c">Do something that’s hard to undo.</h2><p id="2f81">If I put up a pre-order on Amazon, I have to actually upload the book on time or I’ll get penalized. I’m also making this big old announcement right here. It’ll be embarrassing if I have to come back

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and admit that I didn’t actually publish.</p><h2 id="a8d3">Evaluate your readiness.</h2><p id="992f">I sat down and asked myself how ready I actually am for self-publishing. Because ‘I’m not ready’ is the best excuse there is. The first book in the series I’m going to publish is very ready. WAY ready. The second is 90 percent ready. The third is maybe 50 or 60 percent ready.</p><p id="e01e">I don’t get to use ‘I’m not ready’ unless it’s true and I have a plan for getting ready. Otherwise, I’m going to tell myself the truth. I’m ready, I’m just not brave enough.</p><h2 id="2193">Make a plan.</h2><p id="398c">My friend asked me what my plan was and I realized that she’d hit on one of the main reasons I’ve been spinning my wheels with self-publishing. I didn’t have a plan.</p><p id="8087">Even making a plan seemed like a huge deal, until she gave me a sample plan — which is the one I’ve already outlined for you. Seeing it starkly like that made it way easier to make the decision to just go for it.</p><p id="0773">Your turn. What are you scared to do? What’s your plan to actually do it?</p><p id="d54a"><b>Shaunta Grimes </b>is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, Louie Baloo the dog, and Ollie Wilbur the cat. She’s on Instagram <i>@ninjawritershop </i>and<i> </i>is the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/2K3tubN"><i>Viral Nation</i></a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/2rv1ozm"><i>Rebel Nation</i></a><i>, <a href="https://amzn.to/2rxds1Z">The Astonishing Maybe</a>, </i>and <a href="https://amzn.to/2M870Jy"><i>Center of Gravity</i></a><i>.</i> She is the original <a href="http://bit.ly/2dfEiaJ">Ninja Writer</a>.</p><p id="5384">Sign up for her Substack newsletter, <a href="https://shauntagrimes.substack.com/">Then See What Happens.</a> Or follow her on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ninjawriters">TikTok</a>.</p></article></body>

Tips for Doing the Thing that Scares You the Most

I’m self-publishing a novel this year, even if it kills me.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

I’m a novelist. I really am. I’ve had novels published by Penguin and Macmillan — big, huge, household-name publishing houses. My fifth novel is due out in March 2024 from Albert Whitman. They’re also the original and current publisher of The Boxcar Children.

I’m a novelist. But for whatever reason the idea of self-publishing my own fiction scares the pants off me.

I’ve tried to analyze why. And, I suppose, there are reasons.

I’m used to having feedback from my agent and my editor that convince me that my work is actually publishable before it gets to the public.
I’m not responsible for actually selling those traditionally-published books. Sure, marketing is mostly on me. But my publisher gets them in libraries and bookstores and to reviewers, etc.
My traditional publisher has a whole system of professional editors, marketers, etc. in place that work on my book before it goes out. They make the decisions about the covers, they edit for me, etc. Self-publishing is all on me.
I’ve never done it before. And that’s always mildly terrifying, isn’t it?

I traditionally publish middle grade and young adult novels. I want to self-publish romance novels. Romance is my first love. I know there’s a huge market for the kind of romance I write.

I just have to be brave enough to actually do it.

But what happens is this: I keep talking myself out of it. I’ll get all ready to go — and then decide that I’m just going to wait until I have three novels ready to go. Or I’ll get an idea for another middle grade or young adult book, and go all in on that instead.

No joke. I have a booking coming out in March 2024 because I was putting off self-publishing romance.

I’ve made a decision. And I’m going to put it here for some accountability.

I’m going to self-publish a novel on September 29, 2023.

It’s written. It’s with an editor now for copyedits. I have a gorgeous cover.

I’m not going to publish on September 29 of this year. And I’m going to put up a pre-order for book two at the same time — for the end of October 2023. One month later.

Because that book is also already written and already has a great cover. It just needs an edit.

But wait, there’s more. I’m going to put up a pre-order for book three, too. For December 2023. That one needs more work. But it’s written. And it has a cover already.

I’m using a pen name, because I don’t want to mess up the algorithm on Amazon. But I’m going to do it. I’ll check back with you all here and let you know when it’s done.

In the meantime, I have some tips for you, for doing something that scares you.

Find a friend to do it with.

I have a friend who is successfully self-published. She’s publishing on September 29. I’m riding her accountability coattails. If she can do it, I can do it.

Do something that’s hard to undo.

If I put up a pre-order on Amazon, I have to actually upload the book on time or I’ll get penalized. I’m also making this big old announcement right here. It’ll be embarrassing if I have to come back and admit that I didn’t actually publish.

Evaluate your readiness.

I sat down and asked myself how ready I actually am for self-publishing. Because ‘I’m not ready’ is the best excuse there is. The first book in the series I’m going to publish is very ready. WAY ready. The second is 90 percent ready. The third is maybe 50 or 60 percent ready.

I don’t get to use ‘I’m not ready’ unless it’s true and I have a plan for getting ready. Otherwise, I’m going to tell myself the truth. I’m ready, I’m just not brave enough.

Make a plan.

My friend asked me what my plan was and I realized that she’d hit on one of the main reasons I’ve been spinning my wheels with self-publishing. I didn’t have a plan.

Even making a plan seemed like a huge deal, until she gave me a sample plan — which is the one I’ve already outlined for you. Seeing it starkly like that made it way easier to make the decision to just go for it.

Your turn. What are you scared to do? What’s your plan to actually do it?

Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, Louie Baloo the dog, and Ollie Wilbur the cat. She’s on Instagram @ninjawritershop and is the author of Viral Nation, Rebel Nation, The Astonishing Maybe, and Center of Gravity. She is the original Ninja Writer.