When I turned thirty (shit, I’m dating myself here, but what the heck), I wrote down a list of things I wanted to accomplish at thirty-three. One of them—and I declared this publicly on a Facebook post LOL—was to publish a book. Just ONE book. At that point, I’d had already worked at three companies and even tried my luck at making and selling clay accessories at bazaars. And although I still dabbled in writing KPop and Kdrama-inspired fanfic, I was so, so far away from my dream of becoming a screenwriter or a published author.
So, medyo nag-settle ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, kahit isang libro lang, maisulat at ma-publish ko, okay na ako. I’ll have some copies printed to give out as gifts, and one of them can stay with me as a souvenir. As a reminder that I was able to accomplish that dream kahit paano.
I love telling this story when someone asks me about my self-publishing origins. I was heading home from work, walking through ShangRi-La EDSA to the MRT station, and saw a kiosk of Summit books and magazines. Without really thinking about it, I snapped a photo of the books on display and posted it on my Instagram. Shortly after, one of my high school classmates, Jeni, commented on my post saying one of the books on the photo was written by her cousin.
Her cousin is Mina V. Esguerra.
Long story short, that one photo led me to knowing who Mina was, enrolling in her publishing class almost a year later, and joining #RomanceClass after that. Ten years later, here I am, trying to finish a new manuscript and getting ready to release a special illustrated cover edition of another book for (hopefully) Manila International Book Fair. It’s been an interesting and rewarding journey for me so far. I’ve learned so, so much, and I want to share some of the things that have kept me going.
- You HAVE to start somewhere. I’ve seen people get paralyzed by so many variables. Choices. Doubt. Imposter syndrome. There are so many excuses to not do The Thing You Want To Do, but there are also so many reasons why you should. Don’t hold on to that one idea you’ve been keeping in your drafts for forever. Just write it down. Publish it. Then, write some more.
- Your family and friends are not your audience. Yes, they may be well meaning and could be your first AND biggest supporters, but they are not your audience. They could buy every book you write, but you shouldn’t expect to read them and advocate for them like other readers do. That said, don’t take it against your family and friends if they don’t support you the way you’d expect a reading audience would.
- Write something that YOU will enjoy. Following trends and writing that you think a certain target audience will like is fine, but if you’re not enjoying the work you do, it’ll be difficult to follow through. What do YOU want to read? Yes, write that.
- Manage your expectations. Unless you’re already some kind of Wattpad superstar or celebrity, your first book might not sell as much. My preorder numbers began at two, then 10, then 20+ within the first three years of my self-publishing journey. I’m still not selling by the thousands, but that’s okay. I’ve managed my expectations with every new release. When I exceed them, I’m pleasantly surprised. When I don’t, I look for ways to improve my numbers. Rinse and repeat.
- There will be good and bad reviews. Take only what is useful. First of all, let me be clear: Reader spaces are sacred to readers. You as an author should NOT be engaging in them. But if you’re anything like me who would occasionally look at these spaces to read reviews, bear in mind that getting bad reviews is par for the course. Yes, it could be demoralizing and disappointing, but you have to learn to let go. The book is already out — whatever criticism you get should only improve your future books, not hold you back from writing any more.
- Be a fan of your own work. Listen, self-promotion as an indie author can get very cringey, but being a fan of your own work makes the whole thing bearable. You may even start enjoying it in the long run. You know how some authors call their books their children? Yeah, that’s a thing. So I’m a fan of my kids and I love them. I make sure the world knows I’m proud of them. And that makes people stop and look, and sometimes, even spend money to get to know them too.
- Read your peers. I’m sure you already know this. The basic rule for authors is read, read, read. Literally read everything you want. Don’t stop reading, because reading widely is a great way to upskill as an author. But knowing your peers and reading their work as well is essential, especially to a self-published author. You’re not only learning about what else is out there in the local publishing landscape, but it’s also a way to connect with them and build relationships.
- Having a community makes writing and self-publishing easier. You often hear the phrase “it takes a village” when people talk about creating or producing things, and it’s not very different with publishing. As a newbie indie author ten years ago, I was clueless about who to approach for editing, beta reading, cover design, etc., but all that changed when I found my community. Being part of #RomanceClass gave me access to a group of people who share the same passion for creating as I am, and it truly has made my life as an indie author so much easier.
- Do your best to show up in any way you can. Remember kids: Being in a community means you are in a relationship with a group of people, so don’t be selfish. In all healthy relationships, there’s give and take, so ‘wag yung take lang nang take, okay? Show up for the members of your community: Cheer them on when they succeed and be there for them when they’re struggling. Sometimes it really doesn’t take much. But in everything you do, be sincere. People can tell if you’re being fake, trust me.
- Self-publishing is hard work, but it’s worth it. From writing to publishing to self-promotion, the entire process can actually drive you up the wall, honestly. Be prepared to learn a lot of things from scratch, and also be ready to unlearn some old habits. There are moments that can make you feel really vulnerable, and there are also times when you’ll feel invincible. No matter how involved you are in the process of birthing a book out into the world, I promise you it’ll be worth it. Start somewhere and keep going.
If you’re still here and reading this, thank you for your time! Honestly, there’s so much more I’ve learned, and I just know there’s more to still learn as I go along. But I hope these little lessons will be inspiring to anyone who wants to start writing and publishing their own books. See your books in the future, I guess? I’m cheering you on.
