Why It Took 10 Years to Publish My Novel

I began writing my debut novel, Getting By, two weeks after I turned 17 in the October of my junior year in high school. After years of work, it finally became available in August 2020, two months before my 27th birthday! Since I decided to take the self-publishing route for my novel, I controlled the timeline from start to finish. So, why did it take me almost ten years to publish my book?

Writing is a Commitment

It took me four years to complete the original draft of my manuscript. While I was busy in high school, when I began writing, I made time to write as often as possible. However, as my senior year began, I decided to take a year off from writing.

I was busy applying to colleges and finishing finals and projects, and I wanted to focus on managing my education further. By the time I returned to writing my novel, I was a freshman in college. And although I was far busier, I didn’t want to hold off any longer.

I put aside time to write when I could and finished writing my manuscript as a college junior. However, I wasn’t yet prepared to publish a book right there and then.

Finances Are Necessary

Upon completing my novel, I knew the first thing I had to do was hire an editor and that hiring a professional would be expensive. I was still in college and carrying debt, so I decided to wait until it was the right time for me financially to find an editor before I could take the following steps to sell my self-published book.

Despite not having a job lined up, I was fortunate to pay off my college debt several months after graduating. However, I didn’t want to hire an editor until I had a steady income. Unfortunately, for the next few years, I was only successful at securing temporary or contract jobs, which put publishing a book on hold for a bit longer.

It was when I was 25 that I got my first permanent job and my second one at 26. The timing was right for me to hire an editor as I was receiving a steady income and making more money at my new job, and I would be one step closer to selling my self-published novel.

Starting to Self-Publish

I contacted an editor the same month I started my second full-time, permanent job. They helped me improve my manuscript and gave suggestions to strengthen my story during the revision process.

As I’ve shared, they recommended Bookbaby, who helped design my book cover, amongst other steps in the lengthy publishing process. After I completed what BookBaby needed, everything was ready for launch, and I could sell my self-published book.

Sharing my book and the entire publishing experience with readers has been exhilarating. Even though I wish I could have published Getting By sooner, I’m thankful that my ambition of publishing a novel is finally a reality.

As you can see, it’s a challenging journey, but perseverance is key. However you go about publishing a book, the main thing is that you finish it. If you want to learn more about self-publishing, you can check out my online course and free guide, where I delve into the ins and outs of what I learned in that 10-year-long experience (hopefully shortening the process for writers like you!) You can also reach out with any questions or track me down on social media.