When people ask me how I got started writing, I start out by telling them that I’ve considered myself a writer all of my life. I just loved telling stories. But I always wrote for myself. Then the day came that changed all that. A loved one pointed out how good my #stories were. That is the day that changed my life.
I felt encouraged to submit my edited manuscript to many traditional publishing houses both in Canada and the United States. Unfortunately, I ran into the roadblock that many first-time authors run into – none of them were interested in my story. There was one who wanted me to write early chapter books. But that wasn’t my passion.
However, I was not discouraged. I knew that my story was special, and it deserved to be told. At that point, I had to take some time from actively pursuing a publisher for my book for personal reasons.
Six months passed, and I realized my #story was important and that the world should read it. at that point, I knew that self-publishing my book was my best choice. It would be a difficult road, I knew, but I was dedicated to sharing my story with the world.
My book was already edited. Now I needed someone to provide me with the illustrations to bring my story to life and give it a look and feel that children would love. I initially tried collaborating with a local illustrator, but he quit after a month. I finally paired up with a wonderful illustrator on Fiverr who provided me with the beautiful pictures that suited my story.