6 Steps for Growing Your Business Using LinkedIn

I’ll be the first one to say: I’m not super into social media. 

I definitely like seeing friends and family updates, and I like being able to share things with more than one person at a time (particularly with photos), but most times I find social media overwhelming...even for business. 

And look - there are a lot of ways to have a successful business, I’m sure without social media. But using the tools almost everyone is using online is, well, kind of important. Even though I sometimes find myself anxiety-ridden after spending too much time scrolling, social media can be fabulous for business both for networking and finding clients.

My *favorite* social media, if you can even call it that - in fact, let’s just say the least overwhelming social media (and one I don’t click on ads to buy random junk that’s adorable but I definitely don’t need) - is LinkedIn. 

You might be surprised that more than 75% of Capturing Your Confidence clients come from LinkedIn! So when I say it’s helpful, I mean you can make connections AND money, which is kind of the ideal for business, right?

What is LinkedIn & How Does it Work?

LinkedIn is a social media platform meant for business and professional networking. Similar to Facebook, the posts are text-driven, although there are also interactive ways to connect with your audience, like polls. 

As a user, you create a profile and posts. In your Home feed, you can see posts from people you follow and posts the people you’re connected to have interacted with. For instance, if you connect with a co-worker or friend, you can see posts they’ve liked, shared, or commented on even if you aren’t connected to the original poster. It’s a great way to meet new people and see posts from companies and professionals you admire.

The primary difference between LinkedIn and other social networking sites is the professional aspect. People typically use LinkedIn to:

• Find jobs

• Hire and/or recruit for their company

• Grow their professional network

• Meet people doing what they want to do
  Contribute their expertise

• Learn from others 

The atmosphere is different from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (and any others I may have missed). People are generally positive, share employment and education milestones, and ask for help to get jobs or clients or whatever professional advice they need. There are personal stories, but on the whole, they’re framed within the work and business environment - not for drama’s sake. 

Why LinkedIn Works for Business

LinkedIn is a good place to grow professionally, but it’s also a pretty nifty business tool! For business owners, consultants, and freelancers, LinkedIn can help you find clients and grow your business without some of the busywork it takes on other forms of social media. 

For starters, LinkedIn is more professional. There will always be people who want to interact with their professional network in unprofessional ways, but in general, people on LinkedIn are there to do business.

They expect to connect with people, potentially do some job recruiting, and learn about business topics like marketing and copywriting from their network. The goals and audience expectations are different from Facebook, even for businesses using Facebook for business. 

Knowing the intention is to connect with people for business purposes, it feels less weird to connect with people you don’t know - especially when they’re doing something really cool you might also like to do. For instance, I love connecting with other writers and creative business owners because they offer a lot of interesting and creative ideas!

LinkedIn is a great place to learn what’s possible because there are others doing almost anything you can imagine. And, as long as you’re not connecting to someone and immediately selling to them in their DMs (don’t do this on ANY platform - it’s irritating!), people are usually happy to connect, which means it’s pretty simple to grow your network. 

Probably the best thing about LinkedIn for business is that you can get your name and business in front of A LOT of people fairly easily because of how the connection network works. You have people you know and are “connected with” - like Facebook or Instagram “friends.” Easy peasy. Search for them, connect with them, and once they accept, they’re in your network! 

The cool thing is that the more people you connect with, the more posts you see from outside of these connections. How it works is that your connection, say your work best friend, likes a post from someone she follows and/or is networked with. Because of your connection with your friend, you can see the posts she likes (or comments on). Because you can see the posts, you can interact with them as well, even if you’re not connected with the original poster. 

This is a fantastic way to meet smart people you want to connect with! You get a preview of their content, and when you interact with it, they can also come and see your profile and content, depending on how you set up your privacy settings. It’s a low stakes, organic way to grow your network of professional contacts - with the added bonus that there’s not usually an expectation of “follow for follow” like there is on other sites, especially Facebook groups. 

People on LinkedIn will connect with you and you can connect with them, but it’s not one of those things where you’ll see a ton of posts about “let’s all follow each other!” 

6 Steps for Growing Your Business with LinkedIn

If you’re sold on LinkedIn (heck yeah!) as a less stressful way to grow your business, especially for you creatives, I’ve got good news for you: It’s not hard. 

In fact, there’s really only 6 steps you need to take to start growing your LinkedIn presence (and therefore your business):

1. Make sure your profile is filled out all the way. Take the time to write a good headline, add a nice photo of yourself (NOT the bathroom selfie you took yesterday), and write an engaging bio. Remember, if you’re using LinkedIn for your business, you need to be clear about what it is you do and what you’re good at. 

2. Make sure your work history is up to date. Fill in your recent job history to the best of your ability and showcase the skills you want people to know about. You don’t need to include every job you’ve ever had, or old jobs that aren’t relevant to what you’re doing or want to be doing. For instance, jobs you had in high school probably aren’t doing you any professional favors.

3. Make sure you have a business page for your business. This is important, although can be easily forgotten! Create a business page for your business and then in your Work History section, make sure that your “job” is tied to the business page. This will help you gain credibility - and show your future network and clients exactly what you offer. 

4. Participate & comment thoughtfully. Think about what would happen if you walked into an interview and just sat there and said nothing. Or showed up at a work event and stood in the corner on your phone the whole time instead of interacting with others. It’s kind of a waste of time, right? That’s because you need to interact with people for networking to work. On LinkedIn that means commenting thoughtful and participating with your network. Get into real discussions and engage with people! Spend some time thinking about what your connections are posting - you never know who you might meet, or what clients might come of these kinds of interactions. (You’d be surprised by how often this actually happens!)

5. Post meaningful stuff & testimonials. When you make posts on LinkedIn, consider what’s relevant to your business and what people might want to know about your areas of expertise. For instance, tips and strategies for things that you’re really good at that other people aren’t. And when you do get awesome clients, share what they’re saying about you! There’s nothing more effective for drumming up business than a solid review or testimonial from someone who worked with you. 

6. Tag people, even if you don’t really “know” them. When you start tagging people in your network, it can feel awkward. It can sometimes feel like “I don’t really know them, so will they really care?” Tagging people is a great way to interact with your network and meet new people, though. And honestly? If you’re tagging someone in a post that’s relevant to what they do, they’re likely to respond in some way or another. It’s a thoughtful interaction - not that you want to be picking 5 random people who won’t get value from what you’re saying - and often leads to good conversations. 

My challenge to you is to get on LinkedIn (if you’re not already) & start using it for your business! 

Are you on LinkedIn? How have you used LinkedIn for business? (If you want to connect, find me here). I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing - and business.

So You Want to Write a Book? Author Corey Rosen Has Some Advice (& Inspiration)

Our September author is Corey Rosen

Corey Rosen is an Emmy-award winning writer, actor, and storytelling teacher. He has hosted 105 live events for The Moth, The Moth StorySlam, and GrandSlams.

Rosen has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour, Backfence PDX and “The Finch Files” and “The B-Sider” podcasts. He is an on-air personality for Alice Radio’s “The Sarah and Vinnie Show,” the #1-rated commercial morning show in the San Francisco area.

A performer at BATS Improv, he is also a head writer at Tippett Studio. When not writing or performing, Corey works as a visual effects artist and executive producer. He is credited in movies including “Mission: Impossible,” several “Star Wars” films, and “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” He has taught at NYU and Academy of Art University, written for Comedy Central, Jim Henson Productions, and Lucasfilm, and directed television commercials and Emmy award-winning short films.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Corey’s book Your Story, Well Told, you can find it here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

My first writing was for the screen. I made short films and developed and wrote screenplays for Lucasfilm and other animation studios. It wasn't until recently that I found I had a book “in me.” Once I had that spark, it took off and the process was delightful.

Was there a certain point you remember where you felt empowered to call yourself a writer? Or have you always felt like you were a writer?

I think a lot of people call themselves “a writer” that don’t do much or any writing. I think those people are not writers. They are waiters!  I was a waiter for a long time. It feels good to be a writer, now. I highly suggest it!

Your book, Your Story, Well Told, is a guide for storytelling, and you draw a lot on improvisational theatre. What inspired you to take your theatre talents and turn it into a book about stories?

I’m fascinated by the intersection of these two “forms” - Storytelling (especially non-fiction spoken word storytelling) and Improvisation (creating something from nothing). Improvisation is the craft of using what’s right in front of us. Wanting what you have, rather than having what you want. The book emerged from this, as it’s how I craft stories (for myself and others). Using what’s right in front of me, and building on that.

A common blunder many storytellers face is their own rigid adherence to the words they are using - memorizing it like it’s a monologue. When you are improvising, there is no script so you can freely express yourself however it emerges. With storytelling, you can harness that energy and relate your story while staying present in the space where you are telling it.

My book is a guide for everyone who has a story to tell to harness this kind of energy to bring their stories to life in an authentic and relatable way - never feeling stilted or over-scripted.

The book has some excellent (& relatable!) stories from your own life. How did you choose which examples to use to highlight the story concepts throughout the book?

Thank you!  When I started writing the book, I had just been punched in the face by another kid’s mom while dropping my child off at elementary school. Since I was embarking on writing a book about storytelling, it made sense to me to start the book with a story - and that one was so raw and real in my life at the time that it emerged. 

Other stories in the book (my own and those of my friends, students, and colleagues) were chosen to help illustrate the concepts and principles I explore throughout the book. Among them are some REALLY GREAT stories and also some that (as I discuss throughout) are “broken birds” in need of repair. 

I find it really interesting to analyze flawed stories using my own “yes, and” critique methods - looking at what IS working in the story and building on that to make the story stronger. 

I love that there are so many fun and interesting exercises! Where did the exercises come from (did you create them, borrow them, adapt them, etc.) & do you have a favorite?

I’m a performer and trainer. I believe in active learning, learning by doing. It’s one thing to read a tip or how-to in a book (or in a lecture) but it’s another to do the thing - to try something (out loud or on paper) to synthesize the learning. By using play, we remove the cognitive barriers or pressures to “do it right.” 

So a game like “That reminds me of the time” (in my book) makes a game out of recalling memories - which in turn can become source material for stories that the reader might not have considered before! Many storytellers feel like they have to tell “the big” stories. The games and exercises throughout the book are designed to find the small moments and to help us shape them into stories worth telling.  

I did invent several of the exercises. Others come from the world of Applied Improvisation, which has a great and very active community of trainers and practitioners who freely share our games with each other.  

Describe your writing and/or creative process.

I start with an outline or syllabus. I outline what I want (generally) to talk about or happen in a given chapter (or scene, for creative writing). When doing the writing itself, I try to get it out fast and without correction or editing. A Vomit Draft (something I discuss in the book as well) - where the quality is less important than the experience of telling (or writing) it down. 

As a performer, I also like to try things out loud. When I started writing, I was overwhelmed by the blank page or blinking cursor. But if I am speaking my story out loud, it comes out (for me) more naturally and without these barriers. Sometimes I will record myself or tell my story to someone that is close to me (a family member or friend). 

When I feel more confident in the story and want to try it on someone else I’ll take a risk and tell it to a stranger. One of my favorite “test audiences” is the drivers of Lyft or Uber! I’ll ask them, “can I tell you a story?” Nobody has ever said no!

You have quite a diverse set of writing and storytelling experiences! Is there one type of activity that you find the most fun? The most challenging?

I get to host “The Moth,” which is a storytelling podcast and radio show. We have live shows in a variety of cities. I love these forums because they draw out people of all kinds, every demographic, gender-identity, ethnicity, you name it. 

In a single night’s show, you might have a college student, an 80-year-old hippy, and a formerly incarcerated individual all sharing a stage, telling their own stories. The whole room feels connected and alive by the end of the show.  

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

I feel like repetition and routine is the best antidote to writers “block.” It’s easy to not do something, even something you want to do, if you don’t make time for it. This could apply to exercise, your diet, or any other ambition. 

By setting aside time to write, I wrote. And the more I wrote, the more I wrote. It stops being a job or a chore. It’s waiting to come out. You just have to let it. 

What is the part of your published work or writing process you’re most proud of?

When I submitted the final edited version of the manuscript, and got a case of books in the mail, I was ecstatic. It never really felt real until that moment. Then I told EVERYONE I know about it, in every way I could. And people started buying the book and sharing pictures of themselves with my book! It’s a wonderful feeling to have completed this project and I love hearing the stories that people are telling after reading it!

Do you have any plans for another book or writing project in the near future? If so, could you tell us about it? 

Yes!  I am midway through a follow up book right now. It’s the next phase of the same subject that “Your Story, Well Told” covers. This one uses specific examples of stories that people have to tell in their lives, like eulogies, acceptance speeches, and roasts, with guidance (and examples) of how to tell them, well!

What motivates you to keep writing?

It’s a routine and a pleasure to write. On days I don’t write, I get mad at myself. Every time I write, I feel good. So that feeling keeps me writing!

What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

You are FULL of stories. If you don’t know what to write about, read the first chapter of my book. It will give you tools to inspire you and start you on your way!

Purchase a copy of Corey’s book, Your Story, Well Told here.

Overcome Your Writing Fears with These 9 Simple Strategies

Beginning, or even continuing, a writing project can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider before you dive in - and many fears that may arise.

Today we wanted to share some fears that we see often, and how to overcome them so you can keep working on your next masterpiece!

All the Writing Fears (or at Least a Lot of Them)

Picture this: you’ve got a brilliant idea (or at least an idea) and you’re ready to write. BUT, and this is a big one, you haven’t really planned anything out. You may not even know much about the characters or the world, but dang it! You want to write the thing. Worrying about fully developing an idea can hold you back, especially if/when you feel like if you don’t plan more it may not be any good. 

The good news is that as long as you have an idea, you can start writing. Maybe you just have a couple of characters who keep coming to mind, or you’re picturing one certain scene. If that’s what you’ve got, go for it! Focus on writing and developing those bits first - then you can work on planning and writing more when you have a better feel for where you see the story going. 

Amidst your thoughts about developing your idea enough, you may worry if people will even “get it.” What if they don’t understand? What if you can’t find the right words to express the image in your mind? Unfortunately, you can’t control what other people understand of your work. You can do your best to make sure your writing is as clear and precise as possible, and get feedback as you go along, but that’s about it. There’s no way to connect with everyone, and that’s okay! You don’t need to. 

Along these same lines, writers often fear that people won’t “buy in” or be interested in what you have to say. For non-fiction writers, it may be about not being persuasive enough. For fiction writers, it may be about readers not relating enough to your characters and story. Either way, the only thing you need to worry about is reaching your ideal audience - the readers you know will love your book. 

Audience is a funny thing: it can both thrill and terrify you, especially when it comes to your writing! Many writers, especially new writers, are especially worried about not having a big enough following or a wide enough audience. It’s a lot of work to build a social media following, and an audience of loyal readers. And actually, having an audience is a big part of being successful as a writer because that’s the way you reach “your” people! The key is that it takes time - the more effort you put in interacting with people and sharing your ideas, the easier (and more natural) it will feel to grow your following. 

Probably the most common, and sometimes the most debilitating, fear is being compared to others. While it’s not always a bad thing to be compared to other writers (hello, who doesn’t want to be compared to someone great?!), it doesn’t feel good when the comments are about you not being as “good” as other writers. This is especially true if you’ve been inspired by someone you love and are trying to write something similar. 

Then the worry becomes a fear that your idea isn’t original. While we hate to be the bearer of bad news, you probably aren’t going to have a ground-breaking, never-been-done-before idea. It’s natural to get ideas from what you read and see in the world! You just need to make sure that whatever you’re working on doesn’t copy anyone directly (that’s plagiarism). Sometimes we take ideas from what we’ve read and it morphs into our own unique thing, and that’s great - just make sure you’re not copying from someone else directly. Put your spin on it. After all, that’s what will excite people! 

9 Ways to Overcome Writing Fear

While there may be quite a few fears, there are some pretty simple and effective ways to fight back. 

1. Figure out the ultimate outcome. If you figure out what you want to happen in the big picture, it will help dispel the fear that your idea won’t be developed enough. 

2. Think about yourself. What do you enjoy reading and writing about? What are your favorite genres, tropes, archetypes, etc.? What are you writing: a novel, poem, short story, something else? All of this info factors into how your idea will play out.  If you know where your story is headed, it’s easier to see the bigger picture and work your way towards that outcome. 

3. Take the free 10 Day Organize Your Book course. During these 10 days, you’ll plot your book (or whip your Work in Progress back into shape), organize your ideas, technology, and space and just feel good about your writing.  

4. Imagine your ideal audience. Who are you writing for? Consider age groups, genre types, niche groups, or whomever you think would enjoy your writing the most. Once you have an ideal audience, you can write with them in mind. If you’re stuck on audience (it happens to all of us sometimes!), read this, it will help.

5. Find other authors in the same genre on social media and follow them. It helps to know that you’re not alone no matter what type of writing you do. There’s an audience for all topics, you just need to make sure you’re a part of that community so when you share your work, it’ll be found by people who’ll be excited to read it. 

6. Set a timer for your writing sessions. Also called writing sprints, having a timer can be helpful to push past fear of writer's block. Read the older part of your writing first if you’ve already started, then set a timer and focus on a tiny section. Give yourself the freedom to be as sloppy as you want (& DO NOT edit as you’re writing). If, in the end, it doesn’t make the cut, at least you’ll make progress and get next part in your writing. 

7. Get the failure workbook. It’s called “How to Stop Feeling Like a Failure in 5 Simple Steps” - we clearly like keeping things simple around here! The workbook walks you through widespread myths about writing (that are totally not true), the mindset you’ll need to be successful, and exercises about how to get there. Super helpful. You’ll be writing with confidence in no time!

8. Practice. Write as much as you can and as often as you can. This will help you improve your writing and help to dispel the fear of not being good enough. 

9. Don’t show anyone, at least at first. One of our favorite strategies is to keep your writing to yourself until you decide it’s ready enough to share. A first draft is never perfect, and will need a lot of edits before it’s ready for readers. You don’t want your unfinished, unpolished work being compared to other writer’s final drafts, it's not fair to yourself or your writing! While we always encourage feedback, don’t feel pressured to show your writing to anyone while it’s still brand new, even if they mean well. 

My challenge to you is to push past your fears and write!

What fears have been holding you back? Do you have an idea that you need help developing? Have you had success overcoming similar fears? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing. 

4 Stressors Secretly Causing Writer’s Block

As a writer, you’ve probably dealt with writer’s block in some form or another - almost all of us have.  It’s a frustrating and seemingly endless period that can bring about a whole lot of stress on its own. 

But did you know that stress can be what leads you to getting stuck in the first place? Once you understand what’s causing unnecessary stress in your life, it’ll be easier to manage it and in turn, avoid the dreaded writer’s block.

What the Heck is Stressor?

First things first, let’s discuss what exactly a stressor is. A quick Google search will tell you that a stressor is something that causes strain, tension, or...you guessed it, STRESS! There are so many stressors in your life that seem harmless, but can actually create a lot of stress in your life. 

4 Sneaky Stressors Causing Writer’s Block

Instant Access News & Media Coverage

With access to laptops, phones, and tablets, you have the world at your fingertips - including the good, bad, and the ugly. Being able to constantly check your phone and see updates on the news and other kinds of media can be a HUGE stressor. 

Most of the time, the news is not reporting on happy topics. Almost all media outlets tell you about the tragic accidents, extreme weather, disputes in politics, and more pressing issues. After all, “if it bleeds, it leads.”

Sometimes it’s important to take a step back from all of that information. Although it may feel like it, you don’t need to know every single detail of what happens in the world each day. It is important to stay informed, but news can easily become an obsession, which isn’t helpful for anyone. In fact, it often leads people to losing faith in humanity and brings a ton of stress into their lives. 

Limit yourself to checking the news a few times per week and rest assured that if anything dire happens, you’ll be able to find out quickly. Limiting yourself will help bring more peace into your life, and get some writing done!

Social Media

This may or may not come as a surprise, but social media can drag even the best of us down if we’re not paying. It creates a stressful cycle where you find yourself stuck in a bubble where everyone’s lives are perfect and going just right...except yours. When you see perfectly curated content, it feels a lot like comparing yourself to a model in a magazine, and you find yourself lacking most times. It’s incredibly stressful (and unhealthy) to spend so much time comparing yourself to others, especially when you don’t really know what's happening behind the scenes.

After all, you’re only seeing what people want you to see.  It’s important to remember that social media isn’t always what it seems. It’s much less important to get a lot of likes and comments than to forge actual relationships with people (even though it’s painful when you feel like you’ve posted the “right” stuff and no one seems to care.)

The other thing about social media is how much time people spend on it. According to the data, people in the U.S. spend more than 2 hours EVERY DAY on social media. Can you imagine how many other things (including writing) you could do with 2 more hours in your day if you limited your social media time?! And how much stress it could relieve if you spent that time enjoying your time instead of comparing or wishing your life was different? Or actually shaping your life into something you enjoy every day? 

Turn off social media and put your phone away when you’re going to be writing. Don’t let yourself be drawn into the social media black hole that winds up eating all your time and taking your focus away from your creative ideas & writing. 

Expectation Overwhelm

Once you announce that you’re writing something - a book, a story, an article, etc. - it comes with expectations. People will ask “How’s the book coming?” or “What are you writing about?” Even though most people are well-intentioned and simply curious to know what you’re working on, you’ll probably start to feel the pressure pretty quickly. It’s not just the questions that can cause stress, but also knowing they want to or even expect to read your work. 

You might start to wonder: Will they like it? Will it be “good enough” for them? If they don’t like it, will they think less of me?

One simple way to avoid feeling too much pressure (unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid entirely) is to be vague when responding to these kinds of questions. When you don’t share much, they’ll ask less. It may seem harsh or strange, but can really help. If you want someone to bounce ideas off of, that’s fine - just make sure they’re someone who won’t judge your ideas. 

You can also hold off on telling people you’re writing anything until you’re sure it’s something you’re going to put out in the world. Then, if you change your mind or decide to go a different route, you won’t have to explain yourself to anyone. It relieves some of the pressure and frees up your mind to just write.

Not Enough Physical Contact with the Outside World

Thanks to the pandemic, it’s become increasingly difficult to physically interact with the outside world. This can put a damper on your spirits and make it difficult to focus on writing projects. It seems like having to stay inside would help these projects, especially since many writers consider themselves introverts. But when you don’t have a choice, it can feel like a chore. 

It’s important to take breaks, even if you can’t get out of the house, so you don’t start to dislike writing. As with anything, you can overdo it if you push yourself too hard or force yourself to write when you don’t want to. 

Not only is getting out good for your mental health, it’s also good for inspiration. Without the interactions that were a part of your everyday life before, you might find yourself uninspired. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to find new ideas. You can still interact with nature, listen to music, or talk with friends and family on the phone. These are all great ways to spark your creativity when you can’t go out in public. 

My challenge to you is to take a break from your phone for a day.

Do any of these stressors make an impact on your writing? How do you overcome writer’s block? Have you ever taken a break from social media or your phone for an extended period of time? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing. 

Historical Fiction Author Jean Perry Discusses Research, Writing, & Perseverance

Our August author is Jean Perry.

Jean Perry has a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from New York University and a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), a retired elementary school teacher, and former reporter for the New York Daily News. Mozay of Pepperwick is historical fiction, loosely based on the story her aunt told her about her grandfather.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Mozay of Pepperwick, you can find it here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey.

My writing journey began when, at age 9, I wrote a poem titled “My Rosary.” My sister said she didn’t believe I wrote it. But my mother, a secretary, typed it up. I gave it to a nun who was beyond pleased and shared with her Sisters.

Your book, Mozay of Pepperwick, is based loosely on the story your aunt told you about your grandfather – wow! How did you decide to take that story and turn it into a book?

After Alex Haley’s book and the television version of ROOTS, there was a mad dash to learn one’s ancestry. I questioned my Aunt Ann who told me my grandfather was chosen to be a valet and companion to a planter’s son and so received seven years of schooling.

She said, “He said he often knew the answers when his charge did not.”

The story grew from there. Attending a family reunion in South Carolina led me to return to do research in the University of South Carolina’s Caroliniana Library. If you go to my Mozay of Pepperwick page on Facebook, you will see the man upon whom I based the Mozay character - my grandfather, Moses Perry.

An aside – how thrilling it was to find his name mentioned in a book on the very first day I visited that library. Elloree Home I Love is also on my Mozay of Pepperwick page. A photograph shows many of my relatives including my father Nathaniel when he was about age two.

Kind of in that same vein, I’m curious: when you began writing, how did it feel knowing that much of it was true? Especially that someone in your not-too-distant family experienced the (or similar) people and places, and being a slave?

I admire my ancestors for living the best lives they could during slavery and segregation – doing the best they could with what they had.

Mozay’s voice is defined and articulate, but still relatable as you hear what he’s thinking. His voice is one of the reasons you want to know more about his life! How did you develop his voice?

I grew up in the ‘40’s and 50’s, eras where children did not speak unless spoken to. That gave me a high degree of listening comprehension. So my ear linked to the part of my brain that writes down what my own voice says.  I did not consciously aim to develop a voice.

I listen to myself and write down what God delivers. I experience this process as a download. I have to write fast and sloppy to get it down. I can compose on the computer but for more difficult, personal content I go long-hand.

Slavery and freedom are two main themes throughout the novel. How did you balance talking about some of the darker realities of slavery Mozay (and the other characters) experienced with the novel being middle grade?

It’s in the Middle Grade category, but to me its upper Middle Grade and up. I’ve had many positive responses from adults who’ve read the book.

Since the advent of Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games many adults started reading Young Adult books, and I just read somewhere that adults are choosing to listen to Middle Grade audio books. They are relatively short and easy to follow which, I guess, makes good company in the car.

What was your research process for the book? Since it’s based on real people and places, did that help your research?

I went to Columbia, South Carolina to the Caroliniana Library, the UCLA Library, and the USC Library. I researched online. One prompt led to another and I realized I could research forever, so I started confining my research to material I would use in the story.

If readers want to know more about Mozay, Pepperwick Plantation, or the other people and places in the book, do you have a good starting point of where they can look?

The book is historical fiction so there’s no Mozay and no Pepperwick. Readers interested in the life of slaves in 1850s South Carolina can use the resources in the References section of the book.

For those who want to visit plantations, South Carolina and other southern states offer tours. Research the state of your choice, using the prompt “tour plantations.”

Describe your writing and/or creative process.

Sit down and write. Buy a journal, keep it in the same place so you can find it, and jot down thoughts when they come to you. You don’t need complete sentences, or perfect grammar or spelling – just jot down whatever comes to mind.

Also use clippings or print outs from online research. Dissect books you like to learn about setting, timeline, protagonist, and antagonist. Figure out who wants what. Why? And who’s blocking them from reaching their goal?  What happens at the climax? At the crisis? At the resolution?

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

Procrastination was a big block for me. Once you start to write regularly, you build up a momentum that overcomes, or at least challenges, procrastination.

What is the part of your published work or writing process you’re most proud of?

Perseverance and momentum got me over the finish line. Oh, and saying no to perfection. That comes when you delete your “darlings” those beautiful sentences that add nothing to plot.

Do you have any new writing projects in the works? If so, would you tell us a little about them?

Yes, I have a draft, but I learned so much in writing and finishing Mozay of Pepperwick, that it isn’t very useful. Instead, I’m getting to know my lead character better and paying more attention to writing a plot outline that’s true to the story, while leaving room for my surprise downloads that occur without warning.

What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

Read! These books have helped me tremendously:

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

• The Plot Whisperer & The Plot Whisperer Workbook by Martha Alderson

• On Writing by Stephen King

• This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Moseley

• Second Sight by Cheryl B. Klein

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about telling a story that’s near and dear to them, but isn’t quite sure they can do it?

You will never know your strengths and limitations until you try. So go forward and don’t stop until you have a fist draft. Do not keep returning to the beginning and fixing it.

It’s likely you won’t know what you’re writing until you finish. Once you have a draft, then read, consider joining a writers group, and take writing classes.

If you would like to purchase Jean Perry’s book, Mozay of Pepperwick, you can find a copy here.

If you know an author (or of an author) you would love to read an interview with, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or submit a suggestion here.

How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome

By Holly Huntress, Living Through Writing

As a writer, something I have to contend with on more occasions than I care to admit, is imposter syndrome. This is something that affects most (if not all) writers at some point. It’s hard enough to be a writer without having to battle with your own inner self-doubt and worry. So, today I’m sharing how I deal with imposter syndrome. 

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is the feeling you don’t belong. That you aren’t good enough. When it comes to writing, it makes you feel like you aren’t really a writer. When you experience imposter syndrome, it makes you doubt yourself and your abilities - you feel as if you’re an imposter. Imposter syndrome can happen in any field, not just writing. It can put a damper on your spirits and hinder your writing. So, what do you do when it takes over?

How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome

More often than not, I find myself being sucked into a spiral of self-deprecating thoughts regarding my writing. I’m not as good as… I could never write that well… I’ll never be considered a real author… The list goes on. 

A lot of the time my imposter syndrome stems from making comparisons between my writing and a book I’m reading. Never compare your unfinished/unpolished writing to that of a published novel/work. The book you’re reading has been through multiple rounds of professional edits and beta reads. Your writing is still in its early stages. If you compare it to one of the books on your shelf, you’ll bring imposter syndrome on yourself in a heartbeat. 

Even if you are comparing your own writing to someone else who hasn’t gone through the edits and beta reads, it’s still not fair to yourself to compare them. Everyone has a different writing style. If they didn’t, reading would become boring... fast. All books would read the same, and if you read one, you’d have read them all. 

When imposter syndrome is creeping up on you, keep in mind that there’s someone out there who wants to hear what you have to say. It may not happen right away, but you will find your audience. In the meantime, imagine your ideal reader and write for them. They’ll be your biggest supporter and possibly your biggest critic as well. Don’t let the fear of those critiques hold you back or fuel your imposter syndrome.

Critiques help you grow as a writer. Don’t think of bad reviews as something negative. They’re there to help you discover what you need to work on. For example, if you have a review that mentions bad grammar or spelling, that's an easy fix! Simply make sure you have a more thorough editor helping you with your writing. 

If someone says that they weren’t a fan of the character development, maybe spend a bit more time planning out your next character’s arc before diving in to make sure they’re a fully developed character. There are so many ways you can use your reviews to help yourself. It’s okay to be upset by bad reviews, but make sure you use them to the best of your ability. Don’t let them go to waste.

Another super helpful way I overcome Imposter syndrome is by reaching out to other writers in the writing community. I have mentioned writing communities before, and I will keep bringing it up! There are writing communities on every social media. 

If you’re not sure how to find those writing communities you can learn more about writers on Instagram, or read about writers’ TikTok. Twitter and Facebook can be just as useful as long as you can find your writing community. 

Whenever I feel down about my writing or need some help, I reach out to my writing community. I post a video on TikTok asking my question, or saying I need some help with whatever is bugging me, and people respond in the comments. 

Or I post on Instagram, either to my Stories or to my page, and do the same thing. Pose a question and wait for the responses to come in. If I need more immediate help, I can always directly message (DM) some of the writers who I have become closer with and they’re always willing to help.

If you need an instant boost in your morale, go back and read some of your own writing. Sometimes it’s easy to forget your own abilities. I know I do since I’m not usually reading my writing. 

Imposter syndrome is no fun and it can really make you feel crappy. But, with the right tools in your arsenal, you can snap back into reality and remember who you are: a writer. No matter who tries to tell you differently, even if it’s yourself, YOU ARE A WRITER. So do what you do best and write! Beat back the imposter syndrome and overcome your doubts. 

How to Use Instagram to Build Your Own Writing Community

There are many fun and exciting reasons why I love writing. A large part of what keeps me going and helps me to stay motivated is the writing community I’ve built for myself. There are many different social media platforms that you can use to do this, but one that I’ve found other writers are particularly engaging and active on is Instagram. 

What is Instagram?

You’ve probably heard of Instagram, even if you don’t use it. Originally, Instagram was a photo-based platform where you could share photos with friends and interact with other peoples’ photos. It’s kind of like a simplified version of Facebook.

Though Instagram was originally a photo based platform, they’re shifting focus to become more video based, like TikTok. You can read more about writing and TikTok here.read more about writing and TikTok here

How does it work?

The main purpose of Instagram is to share photos or videos with your followers. To do this, you create posts using an image or video on your phone and add a caption with hashtags to go along with it. Then, people can interact with your post and engage with you.

Another way to share is by posting Stories. These are photos or videos you share that only last for a day before they disappear. You can save them to an archive if you don’t want them to disappear, but generally, Stories are meant to be used for quick updates that you don’t care to be permanent fixtures on your page. 

You can also create Reels, which are a fairly new feature. This is how Instagram is transitioning into a video-based platform. These are videos that can be 30 seconds or less and shared with your followers. You can choose to have them appear on your regular feed for your followers or not. Videos can be anything from choreographed dancing to you just talking about your day. It all depends on what type of following you have and what content you decide to put out. 

Stories and reels are similar in that they can both be videos. But, stories are less permanent - more of a quick update for your followers. Reels are permanent (unless you delete them), and tend to be more planned and/or scripted.

How to Connect with the Instagram Writing Community

Instagram is a great tool for writers who want to build themselves a writing community. It never hurts to have a support system behind you when you need an extra push with your writing, or if you have a question. 

Here are some great ways to start connecting with other writers on Instagram:

Start by searching and using hashtags like #writingcommunity or #writersofinstagram. By searching the hashtags, you can see who is using them and follow those people if you like their content. This is a great way to find lots of writers to follow when you’re first starting on Instagram. 

As you use Instagram more, you‘ll begin to see who you connect with and you can start reaching out to people you want to interact with on a regular basis. 

By using the hashtags on your own posts, you’re helping other writers find you, too! The following game goes both ways. (At first, it will feel a bit like a game of tag, but eventually, your Instagram feed will be filled with awesome writers you can learn and grow with!) 

You can get as specific as you want with the hashtags so you’re finding writers who will align with you. You can search #indieauthors, #selfpublished, #fictionauthors, #fantasywriter, or whatever subgenre you want. Remember, this is your writing community, fill it with people you want to interact with.

Another great way to find other writers on Instagram is by searching for “author” in the discover section. A lot of writers use “author” in their Instagram names. So, by using this search, you’ll be able to quickly discover many writers of all types.

Once you have people to follow, you can begin interacting with them. Engagement with a post helps increase the probability that Instagram will show that post to other people. So, just by commenting on someone's post, you’re helping them. If you start to engage with other people’s posts, they’re more likely to do the same for you. This is also a nice way to find friends to create writer groups with, or just to find people who are willing to help you when you have a question. 

A writer group can be whatever you want it to be. I’m a part of one where we do Zoom meetings every week to update each other on goals, read over each other's writing samples, or just chat about basic writing questions. However, some writing groups only interact on Instagram, which can be just as helpful. 

Don’t forget to follow people you already know too! If you’ve made writer friends through other social media accounts, chances are they also have an Instagram. Following them and checking out who they follow is an easy way to find new writer friends. You can follow the Capturing Your Confidence writers too! We love to connect with our readers and other writers. Follow us at these two accounts: Rachel (rachtindall) and Holly (livingthroughwriting).

If you aren’t sure what to post, try participating in writing challenges. These are fun interactive activities created by fellow writers. Find them by searching hashtags like #writingchallenge or #writingprompt. These are usually a week or month’s worth of post ideas someone comes up with and you can share your version of whatever it is they want you to share each day. This way you can connect with everyone else who is also partaking in the writing challenge.

An example of one would look something like this: 

• Day one: Share a line from your work in progress

• Day two: What is your favorite genre to write and why?

• Day three: Who is your favorite author?

For each of these days (you can participate in as many or as few as you want) you would post a picture that relates to whatever they’re asking and share your response. The response can either be included in the image or written in the description. Then, you tack on the hashtags that they request you use, like #augustwritingchallenge, and share the post!

It’s a fun and easy way to make content for people to interact with. You can even come up with a writing challenge yourself if you want. (If you want the Capturing Your Confidence team to create a writing challenge, DM us your idea!)

My challenge to you is to create an Instagram for your writing. 

Have you built your writing community yet on Instagram? Do you prefer sharing pictures or videos? Which social media platform has been most helpful for you so far? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

7 Unexpected Ways Meditation Helps My Writing

Meditation, like self-care, is a hot topic right now. Or maybe it’s always been a hot topic and I just never noticed until I started doing it. 

I didn’t believe it would work, at least not at first. I took a yoga class in college (because my college required a physical education class...gross), and I loved the yoga part. 

We would also do meditations at the end of class each day, which was super uncomfortable the first few weeks. I mean, who really wants to lay on a yoga mat in an exercise studio with a bunch of people they don’t know and try to get zen? 

It also freaked me out to seemingly give up control of my body for a little bit and actually relax. At the time, I hadn’t yet taken any steps to control my anxiety, so you can probably imagine how tense it was. 

Just as I started to get used to it, though (and actually enjoy it), the class ended. Of course. 

I didn’t pick it back up until early 2020 when the proverbial shit hit the fan and I HAD to figure out how to deal with my anxiety. There was so much going on, and although napping does help me (I’m super open about it - such a creative boost!), it was getting into the nap that was the problem. 

Relaxing enough to shut my mind down even for 15 minutes was a huge problem, so I wracked my poor stressed out brain to figure out what to do. I was willing to try pretty much anything. 

Enter: meditation. 

What Do I Mean by Meditation?

Real quick, before we get to how meditation is pretty much a life (and business) saver for me, I wanted to touch on what I mean because there are different kinds of meditation. When I first learned about it, I kind of thought that only monks meditated - and maybe those who were hardcore yoga practitioners who were in it for the spiritual aspects. It was a super stereotypical assumption, and I’m happy to report that I was wrong! 

Spiritual meditation is a popular practice, and there are a ton of great resources about it. That’s not the kind of meditation I do, though. I use guided imagery meditation. I also don’t meditate at 5 am before anyone is awake - I do it in the afternoon, typically after lunch or mid-afternoon when I look up from whatever project I’m working on and realize that my brain needs a break or a reset. 

I have a couple of apps that I love, and there are lots of free audios to choose from. My favorite is Insight Timer, and I use it both for afternoon meditation and sleep stories at night before I go to bed. I don’t have the premium membership ($59.99/year), but that’s probably something I will purchase next year because I use and enjoy it so much.

Why I Meditate 3-4 Afternoons a Week

So here’s the fun part: all the reasons I meditate on the regular. My goal for August is actually to meditate 4 times a week, which is lofty. As you probably know, being busy makes your schedule a little unpredictable! 

But this particular part of my day is SO worth it. 

Part of my meditation practice is selfish...it helps puppy Maxwell take a nap in the afternoon. I don’t know if you have furry friends at home with you, but with 2 fur babies and myself at home almost all the time (because I work remotely), we NEED naptime in my house. By the afternoon, he’s ready, but fighting it because he has serious FOMO (which I’ve come to realize most little creatures do, human or animal) and he thinks that even though I’ve been massively boring to him and Charlie all day so far, I’m going to jump up and party without him or something. I’m not, but he doesn’t realize that. So when I get ready to meditate, I put him in his sleeping area and I lay in bed for about 15 minutes and get up while he’s still snoozing. 

Amidst the quiet house, because Charlie is always willing to take a snooze no matter what time of day, I get up feeling refreshed and ready to create. The meditations that I do often involve an element of intentional breathing and mindfulness, so any kind of worry or anxiety that has crept into my subconscious is cleared out.

Sometimes this is a bigger deal than others, especially if I’ve been working on a tight deadline or stressful project. Meditation essentially offers me a reset button for my mind. When you weigh 15 minutes of refresh vs. 15 minutes of barely pushing yourself to write another paragraph, the refresh is obviously the better (and more logical choice). 

When I’ve reset my mind and cleared out any worries, I’m always amazed at how clearly I can figure out what I need to do next. Also, it makes me hella creative because I don’t have to create past all that other crap - it’s almost like starting a brand new day halfway through the current day. 

It’s a nice way to break things up, and I’m almost always excited to dive back into projects. The times I’m not, I can at least handle it maturely instead of sitting down to binge-watch nature documentaries on Disney+ for the rest of the day. 

One of the best things about meditation is that it makes me excited about my own writing. If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that there have been a couple of rough patches with my personal writing in the last year (if you don’t, let’s connect!). As it turns out, when you write so much for other people, it can leave you drained of creative energy for your own projects no matter how much you love them. That’s also not great when you’re supposed to be helping other people write creatively. 

“When I amped up my meditation practice this spring, I was surprised at how much of a boost it gave me. And how much clarity for what parts of my creativity I can lean into right now.”

So when I amped up my meditation practice this spring, I was surprised at how much of a boost it gave me. And how much clarity for what parts of my creativity I can lean into right now. I’m pleased to say that I actually have multiple creative projects going on right now, and I have a standing writing date with myself on Friday afternoons. That would be decidedly impossible without meditation and clearing my mind so much throughout the week. 

I feel like I could talk about meditation all day long - I DO talk about it a lot! It’s made such a big impact on my life and creativity, and I think it could help you, too. You may not “get it” the first time or two. I definitely didn’t! But if you stick with it for a little while, I’m willing to bet you’ll start seeing some of these benefits, too. 

My challenge to you is to try meditation - more than once because it’s a habit - and see how it could help you. 

Do you meditate? What do you use for your meditations? How has meditation helped you? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Multi-Talented Author Holly Huntress Talks Books, Inspiration, & Beating Imposter Syndrome

Our July author is Holly Huntress.

Holly Huntress is a self-published author. She has written five books and has two currently published on Amazon. The first book, Haunting Memories, is currently unavailable because it is being revamped in preparation for a sequel! In the meantime, her Broken Angel series is available, with the third and final book Forsaken Angel, being released August 2nd. 

If you would like to purchase Holly’s book, Broken Angel, you can find a copy here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey.

I started writing formally my sophomore year of high school. It was after I read the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer that I realized I wanted to write my own book. I never really thought it would go anywhere, but it was something I enjoyed and helped me to escape the real world. 

I didn’t end up self-publishing until college, I believe it was my junior or senior year. I used the Barnes and Noble publishing site, but have since switched to Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. 

After college, I spent a lot of time wondering what I wanted to do with my English degree, and realizing it was a hard field to get into with little to no experience, so I did what I knew best - I turned to writing.

Was there a certain point you remember where you felt empowered to call yourself a writer? Or have you always felt like you were a writer?

It took me a while to call myself a writer, but more specifically an author. Even after I had self-published Haunting Memories, I called myself an “aspiring author,” which is crazy because I had already written and published a book - what more did I need to do? Once I started connecting with other authors on social media, I came to realize that I was holding myself back. 

For me, I felt I wasn’t a “real” author because I hadn’t been traditionally published. So, seeing all these other self-published authors on social media and realizing I wasn’t alone in not being able to become traditionally published made me understand that self-publishing is just as valid. 

It wasn’t until last year that I was finally able to say “I’m an author” instead of aspiring or want-to-be. 

Where did the idea or inspiration for Haunting Memories come from?

As the first book I wrote, a lot of the inspiration came from my life. I started the book in high school, so the setting is based on the town I lived in, and the people I went to school with. Obviously the premise of the book was something I made up, and I don’t know what exactly drew me to the idea of a murder mystery, but it just kind of flowed out of me. My uncle was a police officer at the time so I asked him about some of the logistics of an investigation, so that was interesting to learn about. 

The original Haunting Memories I wrote was from only the main character, Zac’s perspective. I added in later the perspective of the murder victim leading up to the day of her death. What spurred this decision was that I had started writing another book very similar to Haunting Memories and realized I was just writing the other perspective that HM had been missing. It’s interesting how as we write, the shape of our story can drastically change.

Your book, Haunting Memories, is a murder mystery, but also deals with memory loss and love. How did it feel to write about such serious topics from younger perspectives?

It was a lot of fun. For some reason I’ve always been drawn to talking about more difficult topics, even in high school when I began writing HM. I think having started the book so young, it helped me to write from that age perspective more accurately. I wrote as I wished my high school experience could have been (minus the murder). 

That’s also part of the reason why I’m in the process of re-editing it now, though, because my writing skills have grown so much over time, that HM doesn’t quite match the quality I’ve come to expect from my own writing.

The book has several prominent voices for different main characters, which is something I love in books. How did you balance writing through the various unique voices? Did you enjoy writing one character’s sections more than the others?

Honestly, I loved writing from both perspectives, which isn’t always the case for me. From the moment I began writing, I never hesitated when it came to writing a male main character. For some reason, it just seemed natural, even though I’ve obviously never lived that experience. 

When it came to writing Alana’s side of the story, it was harder simply because I knew her fate, it’s the whole point of the book. Every chapter I wrote brought her closer to that fate, and there were some moments where I wanted to change the ending and let her live - but that wasn’t the story I was writing. Sometimes, we don’t have a choice in the matter. 

As for being able to go between the voices, it wasn’t much of an issue for me, since I wrote Zac’s story first. I hadn’t planned on adding in Alana’s perspective, but it really rounded out the book and made it so much better.

Describe your writing and/or creative process. 

Whenever I have an idea for a story, I do an unorganized info dump in a notebook, just to make sure I remember the idea as it was when it first came to me. Then I try to flesh it out a bit. I start with looking at the main characters, then I move on to the plot and setting. Sometimes I know where I want the story to go, sometimes I don’t. I like to have some idea though, because I like to write books in a series and being able to connect them together is really important. 

After that initial part, I just write. I am someone who likes to write in order, I don’t skip around too much. However, if I get really stuck on a certain scene, I’ll skip it if there is something I’m really excited to write that comes after. It helps keep me moving along. Sometimes I fall into writing slumps where I don’t work on my book for a month or longer, and it’s hard to break out of that. When I do, it’s like coming home to my characters.

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

Definitely imposter syndrome. I STILL have a hard time hyping up my own books. There's a part of me that doesn’t want people to read my books because I don’t want them to not like the stories. I’m not afraid of bad reviews, just that people will think less of me if they don’t like my writing. 

I’m slowly overcoming this fear, and it definitely helps that I see improvements in my own writing since I wrote my first book. Being able to see that for myself makes me realize that I am a good writer! (It makes me cringe to say that - I should be able to say it loud and proud! Someday!)

What is the part of your published work or writing process you are most proud of?

Putting myself out there and self-publishing. Also, starting to put myself out there in the form of marketing my books. I never thought I’d be comfortable making videos and sharing them with the world, but I do it all the time now!

Do you have any new writing projects in the works? If so, would you tell us a little about them?

Yes, and I am super excited about them all! I mentioned earlier that I’m working on a sequel to Haunting Memories, but I'm also working on a new high fantasy series. I have the first book done - it just needs to be edited and then sent to beta readers. 

I also have a dark fiction book (possibly another series) that I started where the main character is male again, so I’m excited to be back writing in that field.

What do you want the world to know about you as an author?

I’m not a genre specific author. Even though I write mostly fantasy at the moment, I write whatever strikes me at the time. Fantasy is a lot of fun, but I keep having the urge to go back to teen romance/fiction. I never know what I’ll write next!

What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

Don’t let fear hold you back. This goes with every part of the writing process. Starting to write, continuing to write, putting your book out in the world, marketing your book, etc. 

Someone out there will love your writing. Don’t write because you have to, do it because you love it. Otherwise, it’s no fun and you’ll resent it after a while. 

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about writing a book, but isn’t quite sure if they can?

You can do it! It’s so much fun once you sit down and start writing. All of the logistic stuff comes later - so don’t worry about it while you write. Just have fun and start writing. 

There are so many awesome people who can support you now, thanks to social media. Get on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok - wherever you feel comfortable - and start connecting! I have met so many great people this way and that’s also how I find my beta readers and editors. 

If you would like to purchase Holly Huntress’s book, Broken Angel, you can find a copy here.

If you would like to purchase Holly’s book, Condemned Angel, you can find a copy here.

If you would like to purchase Holly’s book, Forsaken Angel, you can find a copy here.

If you know an author (or of an author) you would love to read an interview with, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or submit a suggestion here.

Self-Publishing My Book Was Easy. Here’s Why You Should Try It, Too.

Opinion by Holly Huntress

The wonderful world of publishing is growing and changing all the time. With the ease of access to technology and everyone's growing presence online, it only makes sense that self-publishing is also on the rise. These days, there are many ways to self-publish. 

I’ve tried the Barnes and Noble publishing service, which is called Barnes and Noble Press, and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which is Amazon’s publishing service. KDP has been easier to work with, so I switched all of my books from Barnes and Noble to KDP. 

There are also other ways to self-publish, like with IngramSpark and BookBaby, which both allow you to self-publish to channels other than just B&N or Amazon. But, I haven’t tried those services yet.

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a great service for anyone who wants to publish a book and either doesn’t want to go the traditional route, or isn’t having luck with it. People who may have never been able to publish a book before now have the opportunity because of these amazing services, and you can do it, too!

Why Publish on Amazon?

A lot of authors choose the self-publishing route over traditional publishing because they want more control over the whole process. Often when you are picked up by a traditional publisher, you have to change things in your book that you may not want to change. You are beholden to your contract and that can be a daunting thought for a lot of people. When you’re self-publishing, you choose your own editor, book cover, and pricing. You have complete control over every step of the process.

Self-publishing through KDP can also be a great choice if you’re on a budget. If you don’t want to spend any money, you don’t have to. You can spend as much (or little) as you want! I choose to spend more in certain areas, like book cover design and editing, rather than marketing. I do marketing through social media while I save up enough to start doing ads. This way you don’t have to invest a large sum of money up front. 

When using KDP you get to keep more of the profits. KDP does take a percentage to cover the costs of supplying your book, and printing costs if you sell hard copies, but there’s no other company standing behind you taking a percentage of what you earn. 

When you’re setting the price for your book, KDP makes it clear how much you will actually earn from each sale. Offering ebooks is a great way to get a following because you can charge much less for the ebook versus the paperback since there are no printing costs. 

Using KDP also eliminates the search for an agent. You don’t have to do any more querying! I know how much I dislike querying agents, and I assume many people feel the same way. You’re putting yourself out there over and over again, only to be rejected or ignored. By using KDP, you don’t have to deal with that anymore. For that reason alone KDP is worth it to me.

How to Self-Publish on Amazon: The Basics

What can you expect?

When publishing on KDP, there are instructions every step of the way. First, you create an account, and then you start uploading your books. KDP makes it super easy. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but if you do have any questions, there are a lot of guides and tips to help, or you can always reach out to customer service. 

KDP has a downloadable program called Kindle Create that allows you to format your book as an eBook. This is also fairly simple to use, though it can take some playing around with to really understand all the options and tricks.

What do you need?

All you really need is a finished book! There are a few other things you should have as well, like a title, a blurb for the back of the book, and an author bio and picture. You don’t necessarily need a premade book cover, but I would recommend having one. 

There are some book cover templates that KDP offers that all you need is a picture, so if that’s all you have, it can work. KDP will provide you with an ISBN if you don’t have one (that’s something I never would have thought of needing before I self-published for the first time!).

Where can you find help if you need it?

There is some formatting that goes into preparing your book for publishing, which can be tricky if you don’t know how to do it on your own. But, there are always people willing to help. You can find book formatters on websites like Fiverr, or KDP does have some resources and templates you can use if you’re tech savvy. 

Don’t let the formatting piece of it all scare you away if you’re not tech savvy! You can always reach out to others who have self-published to ask how they formatted their books, or who they used to help them. You’re not alone! Most indie authors I know love to help and give other authors advice. 

Plus, you can always reach out to KDP’s customer service if you need more help.

Self-publishing is a lot of fun and so worth it if you choose to go that route! There’s no right or wrong way to publish your work, so don’t stress over that too much. All that matters is that your writing is being shared with the world, whether that’s through a traditional publisher or by yourself on a site like KDP - it’s up to you!

My challenge to you is to check out Kindle Direct Publishing. 

Have you thought about self-publishing? Have you used KDP or another self-publishing service? How‘d you like it? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.