You Are an Author

You’ve followed your creative urge, spend hour upon hour for months curled over your keyboard pecking out words, paragraphs, and chapters, and you’ve finally finished a novel. You’ve shared your accomplishment with friends and family, and now they’re starting to call you a writer–an author. Maybe you laugh and agree. Or possibly you glow with pride at the acknowledgement of your effort. But inside, an insidious question keeps seeping into your thoughts: “Am I really an author?” After all, you’re not published yet.

The answer is YES! You have written a book; you are an author. Sure, you’re pre-published. Sure, you still need to do a lot of editing. Sure, you’ve got a long way to go. But whether you plan on self-publishing or seeking an agent and going the traditional publishing route, the fact is still there. You have written a book. You have accomplished something most people will never even consider doing. You are an author!

It may not feel comfortable. I may even make you a little nervous. But it’s an important step in the process. Acknowledging this truth gives your dream substance. It gives you confidence. Not only that, but how you view yourself will make a difference down the road. When an agent finally offers you a contract, it makes it easier to relinquish control of the search for a publisher. And when you’re staring at the many changes your editor recommends, knowing that you are an author–a professional–makes is easier to swallow that lump in your throat and accept that they will make your book better.

Accept it. Revel in your accomplishment. You may not have “made it” yet, but you ARE an author!