“Congratulations!” the email said. “It is a great pleasure to announce that you have been selected as a Book Excellence Award Finalist for the following book and category: Women’s Wisdom: Pass It On! in the Personal Growth/Development Category. There were hundreds of entries from around the world and your book was selected for its high quality writing, design and market appeal.” Wow! I had forgotten that I had entered the contest as it was so many months ago.
My whole outlook on myself and my book efforts changed in the time it took to read those sentences. My author “attitude” had taken a dip, frankly, and I was contemplating closing up shop by the end of the year. Winning national recognition is both exciting and energizing. After years of effort – thinking, writing, editing, publishing, marketing – at last a big reward. It’s validating to have the book win recognition; I can once again feel like a successful author.
Writing is such a solitary experience: when a book is finally published, you put it out into the world as your “new baby,” fervently hoping people will see it being as beautiful as you do. But being exposed to the world feels different, a bit intimidating. Is this real? Am I worthy? Is my book truly good enough that people will want to buy it? Am I ready to answer questions women may have for me? Will I thrive or wilt in public? Confidence vacillates; feelings run the gamut from joy and excitement to fear and anxiety…and back again.
Am I a successful author? The reward helps to affirm that I am. Both Second Blooming for Women: Growing a Life that Matters after Fifty and Women’s Wisdom: Pass It On! have received awards; individual chapters of mine from Second Blooming won recognition, too. All of that private work eventually led to public recognition. I’m a happy writer!
by Kathleen Vestal Logan, MS, MA October 9, 2017