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Hi there,
In my last blog I told you about how realizing I was already wearing spaceships on my t-shirt helped me overcome feeling like an imposter.
All in all, it took about a year before I really started telling people I was an author.
The readers who were around during that era REALLY helped: reading your 5* reviews and comments and banter on my Facebook page… you helped me get through some of the toughest challenges I’ve had to face.
Not that calling myself an author was a massive roadblock — but it was a psychological sticking point that was holding my back, keeping me playing small.
Once I got through that, things were great for a few months.
I embraced my quirkiness and accepted myself as a writer of stories.
I even grew in confidence to take on other writing projects.
But then, the landscape started to shift again.
With all the new projects I was working on, and new series I was leading, when people asked what I did, my “I’m a sci-fi author” response didn’t feel authentic anymore.
At this point I was also creating stories in Urban Fantasy. But — hey, your Lyft driver doesn’t care about that level of detail, so I either felt I was getting it wrong again, or… I turned into a babbling idiot trying to explain exactly what I did!
Additionally, I had already started transitioning into publishing and series creation rather than just writing. Subtle difference, but I was working on more stories, with other collaborators, than I put my name on.
Plus, I was kinda shy.
And being British, I didn’t need to be braggy, or have my name on the books. After all, why does it matter if I get credit for it or not?
Well, it doesn’t. That part is still true.
But the real way I’ve messed up is not letting you guys know that there are books here that you’d enjoy because even if I didn’t write every word myself, I’ve been running the team — kinda like a showrunner would run a writers room.
Not that I’m anywhere near the levels of story-genius my heroes are: Stephen Moffatt and Josh Whedon are just amazing!
But they have influenced a lot of my thinking on how to get more stories out there, and how to think creatively.
But during my “Downtime” I realize that I’ve again, been hiding too long.
It’s time to come out of the closet and start acting like a publisher, rather than an author.
Over two years from when I started, I really need to make this transition.
As such I’m going to bring everything I’ve been involved in (contracts allowing) under the brand of Ellieverse Publishing. At the very least, then you’ll know that there are stories I’ve had a significant hand in.
It’s a quick way for you to see that if you’ve enjoyed my other series, (like Molly and Bentley), you’ll also probably like some of the other series I’ve been working on.
There’s more to tell.
Last week I told you about Izzie, one of the pen names I’ve been publishing under. I’ve got another big reveal about her in the next blog…
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