Confidence, Criticism, and Carrying On

It has been about a month since I last posted and quite a lot has happened. Christmas came and went so quickly, but it was filled with family, friends, and plenty of time to switch off and relax. It was exactly what I needed.

Since then, work on my second book has been going really well. I have genuinely fallen back in love with writing and getting into a routine again. This time around, I can see how much I have improved. The words feel more natural, the story feels stronger, and I feel more confident in my ability than I did when I wrote my first book.

When I first started this blog, I wanted it to be honest. I wanted to share the highs, the lows, and the real experience of self publishing. Over the last few days, I have definitely hit one of those lows.

Recently, I received feedback from my copy editor about the structure of the plot. During the copy edit, they highlighted some concerns around structure, pacing, and character development. I truly appreciate their honesty, and it was delivered in a thoughtful and respectful way. Still, it made me stop and question everything.

I found myself thinking, what am I doing? I know I have grown as a writer since my first book, but the doubts crept in quickly. What if it is not good enough? Is there any point in writing a second book if the first one is not strong?

I have spent a lot of time thinking about what this feedback means and what I should do next. I know it is one professional opinion, but it is also coming from someone with a lot of experience in publishing. I am hoping they will be able to point out specific areas that need expanding or strengthening, but right now I would be lying if I said I was not worried.

I worry that it is not good enough. I worry that people will not like it. I know I still have a lot to learn when it comes to writing, but I did feel confident in this book. I was hopeful that if people read it, they would love it. But what if they don't?

I need to take some time to think about what I want to do and how I move forward. No matter what happens, I am proud of myself. I have written a book. I have put so much time and effort into it, and I want it to be the best version it can possibly be.

I am still working on book two, and I really hope this does not knock my motivation. This is the real side of publishing, and I wanted to share it honestly.