What I’ve Learned So Far…

Hey Strangers!

So, I’ve been at this game for about a year and a half now and I thought this might be a good time to reflect on what I’ve learned along my writing journey.

First, I’ve learned to celebrate every little win where you can. In the first month I released a book, (Devoted) I made a grand total of £8. Which sounds like very little, and let’s face it, I wasn’t buying the celebration dinner that month, but there was a lot that I was proud of there. First, my family and friends really came through for me on that release, which I was touched by because it could have been very uncomfortable for some of them (hey, dad!) but they supported me anyway.

Also, I mean…I sold a book! Yes, it was self-published, but people bought it, and read it! For the most part, people even liked it. I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud of myself as I was in that month.

Second, don’t underestimate your ability. Now, I’m not saying you should assume you’re amazing, quite the opposite. I started off with a mindset that I was going to be an erotic author who probably wouldn’t really sell much so I was fine at the skill level I’m at. I’ve since learned that actually, I take great pride in what I put out, and as such, it’s worth taking the time to learn, improve and develop. I’ve watched countless tutorials, videos and spoken to various professionals and I’ve learned so much! My writing is definitely better than it was when I first started out and I fully intend to keep learning and improving.

Third, don’t pigeon-hole yourself. I always assumed I knew exactly what my skill-set was and I never planned to deviate from it. Over the last year, I’ve found I’m very comfortable writing in genres I never expected I would be able to, and I can’t wait to explore even more.

Last, be open to the influences of your writer identity. I know that not everyone is living a double life like I am, but I’ve learned so much about myself from being K M Strange and I like what I see. I’ve said before that my pen name alter-ego often feels like a more genuine version of myself than the one I display in my day-job. Strange allows me to be as brave and creative as I want, and I’ve tried to inject more of that into my normal life.

I feel like I’m at a new chapter (no pun intended) in my writing career and though I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to go yet, I’m so excited to see what the new year will bring.

As Roy T Bennet said, ‘Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others.’

…But let the positive reviewing of erotic books keep you busy in the meantime.

Take care!

Strange