Mental Shift Blog Post

Mental Shift

Posted on by jennifermzeiger

Writing’s a solitary activity. As Stephen King says, “Write with the door closed.”

That’s the initial process, at least. Close out the world and let the story reign. But then the book’s written and it either sits alone and unshared, or the writer must crack the door open.

With trembling fingers, she opens the door a bare inch and the feedback comes rolling in. Good, bad, ugly, tear worthy, but then, as before, the writer either sits on the feedback, letting it fester, or the writer continues forward, opening the door an inch wider.

On down the path the writer goes until she looks back and realizes, the door’s no longer on its hinges and the story can’t be shoved into the privacy of her room even if she wanted it to be.

This is the publishing process.

The scary, thrill filled process that takes a story from its initial secluded setting to something that can be enjoyed for years to come. Writing may be solitary, but publishing is not. And I’m coming to realize it shouldn’t be.

My stubborn side wants to resist, wants to insist that I, the writer, can do it all by my lonesome self. The world does not work that way, however. It’s an interconnected muddle of human activity that can be both intimidating and fulfilling.

As I’ve dug into the ins-and-outs of publishing so far, I’m coming to cherish the muddle. There are connections I didn’t even realize I had, connections that span more years than I care to calculate, that are now coming into play. People are insanely generous. They want to help, and my stubborn internal idiot needs to step aside, humble itself, and continue asking those people for their amazing talents.

In a nutshell, that’s how I’ve found my editor, both illustrators, the amazing woman who is working on my book trailer and so many other people.

Going from the solitary writer, drinking her coffee in her writing cave, to the socially connected Independant-publisher is a difficult shift, especially for a self proclaimed introvert. But as with all my dreams so far, I cannot achieve them on my own. And it’s wholly more satisfying to share the journey with others.

Share the journey, the adventure, no matter what your dreams are. What adventures have you experienced lately?

Blessings,

Jennifer

29 thoughts on “Mental Shift”

      1. Hi again Jennifer, good night, I wrote this book, my experience, and I am trying to self publish this book but I don’t have a clue what to do seems like you have all the know how’s

      2. This is definitely a learning process! Every day I figure out something new =) Good job getting your book written!

        My brain’s going in every direction possible trying to answer your question. There’s a lot to self-publishing but, just like anything, it’s a step by step process. Figure out the next step and let the rest go until you get it done.

        J.C Wolfe, another blogger I follow, put me onto this free Self-Publishing course by Iain Rob Wright. I haven’t dug into it too deeply yet but it looks like it might be a good resource for you. (https://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2017/08/30/this-self-publishing-course-is-free-and-great-too/)

        Hopefully that’s helpful to you! Is there any specific question you’d like me to try and answer?

      6. Thank you =)

        I have a couple novels that are not published yet. I’m still submitting them to agents. The Adventure, which I’m self-publishing soon, is a collection of three short stories for young readers. Each story offers the reader choices as he reads the book and, depending on the choice, depends on how the story ends. (26 endings total).

        Poetry on the other hand boggles my mind a bit. I absolutely admire anyone who can write poetry!

      9. That’s very flattering, Ezra =) but I am not an literary agent. And since I’m self-publishing, I don’t have an agent I could get you in touch with. Writer’s Digest puts out a list of different agents each year. You might start there in finding one. Best of luck!

      10. Hi again jen, how is the new year treating you? How do you self publish your own book or articles? Can you teach me the art of self publishing? I want to learn

  3. Writing can definitely be lonely, but thankfully the rest of the journey doesn’t have to be! I’m still self-editing, but soon I’ll be reaching out to people to get my book off the ground too! Glad you’ve made it this far, Jennifer! Best of luck with the publishing! 🙂

      1. I just had a sneek peek at your book [Mental shift] and I love how you illustrates your words
        In your book, showing that you are a experience writer and not
        A amateur like me.
        I did not finish all age school,
        Because I walked out of school
        Just one month prior to my technical examination when I was
        In the ninth grade.
        It is not that I was naive to walk out of my class on that unforgettable day, but my class had just returned from our afternoon break, and we all gathered in class at our respective desk’s waiting for our
        Class teacher, but instead the principal came in his place and
        Explained the reason for him not
        Being present, he then began to
        Lecture and telling us how proud
        He felt for us knowing that the
        Majority of us in class would be sitting the technical exam.
        But while he was talking,there was this student sitting beside me who was not paying attention to what the principal was saying,
        And he was even trying to break
        My attention, same time the principal called me up to the front of the class, and asked me if I did not see him talking? I then told him, sir, I was keenly aware and
        Interested in every words you were saying, and it was the other student besides me that was being unattentive, I was fourteen years of age, and it was my last year, but would you believe that the principal went in his pocket and took out a leather belt, three feet long by two inches wide and
        Gave me some lashings in my two hands, five in each hand,
        Every nerve in my body went numd, I walked away from my class leaving my bag with the books my friends, examination
        Everything, and I have not been to
        No other schools since.
        I was one of the top three students in my class, my teachers
        Favorite, whenever I completed a comprehensive task I always pass with high marks, my principal was a ogre and a hater of the poor students in school,
        Students whose parents showed up for PTA are treated kindly, with no abuse.
        Even though though i didn’t get the education that I deserves,
        To earn a degree in some fields,
        My life has been truly challenging.

  5. It is truly amazing how people can come together to accomplish a goal. We all have dreams and the support of others is how those dreams become a reality. I really looking forward to more about what is to come. Keep up the good work.

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