publishing your book

If publishing sounds way more daunting than writing...then I 1000% agree. This hasn't been something I've considered in detail until pretty recently. Beyond the thought that I wanted Luna's story published.

BUT HOW?! There's self-publishing. Or traditional publishing. Query letters. Sunday Scaries...kidding! But also not.

And, before all that, you need feedback from friends and family, beta readers, developmental editors and someone please send help and popsicles. It's all a bit overwhelming and exhilarating.

So, after beginning to dig into this strange, mysterious world that is publishing, these are the tips I've found that I think are super helpful to share:

1. Read so many books in the genre you're writing in. HOPEFULLY, you're already doing this. Because if you wanna write a YA fantasy series, you probably also love reading YA fantasy books. It's equally important to read and understand what works about the books you love, as well as what doesn't work about the books you feel more meh about. But, never stop reading them. It's so important to understand what's getting published out there.

2. Self-publishing gives you complete freedom over your book. If this is super appealing to you, then it's definitely worth exploring more. There are tons of great resources out there. Like here. Or here.

3. Traditional publishing generally means securing an agent to then pitch your book to potential publishers. This means writing query letters, finding the right agents to send to, (HOPEFULLY) landing an agent who will then help ensure your manuscript is in good shape before pitching to publishers. Whew.

4. Probably the most helpful tip is from Luna. She's got a lot going on with her powers settling and being a Protectress. BUT she's always so supportive and encouraging of her friends. Even when she's hanging off the side of a mountain in a new world by a suction cup with a talking fox strapped to her back. So, instead of reading about all the ways this is difficult, focus on your writing. Work diligently at getting better. If you love it, don't give up. Write the stories you wanna write. Introduce new characters to the world. And, lean on your friends/family/dog/cat/etc whenever you need a little extra encouragement (also watch Ted Lasso).