Authenticity is where it’s at…
Phew! These first few days have been surreal and a complete whirlwind. In typical Danielle form, this book came outta the gates at full throttle. I’ve received so many kind messages and thoughtful questions, so I took a moment during my lunch today to try and answer them.
Where to start?
The book was entirely mine until it wasn’t.
Many people have asked why I kept it a secret until recently. Well, it wasn’t entirely a secret; many people knew, but I didn’t truly believe that I could pull it off until I read the entire thing from beginning to end. I thought I was writing a book about Cam’s journey, but the book actually tells the story of mine. It took on a life of its own, and there was something rather glorious about that. To say that it was cathartic would trivialize the healing that I experienced while bringing this book to life.
Self-publishing is a hustle.
Writing was the easiest part of this journey, even though it has been an ongoing process since 2009. Editing it into a work that was suitable for print? Well, that was much more difficult because things read so differently in blog form. There, you can be as casual or formal as you want, but it’s vitally important that your author’s voice is consistent and authentic, because if you gather a following, those loyal folks who get to know you through your writing will see right through you when you're being disingenuous. I’ve witnessed many writers who think that they’re being cerebral or writing high-brow material to show others how very enlightened they are. I’ve also noticed that the number of likes and clicks they get is drastically lower than the authentic pieces they write. I watch and learn, and I am reminded of the English teachers throughout my life who encouraged me to find my voice, especially during times when writing was the safest place to use it.
Authenticity is where it’s at.
Some authors reserve the right to embellish and exaggerate their work to add to the drama. While that may feel right to them, the subject that I’m writing about is sacred and deeply personal to me. If I were to falsify any of the information, I would feel like a liar, and if there's one area in life that I refuse to waiver from, it's integrity. This journey is messy, full of mistakes and reflection, and it’s often so hard to describe. The very last thing I would want to do is muddy the truth by fabricating a single detail.
Some stories will never be shared.
There are some things that I intentionally choose to omit, and it’s extremely important to me that it’s not interpreted as withholding information but as showing respect. Cam’s hardest days, and those that are the most challenging for our family, are simply not my stories to yr. I don’t feel right sharing the parts that are really Cam’s story because I feel strongly that his voice matters and I might not be interpreting his experience accurately. Since he can make his own choice about what I post or share, I include him in that process. Trust me, there are some absolutely hilarious things that have occurred here in Camelot that he would rather remain private, so they do.
What exactly goes into the self-pub hustle?
The process has looked a lot like this:
Writing
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Editing…
Marketing
Promotion
Licensing
(And the length of time spent waiting for licensing requests to be processed…)
Publicity
Launch
The problem with this model is that if you don’t have experience in these areas, it’s a very steep learning curve. Thankfully, not only do I have incredibly talented friends who jumped in to help, but I also have experience in some of these areas. It made the process more accessible, but it was still so hard to juggle it all on top of mommin’, working full time, and all of my volunteer obligations. Yet here I am, doing it, largely in part because of the contributions of an entire village of supporters behind me and this project.
Thank you.
I am wholeheartedly grateful to each one of you for helping to spread the word, sending words of encouragement, and supporting this book.
Thank you for believing in me.
