Where to Begin When You Don't Know Where to Begin

by Tim Law

Please welcome Tim t the WJB with an informative article on what to do when you're stumped!

Where to Begin When You Don't Know Where to Begin

The challenge for every writer is not how to write, how to create great stories, poetry, or articles. The challenge seems to be how to share them, how to promote the creation, and how to promote the creator. There have been many great articles already published on this site, insightful, honest, some vague, and some both clear and direct that focus upon the topic of self-promotion. And yet many of us still find it challenging. There is the big boulder of procrastination sitting in our way making us wonder “Where do I start?” and “Do I have enough published material to create an online author page?” How much is enough?

In my personal experience having self-published a novel (The Eleventh Tome available on AMAZON) in July of 2018 after numerous rejections of this manuscript I then began an adventure in short story writing. This has resulted in me now submitting pieces monthly to sites and ad hoc to other sites, a regular stream of acceptances. Is this enough though to give me the confidence to self-promote?

Sadly no, and at the same time thankfully yes.

I say no, honestly, as my single novel remains my only solo publication. I am proudly featured in a number of anthologies published by Black Ink Fiction, Black Hare Press, Dark Myth Publishing, The Writers Journey Blog (Journeys, published in October 2021), Sweetycat Press, Impspired, Clarendon House Publications, Pure Slush, and others, but I am uncertain of how I can include these as part of an author page when they are not my own to promote.

I say thankfully yes though, as I have decided to share on my personal Facebook page and via my Instagram account each and every acceptance (and even some of the rejections). I share with friends and family, with other writers, and I share on the off chance that someone out there in the big wide world will be interested in reading another story, poem, or article by Tim Law.

I am truly in awe of those who attempt to write with the dream of getting their name out there, even more in awe of those who succeed. I believe that when you become a household name then you’ve made it. Every accepted story, every published or narrated poem, every article on the writing dream that has appeared on a site, in a journal, or been shared in some way, shape, or form, all of this is another step closer to me meeting a stranger at a barbeque and them saying, “Oh, are you THAT Tim Law…”

Dreamers can only dream, but to make such a dream come true we must listen to those who have tried before us. We must listen to what went right and what went wrong and make a few mistakes of our own.

Mine I fear is stopping before I even start. I hope that this error will help others not to do the same. I hope too that one day I will learn that such is but a bump in the road, I will not stall forever, my author page is on the horizon… I just need to squeeze past that boulder…

Bio: Tim Law has surprised himself by having short stories and poetry published in anthologies and on websites all over the world. He heralds from a little town in Southern Australia called Murray Bridge where he lives with his wife, three kids, and four cats who he is completely convinced are plotting world domination. Tim has dreamed since high school of becoming a full-time author, something he is madly working towards with each and every spare moment. The greatest inspiration of all for him comes from asking “what if?”

His first novel The Eleventh Tome can be purchased by clicking the cover to the left.