I can be an incredibly slow slowpoke. When I was a college student I developed the really bad habit of procrastinating, and I haven't been able to fully shake this tendency to this day. I am getting better though.
I have finally completed my first book via self publishing. I love books, words, and stories, and it has been my dream to write books for decades, but procrastination and a lack of confidence delayed me even when I had friends, a local author, and professors encourage me to write. The best advice I ever got on the topic of writing was from a friend from Iran who was my trainer in a teaching method program that one of my bosses in Turkey sent me to in Istanbul. My trainer was a compassionate and sensitive person and became my friend. When I told him about a blog I was keeping at the time, he later told me to write to not become famous, but write because I like to and feel that I must. His father was a journalist, so he must have known about the importance of writing, how it can be beautiful if a person is doing it for the right reasons. I finally grew into his advice. I decided to write for me even if no one else read it. I just wanted to see if I was able to write a short book and publish it on my own, so that I could have full rights over my creation.
My book Gratitude: A Trio of Stories can be read in one or two sittings. These stories have lingered around on three different laptops and in paper form on my desk for such a period that I am too embarrassed to say for how long. I even planned that if I failed in my attempt to publish my work through a self publishing platform, I would just create a website and post my work in serial form. It was a long stretch of work, going step by step, trying to stick to the guidelines, but I was finally able to complete everything on Lulu in PDF. My next book that I already have in the makings, I hope to put in EPUB format. The next feat for me is to learn how to convert my book of stories over to paperback so I can have a hard-copy in my hands. Wish me luck.
I decided months ago that I would give my first book away for free. To get to the sales page just click on the thumbnail of my book, Gratitude: A Trio of Stories on the right hand side of this page. My first book is 100% free. Please don't hesitate to give me your impressions. Actually two of the stories I would love to expand into novels, and I'm also thinking about doing more trios of stories as a continuing series. For me, this will require a lot of discipline which I am creeping toward.
Since I am sort of a hostage of these times like millions, I decided that what could be a better period than now to get my dream job done, and with stubborn determination try to complete my book. I did it. I feel that my next work may not take as long since I am excited and confident that I can now meet all the requirements of formatting my own book. I'm no longer hesitant. I'm eager.
Up next for me is a book of poetry; God willing. The poems are all written in a notebook and need to be edited. I also started the first beginnings of a novel last year. I'm champing at the bit now, ready to go. I want to see if I can do it again in a different way.
So! I guess I can now call myself, besides an EFL teacher, an independent author. I finally got the job I wanted done for ME. I challenged myself and met my own challenge.
