“Hello, can anyone help me with finding an editor or one-stop service to publish my first book for an affordable price”, was the words that I excitedly posted on a Facebook writing group page because I was finally ready to get the ball going with publishing my first book. Little did I know, I was setting myself up to be scolded rather than supported. I was sincerely crying out for help because I felt like I was alone on my journey to becoming an author and just wanted a little support.
I didn’t have anyone around me who could help me through this process because no one around me ever wrote a book, so I couldn’t turn to my internal resources for the support I needed as an aspiring author. That is why I started seeking external resources, like writers Meet Up groups and Facebook groups, so that I could receive the support and guidance I truly needed to make my dream of publishing a book come true after 4 years of writing.
I was at a point where I was motivated and eager to take the necessary steps to put my story out there for the world to read. Although, I had no idea the amount of challenges I’d face along the way, I stayed the course.
However, the day I posted in that writers group page, I learned a valuable lesson. Although, I may have failed to see it that way in the moment because I was hurt by the responses I had gotten, especially when I felt like I tapping into my vulnerable side, which was hard for me to do at times.
In my book, I talk about how much I disliked asking people for help because it required me to practice vulnerability, which I don’t enjoy doing at all. I realized that sometimes I am going to need help, no matter how much I want to fight seeking help.
Okay, back to the valuable lesson I learned that day. The valuable lesson I learned was that there’s always going to be somebody screaming NO, when God Says YES!!! Trust me, I ain’t pulling your chain, I’m a living witness. I had a few people in that group tell me, “Oh you’ll never find someone who will edit a book with over 70k words for that price”. I was even told I was being disrespectful because I was trying to find services within my budget for my book that I worked hard on. Now, I’m not saying that what they were saying was necessarily wrong, but in my eyes delivery is everything. Don’t scold me or mock me because you don’t agree with or like something I’m doing, which was what I felt they were doing.
I can’t lie, I grew extremely discouraged in that moment. I wanted to tap into my inner “Angry Black Woman” because I felt disrespected by mostly white people who seemed to not want to offer me support, but wanted to scold me when all I was trying to do was find the resources I needed to be a successful author. Yes, I lacked financial resources, but I was determined to seek help because one thing I know is, what one person won’t do, somebody else will. Believe That!!!
So, I politely said my last words,”Remember Verlisa Renee Shanklin because I will get my book published and turned the comments off on my post. Like Duval said, “I ain’t going back and forth with you Ni**as”. I was over it to the point I found myself having a mini breakdown as I laid in my bed crying and battling feelings of defeat because being an author felt so unobtainable in the moment.
In the midst of it all, I got myself together and I kept searching for people who would help me even though I lacked the financial resources I needed. Of course that search came with so many challenges, from editors trying to charge me 5,000 dollars to having to find a whole new editor because the first one completely stopped working on my project with no warning. Tragic!
So yes, I heard more No’s than Yes, but the most important response that I received was God’s YES because he has the final say not humans who at times, don’t have your best interest anyway.
If you don’t get anything out of this paragraph, understand that when God say yes, no one can take what’s destined for you. It’s Written In The Stars, So Just Reach Up and Grab The One With Your Name On It.
I didn’t have anyone around me who could help me through this process because no one around me ever wrote a book, so I couldn’t turn to my internal resources for the support I needed as an aspiring author. That is why I started seeking external resources, like writers Meet Up groups and Facebook groups, so that I could receive the support and guidance I truly needed to make my dream of publishing a book come true after 4 years of writing.
I was at a point where I was motivated and eager to take the necessary steps to put my story out there for the world to read. Although, I had no idea the amount of challenges I’d face along the way, I stayed the course.
However, the day I posted in that writers group page, I learned a valuable lesson. Although, I may have failed to see it that way in the moment because I was hurt by the responses I had gotten, especially when I felt like I tapping into my vulnerable side, which was hard for me to do at times.
In my book, I talk about how much I disliked asking people for help because it required me to practice vulnerability, which I don’t enjoy doing at all. I realized that sometimes I am going to need help, no matter how much I want to fight seeking help.
Okay, back to the valuable lesson I learned that day. The valuable lesson I learned was that there’s always going to be somebody screaming NO, when God Says YES!!! Trust me, I ain’t pulling your chain, I’m a living witness. I had a few people in that group tell me, “Oh you’ll never find someone who will edit a book with over 70k words for that price”. I was even told I was being disrespectful because I was trying to find services within my budget for my book that I worked hard on. Now, I’m not saying that what they were saying was necessarily wrong, but in my eyes delivery is everything. Don’t scold me or mock me because you don’t agree with or like something I’m doing, which was what I felt they were doing.
I can’t lie, I grew extremely discouraged in that moment. I wanted to tap into my inner “Angry Black Woman” because I felt disrespected by mostly white people who seemed to not want to offer me support, but wanted to scold me when all I was trying to do was find the resources I needed to be a successful author. Yes, I lacked financial resources, but I was determined to seek help because one thing I know is, what one person won’t do, somebody else will. Believe That!!!
So, I politely said my last words,”Remember Verlisa Renee Shanklin because I will get my book published and turned the comments off on my post. Like Duval said, “I ain’t going back and forth with you Ni**as”. I was over it to the point I found myself having a mini breakdown as I laid in my bed crying and battling feelings of defeat because being an author felt so unobtainable in the moment.
In the midst of it all, I got myself together and I kept searching for people who would help me even though I lacked the financial resources I needed. Of course that search came with so many challenges, from editors trying to charge me 5,000 dollars to having to find a whole new editor because the first one completely stopped working on my project with no warning. Tragic!
So yes, I heard more No’s than Yes, but the most important response that I received was God’s YES because he has the final say not humans who at times, don’t have your best interest anyway.
If you don’t get anything out of this paragraph, understand that when God say yes, no one can take what’s destined for you. It’s Written In The Stars, So Just Reach Up and Grab The One With Your Name On It.