Things I Did Last Week as a Small, Independent Author with Big Dreams

We are all the time about the unseen side of small businesses. The blood, sweat, and tears that goes into success is something that you never see when you visit your favorite restaurant or go shopping at your favorite local business. As patrons, we only see the success. We don't see the sleepless nights, or the hours spent pouring over the finances, brainstorming new ideas, searching for or creating new products. We simply see the things we love.

The same is true for me as a small, independent author. There are so many things I work on in a week that is mostly unseen. Nobody would ever know!

That's why I thought it would be fun to share with you a list I made of all the little author tasks I completed last week. I made the list for a TikTok video I made, and you can check that out here:

Watch the TikTok

Side Note: I have been trying to grow my TikTok account lately and my focus has been more on there and less on Instagram and Facebook. As much as I would love to do all three, I've proven to myself that I can focus on one at a time.

On which social platform are you most active?

• Facebook
• TikTok
• Instagram

Now, without further ado, and I am confident I missed a few ...

• Claimed my children's book on GoodReads (PLEASE leave it a review if you're active on that site!)

• Created an author account on Amazon so that I a can create an author page and claim my book on that website, too.

• Added a member's section to my website (this was an exciting new update that took me a week to figure out!)

• Spent COUNTLESS hours troubleshooting my reading plan after one of my readers got locked out.

• Spruced up my book portfolio on my website.

• Reached out to an interview subject regarding my aunt's biography.

• Added TikTok threads and social links to my website - let's connect!

• Wrote a thank you note to a friend who supported me by buying FIVE copies of my children's book to gift to some little girls in her life.

• Researched shipping costs for books (I'd like to add signed copies of The Princess Who Lost Her Crown to the store part of my website!)

• Proofread my agent query letter ... again

• Reached out to a handful of friends and asked them to read my query letter and provide me with any feedback they may have.

• Went live on TikTok twice! (This was huge for me - I was so nervous!)

• Posted 15 TikTok videos and a few to other platforms.

• Hit 500 followers on TikTok!

• Worked on an e-mail campaign to my online reading plan participants - the plan has a low completion rate. :/ I also wanted to let them know about the new Member's Area on the website that should make accessing the plan easier than ever!

• Printed coloring sheets that I sell on my website so that I can try and make some videos with them to better market.

• And as always, I'm a wife and mom and that is an everyday thing. :)

Like I said, lots of little things that are most likely never seen. I've been working HARD of my book proposal lately and I'm really close to having it finished. I will do a separate post about that entire process and why I'm doing it.

If you're reading this, just know I see you and am grateful for the support you show me as a small author. I have big dreams! I know the Lord didn't have me put all of this time and effort into writing a book for nobody to read it and I cannot WAIT to see it all unfold. Sometimes I just sit and wonder about where the Lord will take this and how He will use it. God is so good, and my entire life is a testament to the way He always takes me and uses me in ways that far exceed my wildest dreams. I know He will do it again.

Thanks for reading! Check out the new Member's Area while you're here, and sign up to read The Found Mama for free on my website before you can buy it!