After quitting my “big girl” job in 2023, I wasn’t positive what my future would look like. The only thing I knew for certain was, I couldn’t stay there anymore. The daily stress alone caused health issues, plus my creativity and identity drained away steadily. I needed out. Around the time my daughter was born that same year, I decided I wanted to figure out a way to write full-time. Once again, I didn’t know what that would look like.

I purchased a program to help me learn copywriting, but that wasn’t where my heart lay. I started a blog, hoping maybe I could connect with others through bookish news and ideas. And that went okay. I’m still not monetizing off the blog, but I keep it up because I genuinely enjoy it. Regardless, I needed to find a way to express my creativity, and for myself, I needed to contribute to my family.

Blessedly, I have an amazing support team. My husband, my friends, and my family all push me to chase dreams I previously thought unattainable.

And so, The Fence Between Us was born.

Goal 1: Actually FINISH something I started writing.

I needed to get past the first couple of chapters and actually put words on paper. The story needed more than a beginning. It needed a middle and an end too, surprisingly, I know, right?!

Goal 2: Complete a set of self-edits and see what a professional thinks.

If I finished my self-edits and sent it to a professional for review, and they said it was utter garbage, I’m not sure what I would do, but I needed to know. So after a round of self-edits, I sent the 40,000 and some odd word manuscript to an editor for a manuscript evaluation. While I waited, I began working with a book coach.

Goal 3: Actually decide if I was worth it.

When the manuscript evaluation came back as “hey, you actually have something here”, the ball was in my court to decide if my story was worth telling, if I was worth investing in.

Soul searching played a big part in this, along with the support of my family, friends, and book coach. The next thing I knew, The Fence Between Us had a cover and a release date.

I want to share some of what I’ve learned during this process, but I think sharing it here is better than through my This Book Beauty blog, where I discuss books and bookish content. This is my journey to discovering how to self-publish, determining how writing fits into my life, and whether I am worth investing in.

Now, I have one book and a novella published and three more novels in the works. I’ve got plans and ideas, and I‘m settling into my identity for the first time since I became a mother.

If you’re worried about your identity as a writer, how to follow through with writing a manuscript, or you just want to learn some of what I’ve learned about this process, come along for this ride because that is exactly what I plan to discuss.

S.E. Fisher