Self Published: The Martyr and his Notebook

How I pushed through and pursued one of my greatest achievements... all at the age of seventeen.

If you haven't read the posts on my social media, I self-published my first book! Now that I think about it, it's almost surreal; something that I've been working on for years is finally out there in the real live world.

For many, myself included, writing a book is exceedingly difficult. You can spend days and nights hunched over a keyboard or a notebook with your favourite warm beverage in hand and blanket over your legs just obsessing over words and phrases and trying to figure out how to fit the plot together in a way that actually makes sense.

Before I truly begin to tell you the journey I pursued to finish this novel, I just want to address something. I have spoken to many adults, friends of family and family of friends, about my novel and a single sentence was uttered from the mouths of nearly each and every one of them. They told me that they have been trying to write a book for years. I think the most difficult part about writing a novel, or writing in general, is the fact that many people hold onto this fear of it not being perfect or people not liking it. The key to publishing a novel is writing for yourself. If you simply write in your free time, by yourself and with the intent that you and only you will read it, it may release some of the fear that you hold towards it. Now, by no means am I saying that my book is perfect or that I wasn't anxious about publishing it, it's simply a word of advice. Be impulsive and get your story out there!

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Inspired by the teachings and words of my grade eleven English teacher, I decided to continue the story I had chosen to scrap in the summer of 2017. I remember initially coming up with the idea for this story when I saw an old car at a parking lot car show that summer. One thought sprang to another and I ended up typing out my concept onto a google document on the way home that fateful day. Then, a few months later, I decided to join National Novel Writing Month, a website dedicated to aiding writers young and old in pursuing their dreams of writing a novel or short story.

I admit, spending the entire month of November hunched over my laptop in Starbucks nearly every evening possible as my father watched on with curiosity was a bit obsessive. (Another word of advice, come up with a playlist of songs that best suit your plot and characters; it will aid you when you're writing them). Even in those nights of hard work, I felt a spark of anxiety as I forced myself to hit the word count everyday. "Is this good enough?" I would wonder, rereading sentences over and over. I also found myself pushing through each day, dripping with the exhaustion of juggling school work and writing. Even despite all of that, I was very proud of myself at the end of that month, having completed the first draft of my first novel. It was a dream come true! But it didn't end there.

By far the most excruciating part of this process was editing. It was boring beyond belief. At least you can use your imagination while writing! I picked this up by the end of 2019, eventually completing it before Christmas, which was by far sooner than I expected.

Then, it was time to release it out into the world. A hard copy of my novel arrived in the mail the day before my Christmas break began. The first moment I held it was something that I don't think I could ever forget. I imagine that's how mothers feel when they first hold their newborn baby. It was truly a life defining moment.

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Despite the excitement of my new book, there is still much more yet to come. I am currently working on the sequel, something that I think will be even more exceptional than the first. The words will be printed onto the pages, straight from the depths of my heart and soul. Here's to continuing Michael and Claire's story.

If you are interested in purchasing my first novel, click the button at the top of my homepage and it will direct you to another website. Alternatively, click here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/jay-semeniuk/the-martyr-and-his-notebook/paperback/product-24361059.html