There’s a myth that if you self-publish, traditional print publishers won’t have anything to do with you. I am living, breathing proof that you can self-publish and translate that into a traditional print publishing contract.

My success story has a lot to do with the writer/editor of this newsletter, Angela Hoy, and her wonderful Booklocker.com. That intrepid businesswoman offered my first book, Grow Your Own Love, for sale on Booklocker in 2001. What happened afterwards has been an amazing and exciting story of reaching my goal of print publication with my second book, The Seasons of Your Career.

Two years ago, I was shopping my first book to various print publishers without an agent, almost placing it with a well-known house. In the end, the publisher declined on Grow Your Own Love, stating my nonfiction book was good but that I didn’t have the all-important platform to help market my work. (In the nonfiction arena, a platform can be the key to getting a print publishing deal.)

What to do next? While on the Internet one day, I happened across Angela Hoy’s Booklocker.com site, and crossed my fingers that she would be interested enough in my book to want to publish it as an ebook. This might be my big opportunity to get published!

To my delight, she accepted my work-and the first step of the journey to my ultimate goal of seeing my work in bookstores had begun. My next move was to market myself with a vengeance, build a platform, and seek out the services of a good agent. In large part due to the fact that I was already published with Booklocker, I not only acquired an excellent agent, but also placed my second book with a major publisher, Contemporary Books/McGraw-Hill.

The moral of my story: Self-publishing is the way to generate more interest in your work, gain credibility as a writer, and pave the way to a traditional print publishing deal down the road. As someone once said, “All glory comes from daring to begin.” Take that first step to writing success – and self-publish!

Kathy Sanborn is the top woman career coach and success expert in the world based on Internet popularity. Her new book, The Seasons of Your Career, is for any individual seeking career success. On her web sites, Kathy offers tips on how you can be successful in your own writing career. Visit Kathy at www.lifeandcareercoaching.com or www.kathysanborn.com.

If you’d like Booklocker.com to consider your book for publication, see their submission guidelines at: https://www.booklocker.com/getpublished/published.html