Actualizing My Status as an Author

I am…

…an author…

In truth I am a writer who has published a handful of magazine, newspaper and website articles. I HAVE authored an entire 220 page novel, which is currently with a professional editor. (YAY!)

The term author, however, is typically reserved as a distinguishing mark for one who has published a book. I understand this concept. Then again, if you look up author, the definition of the word IS one who has published anything.

This is what I grappled with before I concluded to change my social media accounts and website to “Shawnee Randolph: Author and Yoga Teacher.” I knew friends and acquaintances would roll their eyes at me. Even I scoffed at myself.

But I also know this: If we don’t believe it. It won’t happen.

And I am not talking about clapping our hands for fairies or ringing bells for angels. I am also not suggesting we scream our desires off mountain tops or craft a perfectly feng shei’d vision board.

Sometimes I think that’s what actualization has been reduced to. Like, “Oh hey guys, guess what? Someday I am going to be a famous author,” says the aspiring writer who never picks up a pen or reads a book.

That was me sitting on half a chapter of my novel for 10 years. I never claimed it would be a best seller, but I so dreamed of writing a book. It took a lot of mental and emotional block-pummelling work to get to the place where I finally had enough confidence to turn half a chapter into 17.

But it was something else that kept me going.

When I made the decision that yes, I would write this story and someday publish it, whether traditional or self, that’s what continued my forward motion.

Me. I actualized it happening. It is happening.

I don’t introduce myself as an author. That would be awkward—published or not. But I call myself an author on my sites because I believe in myself and what I am doing. (Not only that, but the accountability helps too.) Besides, I’ve already written the book, put it through four drafts, and I don’t know how many read-throughs.

Here’s the trick to actualization. You can visualize it, write it down, yell it to the world, but it won’t do you any good if you don’t also put in the work to make it happen.

However, if you don’t believe it, is it even true?

How to actualize your dreams: Believe it, make a plan, make it happen, and maybe tell a few people so you can’t fall back on your word.