The Daily Hustle of a Children’s Book Author! From Rejections to Revelations and Everything In Between

So, you’ve pressed the ‘publish’ button. Time to sit back and watch your book sales soar, right? Wrong! If you thought writing the book was the hard part, dear reader, brace yourself for the wild ride that comes after publication. As Waterstones bluntly puts it—it’s not for the faint of heart!

I didn’t just write a children’s book series; I built a whole universe. My protagonist, Maya, isn’t your run-of-the-mill character—she represents underrepresented voices in children’s literature, and I was determined to get her story into the world.

I haven’t hesitated to ask for help either, whether it's mastering Amazon advertising campaigns or tapping into Gen Z for social media inspiration.

Being a self-published author takes a marathon of persistence, hustle, and an alarming amount of caffeine, but I’m making it happen.

Rucksacks Full of Books and Rejection by the Pound

Once the books were printed, my journey became one of endless bookstore visits, armed with a rucksack stuffed with copies and an unshakeable belief in my work. Picture me running around London like a woman on a mission, pitching to indie bookstore owners with all the enthusiasm I could muster. Some were incredibly supportive and agreed to stock my books. Others? Not so much. “We only take traditionally published titles.” Sigh.

But the real kicker? A bookstore owner who, without even glancing at my book, told me I should take writing classes and find an agent! Honestly, I nearly spilled my coffee. But guess what? Those rejections didn’t stop me. I’m now proudly stocked in six key independent bookstores across London—including the iconic Notting Hill Bookshop (yes, that one from the movie!). My books even made it onto a top parenting platform My Baba’s ‘Hot Off the List’ section.

From Keynotes to TikTok—The Hustle is Real

It doesn’t end with bookstores. These days, my calendar is packed with keynote speaking engagements for corporate events. Apparently, my career pivots and journey of “reclaiming my narrative” make for an inspiring story. Who knew? Between those, I’m giving more interviews to prominent magazines and radio stations. Oh, and I’m also desperately trying to crack the TikTok algorithm (Spoiler: I haven’t, but I’m posting daily and hoping for the best!). Feel free to comment with any advise 😊

Schools, libraries and literary festivals? They’re a whole different ball game. I’m constantly pitching to them, scheduling author visits, and sharing how I turned my dream into reality—against the odds. And because branding is everything, I’m even designing custom plush toys based on my characters. Because, let’s be honest, what’s a children’s book series without a little merchandising magic?

Rejections, Coffee, and Why It’s All Worth It

Amid the rejections, the crazy marketing efforts, and the sleepless nights spent scrolling through social media ideas, there’s one thing that keeps me going: knowing that somewhere out there, a kid is picking up my book, seeing themselves in my characters, and smiling. That makes every moment worth it.

To my fellow self-published authors out there, navigating this wild, exhilarating, exhausting journey—keep going! Whether you’re lugging books from store to store, posting TikToks without a clue, or even brainstorming your own merchandise, know that this is the grit it takes to bring your dream to life.

And hey, if nothing else, at least we’ll have some incredible stories to tell over coffee—lots and lots of coffee.

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