Why I’m Choosing Self-Publishing (And Why It Finally Feels Like the Right Door)
- J.P. White
- Dec 1
- 3 min read
Hello, friends — welcome to the new space. I’ve been off doing what writers do best: wandering through stories, tripping over emotions, and accidentally reorganizing my entire creative life in the process. You know. Tuesday stuff.
I won’t pretend the past year didn’t leave its mark. Losing Mia cracked something open in me, and grief has a sneaky way of rearranging your priorities when you’re not looking. Eventually I realized that the way I’d been approaching my writing life no longer fit the person I was becoming.
Something had to shift — and oh, did it.
By September, I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t just tired. I was disconnected. Not from writing itself (that part is practically wired into my DNA), but from the whole “what comes next” conversation. The querying grind. The waiting. The pressure to create something tidy when my brain specializes in beautiful, genre-bending chaos.
Here’s the truth I kept circling:
My stories don’t like boxes. And neither do I.
I write cozy-gothic mysteries with soft hearts. I write sci-fi epics with found-family chaos. I write magical academies where the books misbehave on purpose. I write worlds that don’t sit quietly and wait their turn in a lineup.
Trying to convince traditional publishing that all of this makes sense as “a brand” felt a bit like trying to keep a cosmic dragon in a filing cabinet. It was… not a vibe.
I gave querying its moment. I learned things. I survived the rejections. I sent my little stories out into the ether like hopeful letters in bottles. But every time I waited for someone else’s approval, I felt a little further from the joy that made me start writing in the first place.
So I sat with it. I journaled, I rambled to friends, I stared at the ceiling like a dramatic Victorian heroine — and yes, I pulled cards about it, because of course I did.
And eventually, the answer settled in with the quiet certainty of a closing book:
I want freedom. I want ownership. I want readers now, not someday.
And self-publishing… felt like coming home.
Some Stories Aren’t Meant to Wait Seven Years on a Gatekeeper’s Desk
I have finished manuscripts. As in: polished, loved, lived-in stories that have been whispering, “Um, hello? Release us?” for a while now.
These stories are ready. They deserve readers. They deserve shelves.
But I also have projects that might thrive in traditional publishing someday — quieter stories, stranger stories, the ones that like having a whole editorial village behind them.
So I made the only choice that made sense:
I’m doing both.
Self-publishing for the wild ones that want out of the nest now. Traditional publishing later, when the timing and the project line up just right.
This way I get to build momentum, confidence, community — and keep every door open.
The Tarot Reading That Unlocked the Whole Thing
Yes, I absolutely consulted the Universe before making a career decision. Zero regrets.
A few highlights from the spread:
Saturn Reversed basically said, “Your foundation is mushy, babe. Build something that actually supports you.”
Third House was like, “Momentum is coming fast. People talking about your work is going to matter more than you think.”
Tenth House pointed at me with the subtlety of a lighthouse: “Quit hiding. Be seen. Lead.”
Sixth House whispered, “Consistency, not chaos. Tend the garden.”
The Moon wrapped it all up with: “Your joy is valid. Your instincts are correct. Trust what you’re feeling.”
So yes — I am taking cosmic project management very seriously.
What You Can Expect Here (Aka: The Plan, but Make It Human)
This blog is the heart of my little corner of the internet — a place where I talk about:
the messy, magical process of self-publishing
behind-the-scenes peeks at my worlds
thoughtful craft moments
building a sustainable author life
the small victories and the existential crises
updates on upcoming releases (!!)
and the occasional tarot reading that bullseyes my entire personality
I’ll be here consistently. Showing up. Sharing the journey.
Where We Go From Here
I’m committing to this path, fully and intentionally. Not because it’s the easiest route — it’s definitely not — but because it’s the one that lets me bring my worlds to life on my own terms.
My first self-published release is coming. Soon. And I can’t wait to introduce you to these characters who’ve kept me company for years.
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been around, thank you for sticking with me.
Pull up a chair. Get comfortable. The adventures are about to begin — and I’m so glad you’re here for the journey.
— Indigo
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