They don’t tell you, when you start writing fiction, that your own characters will almost certainly break your heart.

That you might well cry revising your own story, overwhelmed by what is happening to your characters (especially if you let it sit as long as you should before going back to revise).

They don’t tell you that your story will teach YOU various life skills. At least, my story has taught me resiliency and coping skills.

They don’t tell you that the decision to try to get an agent or to go indie might well keep you up at night. For some it’s easy, but it may be excruciating difficult.

They don’t tell you that marketing will make you want to tear your hair out and that there will be moments when you’ll swear you couldn’t GIVE your book away.

They don’t tell you that between writing, revising, going through beta reader and editor suggestions, formatting, pub day, and marketing, that every emotion in the book will hit you, sometimes over the course of a single day, and you will feel tempted from time to time to give it up entirely.

But it’s worth it, through all the ups and downs–especially if your motivation is to inspire others with your story.