From my earliest memory, my small world was a prison. In the first seven years of my life, I awoke to the sight of metal bars across my bedroom window. They weren’t there to hold me captive; they were there to prevent me from falling from the eighth floor of our apartment building in London. But I found them confining, nonetheless.
Freedom came, in part, when my family moved to a four-bedroom house in the suburbs with a sizable garden backing onto a beautiful tree-lined park. My large bedroom window treated me to miles of rolling emerald-green hills, beckoning me to come out and play.
However, because of my poor grades in essay writing, my father assigned me a writing project every weekend. Sometimes, this took a few hours, and other times, it took the entire weekend. Once again, my bedroom was my prison. The freedom I yearned for was put on hold until the assignment was deemed satisfactory.
Although my imprisonment was distressing, at least it was temporary. Damon, on the other hand, has been behind bars for 20 years, incarcerated for gun and drug possession. With his release date ten years away, his freedom is on hold. At 40 years old, with a third-grade reading ability, he recognizes the bad choices he’s made and vows that, on his release, he will make a brand-new crime-free life for himself.
As a literacy volunteer, I helped Damon with his reading and writing for six years. It was this weekly encounter that motivated me to think of my life differently. My awareness and perception changed whenever I found myself inside his walled city. It forced me to think about the choices I’ve made in life and the many times I’ve held myself hostage with obsessive or paralyzing thoughts. These come in the form of a critical and judgmental voice inside my mind, trying to stop me from stepping into my own power and greatness.
In book marketing, I, like many of you, face unseen barriers that stop us from succeeding and getting noticed. We face a mental prison where negative thoughts and doubts limit our potential.
My experience with the bars on my window is similar to the mental limits many authors face. We deal with the fear of not being good enough, the fear of rejection, and the challenge of standing out in a crowded market. Just as I longed for freedom beyond my confined space, as authors, we want to reach more people and make an impact with our work.
My path to freedom started with moving to a new environment, similar to how authors must shift from feeling limited to seeing endless possibilities. We must overcome self-doubt, fear, and comparison that hold back our creativity and ability to reach out.
I also think about the writing assignments that felt like a burden. You might feel the same about marketing. Over time, just as I changed how I viewed these assignments, you need to see marketing your book as a way to connect with readers and share your message creatively.
As Damon’s story shows, change is possible. We can reinvent ourselves and succeed through hard work and a positive mindset. Just as reading and writing helped Damon, effective marketing can help you reach your goals and unlock your full potential.
Many of you can relate to the ‘prison voice’ that I struggled with. This voice fills us with doubt and fear. We must recognize and fight this voice, replacing self-criticism with kindness and thoughtful reflection.
We can use awareness, choice, and experience to break free from our mental constraints.
Awareness helps us recognize negative thoughts that hold us back.
Choice allows us to decide how we approach marketing, picking strategies that align with our goals.
Experience gained from trying and sometimes failing helps us learn what works for our audience, leading to growth and better strategies.
In short, we can break free from our mental prisons by being open to new ideas, resilient, and genuine. By tackling our fears, challenging our limits, and using smart marketing strategies, we can stay open to new opportunities, connect with readers, and achieve the success we aim for.
Just like I found freedom by changing my perspective and trying new things, you, too, can find your own path to freedom, turning the journey of marketing your book into a rewarding adventure of discovery and connection.
