On January 11th, 2025, I will be attending Worldbuilding 101 as a panelist to discuss creating realistic and relevant worlds for both fantasy and sci-fi books. We’ll be at the Tattered Cover on East Colfax in Denver from 2 pm to 6 pm. Come and join us if you’re in the area.
I plan on doing more with worldbuilding in 2025 on the YouTube channel, so this is a great start to the year for me. And now that the channel is bringing in a few bucks, I might be able to do some upgrades soon for better videos.
My plan is to livestream the event on WriterSanctuary’s YouTube channel, but I want to make sure it’s OK with all of the other authors first. Plus, I need to figure out how we’re going to set the stream up.
Starting the Year Off Right
One of my goals was to attend at least three events in 2025 as an author or speaker. Attending this one so soon after the year starts is a good sign of things to come. And I’m excited to visit with fellow authors and meet potential readers.
The panel is going to discuss building fantasy and sci-fi worlds that are realistic and engaging. And since every author has a different style, it’s going to be interesting to hear how we all put that world together for our audiences.
I think what gets me a bit more excited about this event is the fact that I’m attending to help people. It’s more than just setting up a table and signing a few autographs. I’ll be able to help new writers shape their worlds, which is right up my alley.
It’s one of the biggest reasons why I built WriterSanctuary in the first place. Sure, I started off helping people learn how to use content mills. Nowadays, it’s more focused on self-publishing.
For me, it’s a great way to start the year and I’m looking forward to seeing what else 2025 has in store for me. Of course, that means putting in the effort to find more public appearances and getting myself out there as an author.
Looking for More Events
Currently, we’re looking for more author events for 2025. I know there are a lot in Colorado, at least there was in 2024. But I would like to do more than just tables.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still set up a display and would like to meet readers of all kinds. However, I rather enjoy helping people learn the trade and get them started on their own writing journey.
One of my ideas was to visit some of the towns where my YouTube viewers live. But realistically, I’m not sure it would be financially sound. In some cases, I would have to spend around $400 just for a single day’s appearance. That means I would have to sell at least 50 books just to break even. And when you don’t have a lot of disposable income, everything gets pretty tight.
Since I am quite a small fish in a big ass pond, it’s unlikely I’ll sell that many at any event.
It’s not that I’m down on myself or negative about being an author. I’m a realist. I know that I have a long way to go and all authors start out small. It mostly comes down to keeping the momentum going and never giving up.
Building Momentum as an Author
Every superstar in every niche started out as small potatoes. Take any sports team you like and realize the players on the field had to go through rigorous training, constant practice, and a drive to succeed. Most of them started as kids. It’s rare to see someone step onto the field and excel without having previous training.
That’s kind of how I view myself today. I know I have a lot to learn and need a lot of practice to get to where I want to be in life. It’s all about building momentum from those first days and keeping yourself going regardless of individual outcomes.
I started my writing career as an average freelancer using content mills to make some extra money. Through hard work, determination, and drive to learn all that I could about writing, I became quite successful. I’m using that same mentality today. With any luck, it’ll take fewer than 10 years to become as successful as an author as I am as a freelancer.
Well, not necessarily luck, actually. In truth, it’ll take as much effort (if not more) to succeed as an author.
I’ll think of myself as a success once my books bring in enough money to pay my bills. For right now, I am still learning and growing. But as long as I keep striving to become more than I am today, I’ll reach those goals.
Like everything else in life, success comes down to consistency. Those sports stars I mentioned earlier – they were consistent with practicing and pushing themselves to reach their goals. As a YouTuber, consistency helped me finally get monetized. As a freelancer, consistency helped me quit my job at the school district.
Success is never an instant guarantee, and we all advance at our own pace. But it’s that consistency of working on your goals that drives everything forward.
Hope to See You There!
If you’re in the Denver area, join us at Tattered Cover on January 11th. I’ll be there with some talented authors, and look forward to meeting everyone in person.
If you’re interested in world-building or love fantasy or sci-fi, this event is probably one you won’t want to miss. Or, if you’re just a reader of fantasy and sci-fi, you can meet us in person and perhaps get a few insights into what we have coming up next.
In either case, it’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.