Why I almost threw my book out the airplane window

This past week, I attended the DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) Writers Conference, and it turned out to be an enriching experience. I gained valuable insights into the publishing world, particularly around crafting pitch letters, working with agents, and navigating the submission process—much of which was new to me.

Initially, my plan in meeting with an agent was to ask a few questions. But as we began discussing my book, I was caught off guard by a sudden wave of self-doubt. I felt like an imposter—as though I wasn’t truly an author, didn’t belong in that space, and suddenly, I was stuck on this idea that I no longer knew what my book was about or who it was for.

Interestingly, during one of the sessions that I attended, another agent spoke about the importance of claiming the title of "author"—that believing you are an author is part of owning the role. Until recently, I think I was still festering in a mindset of “I’m just writing this book,” rather than fully owning the identity of an author.

But today, I’m here to say: Hello, my name is Kellie and I am an author. Prior to my book in progress, I have written numerous articles for both regional and national industry publications. Now, I’m stepping into broader work that I hope will have a meaningful impact and help others improve their lives.