TRUTH BE TOLD: ONE YEAR LATER ON LINKEDIN

My first post on LinkedIn was exactly one year ago today.

I ended the article with a question:

"How do you handle rejection? Tell me about it, I’d love to know."

Today, as I look back at that post, which I had been terrified to put on-line, I realize that I completely strayed away from my initial reason for joining LinkedIn:?to seek out potential literary agents and publishers after receiving a slew of rejection letters.

I came onto the platform ready to send out a revised novel to newly acquired contacts in the publishing industry.?But that didn't happen. Instead, I created an on-line coaching business and I belong to a community of powerhouse women who rock on this platform.

In retrospect, I was lucky to receive the gift of opportunity and smart enough to take advantage of it ;0)?Consequently, the contacts I've made on this platform and the creation of original content, have allowed me to make a fresh start, without giving up my goal of publishing my first novel.

GETTING A FRESH START?

I’ve sung on international stages, produced/performed a one-woman show, coached executives, raised children, written songs and non-fiction books…and much more.

Getting a novel published was only one of the next steps in honoring, elevating, and liberating my full potential.?Only, when I joined LinkedIn, I had been hiding my light, afraid to shine too brightly.?I was worried about what others would think about me.?Yes, fear of judgment is a nasty beast.

Being center stage isn’t what naysayers believe it to be.?It’s not about hogging the spotlight and being a narcissist.?To me, it’s about owning my worth and shining light on other people’s paths.?And that’s what my journey on LinkedIn has reinforced.?

?ACTION STEPS

Here are the steps that helped me shrug off my disappointment of rejection and my fear to shine.

?????????Visibility

?????????Content Creation

?????????Community Building

?????????Friendships and Partnerships

?1.????Visibility

I had a ‘Just Do It’ moment after spending several days aimlessly surfing the platform and I hired a LinkedIn Visibility Coach.?With her support and guidance, my new business, and my previously published coaching book, entitled Potential is Boundless, were put front and center.?In no time, I was being seen and heard, for the right reasons.

2.????Content Creation

To be seen and heard, I had to create original material.?With my novel-publishing goal placed on the back burner, I threw myself into writing posts and ultimately filming video content to build my online-coaching business.?To me, it felt like a?win-win practice since I was?writing on a regular basis as well as building entrepreneurial skills.?

3.????Community Building

From the onset, I tried to create useful content.?In the beginning, I was uneasy every time I’d hit that blue ‘post’ button.?“What if no one sees it?” I’d wonder.?But then I’d get nervous thinking of the alternative: “What if they do?” Well, they did.?And it was wonderful. The engagement boosted my confidence and helped me build the discipline to consistently create original content.??

4.????Friendship and Partnerships

Joining LinkedIn and becoming part of a tribe of entrepreneurial women opened doors that I didn’t even know existed.?These Lovely Ladies of LinkedIn have given me the opportunity to learn, and to discover possibilities for personal and professional growth.

PERSEVERANCE IS KEY?

On several occasions when I wasn't getting the outcomes, I had expected, I nearly quit this platform and gave up on my business.?However, I must admit that I'm relieved that I didn’t.

Without a doubt, getting visible, engaging with key players,?and staying open and receptive to opportunities has made my year on LinkedIn a personal and professional triumph despite the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

If you’ve gotten to the end of this article, then you’ve got the determination it will take to make the most of this platform.?Just be consistent and persevere.

All the best to you.

** For the highly curious, here's the original post:

SETBACKS CAN LEAD TO BREAKTHROUGHS

So, you wanna make the Gods cackle... tell them about your dreams.

My latest dream is to get my novel, TRUTH BE TOLD, traditionally published.

From afar, I hear Zeus and Hades roaring with laughter, as I read my latest rejection letters.

I do my best to hold back tears, telling myself that even the very best authors get rejected.

“Thirty-two times?” Aphrodite guffaws.

That number opened the floodgates and I’ve been moping around ever since.?It’s been nine days since my last blog entry because I’ve been using that time to wallow in self-pity.

See sample phrases below:

?????????“No point writing anymore if New York agents aren’t interested.”

?????????“I’m a dreadful writer.”

?????????“Stop writing, you’re terrible at it.?Leave fiction writing to the professionals.”

?READY TO GIVE UP

So far, agents have said they love the premise of the book:?Carly Moreau suspects her husband of having an affair, asks for a divorce, only to end up stuck with him during a once in a generation global lockdown.?

Only, the agents “hate” the protagonist.

Others have said: “Thank you for considering us, but we’re very selective.”

The way I translate the former is: you’re not good enough.

OUCH! There’s no way around the pain.

When you really want to reach a goal and you don’t make it, giving up is an option.?That’s when inspiration is beneficial, and perspiration is mandatory.

?YOU’VE GOT TO PUSH ON THROUGH

And that’s what I’m gonna do.?(Hope you got my Bob Marley reference).?There’s a difference between cutting your losses when you’ve given it your all and giving up because of self-doubt.

So, this post is about me pushing through the pain of rejection.?I’m not going to give up!

My inspiration comes from one of my favourite authors, who mentioned in an interview that she had been rejected about 80 times by publishers before her book got representation.?@malorieblackman

If my math is right, I’ve got 48 more agents to go.?So back to the revisions table, then more queries, till I get an agent who loves both the premise and my very flawed protagonist.

How do you handle rejection? Tell me about it, I’d love to know.?

#linkedin??#anniversary??#growth