Let me preface: there are a lot of ways to go about writing. Some people write to the tune of a formula, some might start with an outline, and some might be running soley on inspiration. There's also plenty of shades in between these primary routes. I can't think of a single craft where one method truely fits all the actors in said craft and even if you can, let's agree that writing isn't it.
I started writing because I had an idea that I wanted to share, not because I knew anything about how the market for novels worked. In hindsight, I might wish I'd been more aware of the intricacies so that I could've adjusted some of my steps, but at the same time, maybe it was for the best that I didn't know. Publishing written work is no easy feat. It's very easy to be discouraged because of the subjectivity or competition, or even the amount of research and individual steps that have to be dealt with at one point or another.
Many people have insight to share about how to go about publishing. I looked, I listened. And now I'm throwing in my own hat. In the following Writing Journey posts, I'm going to share some of my experiences and reflections throughout my own path to publication in the hopes that it will encourage understanding and appreciation of the process - whatever shape that process takes!