by Kariss Lynch, @Kariss_Lynch
I just released my first book as an Indie writer. Wow, there were a lot of steps. And a lot of freedom. A lot of anxiety. And a lot of opportunity. Basically, it was a lot of everything, but the journey has been incredible. 
A few weeks prior to release, I received an email from a new writer asking how she could publish her book. I offered a few suggestions, pointed her to a few resources, encouraged her to do her homework. And she responded with the same sentiment: Wow, that’s a lot.
The truth is, any dream worth tracing is A LOT. It’s a lot of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears. It’s a lot of excitement, and sometimes a lot of rejection.
But when the process overwhelms, when it all just feels like too much, impossible…just do the next thing.
- Just plot the next scene.
- Just write the next chapter.
- Just take the night off to research or read.
- Just craft the next newsletter.
- Just schedule the next social post.
- Just email another editor or agent.
Three months down the road, six months, a year, each next thing will have added up to a whole thing. And before you know it, it won’t just feel like a lot, you will have accomplished a whole lot.
In life, we never arrive at our destination instantaneously. It is always a series of steps, sometimes over a long period of time. Don’t rush the process. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn and grow. There is a good possibility that by deliberately stopping to take care of each step, you will be a different person—more prepared, more excited, more of who you need to be—in order to tackle what awaits you at the finish line.
So today, friend, just take the next step. Trust me. You’ve got this.
Recent college graduate Kaylan Richards has spent her entire life following a plan. Go to school. Get good grades. Do what you love. Love what you do. Only what Kaylan loves requires a sought after internship. She doesn’t want to wait. She wants to help people now. And on the eve of her decision to leave her life-long plans behind, the man she wants to forget walks back into her life. Navy SEAL Nick Carmichael never dreamed he would love a woman more than he loves serving his country. Now he’s finally ready to win her heart, but this time she’s the one who wants to leave for the most poverty-stricken country in the western hemisphere. And it’s his turn to watch her go. It’s the worst earthquake Haiti has ever seen. Kaylan is trapped in the aftermath, and Nick is a world away on a mission to catch a terrorist. As they find their way back to one another, Kaylan and Nick must learn that love grown in the midst of tragedy can truly conquer all. But only if they have the courage to fight for it.
Kariss Lynch writes contemporary romance about characters with big dreams, adventurous hearts, and enduring hope. She is the author of the Heart of a Warrior series and loves to encourage her readers to have courage. In her free time, she hangs out with her family and friends, explores the great outdoors, and tries not to plot five stories at once. Connect with her at karisslynch.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Goodreads.