By Precious Onwumelu
Confession time. In 2022 I self-published my debut novella, Scar, on Amazon and Sella. I sold a few copies online, thanks to amazing friends, colleagues and family members that supported my journey. I was proud. I was also impatient.
Last year I pulled it down.
Why? Because Aproko Mataz believes in doing things properly or not at all. The editing was rushed. The cover was Canva. The distribution was “DM me.”
I spent the last year in workshops, with editors, rewriting every chapter. It hurts. It was embarrassing, but it was very necessary.
Now I’m republishing Scar, with a press so it can find readers beyond my contacts list, so libraries can stock it and so reviewers can take it seriously.
To every writer reading this: it’s okay to start small. It’s also okay to start again. Visibility matters, but legacy matters more. Don’t be afraid to kill your darlings so better ones can live.
