Am I a Real Author?

It’s a question that nags at me far more often than I’d like to admit.

Am I a real author?

It doesn’t always shout. Most of the time, it whispers. It lingers at the edge of my thoughts when I open my laptop. It taps on my shoulder when I hit “publish.” It creeps in when I check my sales and see that most of the names belong to family and friends.

And sometimes, it gets loud.

I question it because I’m a self-published author.
I question it because my biggest supporters are the people who already love me.
I question it because I don’t have a big publishing contract, a massive marketing budget, or strangers flooding my inbox with fan mail.

Some days I wonder if all of this is truly worth it.
If I should continue.
If I’m just playing “pretend author” in a world of real ones.

And if I feel this way… I know I’m not the only one.


---

The Quiet Self-Doubt So Many Authors Carry

I truly believe this question plagues far more self-published authors than we ever admit out loud.

We compare:

Our sales to someone else’s success

Our following to someone else’s audience

Our budget to someone else’s marketing plan

Our journey to someone else’s highlight reel


And then that ugly doubt sinks in.

If only my mom bought my book… does it even count?

We begin to wonder:

Are we legitimate?

Are we wasting our time?

Are we embarrassing ourselves by even trying?


And the saddest part?

Most of us will never say these thoughts out loud—because we’re scared they’ll confirm what we already fear.


---

Here’s the Truth That Changed Everything for Me

A real author is not defined by:

A publishing contract

Sales numbers

Bestseller lists

Marketing budgets

Or who bought the book


A real author is defined by one simple truth:

👉 You wrote the book.

You created something from nothing.
You finished what most people only dream about starting.
You took words from your heart and made them tangible.

That alone makes you a real author.

Self-published authors are not “less than.”
We are independent.
We are brave.
We are risk-takers.

We bet on ourselves when no one else was ready to.


---

And About Family & Friends Buying Our Books…

For a long time, I told myself:

“They only bought it because they know me.”

But here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way:

Family and friends don’t buy your book out of pity.
They buy it because they are proud of you.
Because they believe in you.
Because they watched your late nights, your doubts, your restarts, your tears.

Their support counts. Their sales count. Their belief counts.

And honestly? Most famous authors started with exactly the same thing: one believer at a time.


---

Why I Still Choose to Continue

Even when the doubt is loud… I continue.

Because:

My stories matter

My voice matters

My experiences matter

My readers—whoever they are—matter


If even one child feels seen because of my book…
If even one adult finds comfort in my words…
If even one person feels less alone—then it is worth it.

Every time.


---

If You’re Asking This Question Too…

If you’ve ever whispered:

Am I really an author?

Should I keep going?

Does this even matter?


Please hear this:

👉 You are not alone.
👉 You are not a fraud.
👉 You are not foolish for trying.
👉 You are not behind.

You are building something real—one step at a time.

And real authors are not made by permission. They are made by persistence.


---

So… Am I a Real Author?

Yes.

Because I write. Because I publish. Because I try. Because I keep going even when fear tells me to stop.

And if you’re reading this with that same question in your heart…

So are you.