Things I Thought Would Happen When I Became an Author (And What Actually Happened)

When I decided to become an author, I had a very clear vision of how things would go.

It was elegant. Effortless. Slightly cinematic.

I would write a book. People would read it. They would love it. And then, naturally, my life would transform into a quiet montage of coffee, creativity, and passive income.

Simple.

Expectation #1: I Will Write in Peaceful, Aesthetic Silence

Reality:
I write between emails, notifications, and someone asking me where something is… that is exactly where it always is.

Also, my brain only produces good ideas at the most inconvenient times.

Driving? Genius.
Shower? Brilliant.
Actually sitting down to write? Nothing. Empty. A void.

Expectation #2: Readers Will Immediately Find Me

Reality:
You can, in fact, write a whole book… and the internet will respond with the emotional energy of a brick wall.

You refresh your dashboard like it personally offended you.

One sale feels like a national event.
Two sales? Practically a movement.

Expectation #3: I Will Feel Like a ‘Real Author’

Reality:
You publish a book… and then immediately question every life choice that led you here.

“Is this good?”
“Do people hate this?”
“Should I have just… not done this?”

And then someone messages you saying they loved your book… and suddenly you’re fine again.

Emotionally stable? No.
Functional? Mostly.

Expectation #4: Writing Will Get Easier

Reality:
You just get better at suffering efficiently.

You still doubt yourself.
You still rewrite sentences 14 times.
You still stare at the screen like it owes you something.

You just… keep going anyway.

Expectation #5: I’ll Just Write One Type of Book

Reality:
You start with one idea… and suddenly you’re writing:

a witch who turns into a fox and ruins a man’s emotional stability (Witch, Unleashed)
a billionaire who has his life together until he very much doesn’t (The Billionaire’s Curvy Match)
a love story that quietly attacks your feelings when you weren’t prepared (Confessions of a Curvy Heart)

At no point did anyone explain this escalation.

Expectation #6: Marketing Will Be Logical and Straightforward

Reality:
You are now:

a writer
a marketer
a content creator
a part-time detective trying to understand algorithms

You will, at some point, spend 20 minutes choosing between two captions that both feel slightly wrong.

Expectation #7: Success Will Feel Like a Big Moment

Reality:
It’s small moments.

A message. A comment. Someone saying, “I saw myself in this.” And it hits you quietly, like:

Oh.

This matters.

What Actually Happens (That No One Tells You)

You don’t become a different person. You become more yourself.

More honest. More expressive. More willing to say things you used to keep quiet.

And somehow… people find you because of that.

Not despite it.

If You’re Reading This

Whether you’re a writer, a reader, or just someone who likes getting emotionally attached to fictional people…

You’re part of this strange little world too.

And if you’ve ever wanted something more—more story, more feeling, more connection—

That’s exactly what I write.

A Small, Non-Dramatic Invitation

If you want something quick and addictive (in a healthy, I-promise way), I share short romance stories you can read in a few minutes.

No pressure. No commitment. No life-altering decisions required.

Just something to make your day slightly better.

Final Thought

Becoming an author isn’t what I expected.

It’s messier. Weirder. A little more chaotic.

But also?

A lot more real than I imagined.

Sonia M. Rompoti, MSc, Bsc

🧿 The articles didn’t ghost you. Click the 🟰 icon and they’ll come running. They, sometimes, like playing hide and seek 🤷🏼‍♀️