I can relate to that. I started writing in 2000-2001. I was staring at the wrong horizon, too and it took 8 to 9 years to realize my mistake. How about you? Would you have started writing sooner?
My Self-Publishing Journey: On Becoming an Indie Author
It was never my intention to write eight books and publish none. I am a fan of traditional publishing, and my aspiration was always to go through the agent-to-editor channel and get published. Intention in publishing is not always synonymous with success. When I started writing my first book at the age of 26, I thought that -- in a year or two -- I’d see my story on the shelves of my favorite bookstore. It was my dream, after all. Seven years later, after having had an agent, going on submission, and receiving a bushel of nice rejections, I had to stop and ask myself what I was waiting for.
The purpose of writing, for me, has always been to have a career. To connect with readers, to share what I hope are books of escape and hope, and to grow into a more seasoned and skilled author, so I can better serve my readers. But when my books never reach the hands of those readers, it’s less of a career I’m making and more of a dusty library for no one.
When I asked bestselling indie author Hugh Howey if there was anything he would have done differently on his self-publishing journey, his answer struck a chord. “I would have started younger. Barriers to entry kept me from pursuing writing. Had I known the world would open like this, I would have had 30 works sitting and ready to go. You can't get these years back. If you like telling stories, get started. Don't stop.”
For seven years, the barriers to sharing my stories have stopped me. This isn’t anyone’s fault but my own. I focused my gaze on the wrong horizon. Realizing this, I decided it was time to let go of the stigma on self-publishing -- and, if I’m being completely honest, my own ego -- and put my career and the readers I envision first. Which is to say, I decided to become a self-published author.
Read the rest here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/61526-my-self-publishing-journey-on-becoming-an-indie-author.html