My #1 Regret from Publishing Young

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As you all know, I published The Dressmaker’s Secret back in January 2016 when I was only fifteen years old. While I’m not the youngest person to ever published, that was still young by most standards, and … it was a mistake.

I don’t say that lightly. I’ve weighed the pros and cons, and I truly believe I should have waited at least a year if not longer to figure things out. (Of course, that would be if I knew the right things to do, which I didn’t.)

So let’s talk about my #1 regret from publishing young.

I regret that I didn’t put my best work out.

But it’s more than that.

I regret that people had to read a sub-par novel.

I regret that some people, perhaps younger or less experienced writers, might have mistaken it for a good book. Perhaps they thought it was worth imitating or simply wasted their time when they could’ve been reading better books.

I regret any people who will have read The Dressmaker’s Secret and probably not been inspired to become a lifelong fan.

I regret the people who felt like they wasted time or money.

So yes, I regret a lot of facets about that one thing: the fact that my best work didn’t go before people the first time.

I think it’s very important to always do your best — “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” (Colossians 3:23)

But …

That was then and this is now.

“But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” (Philippians 3:13)

It’s not like this is an unfixable mistake. This January the 10th, the new version of The Dressmaker’s Secret will be releasing, and it’s looking pretty fly.