Marina Betancourt
Marina Betancourt asked Caragh M. O'Brien:

I have to ask, because as a writer myself I've never had the confidence to actually show my work off to more than a few close friends, but how do you do it? I mean your work is amazing and it really swept me off my feet when I was reading it but how did you get the confidence to actually go through with publishing your work?

Caragh M. O'Brien Marina ~
I am really glad you asked this. It does take enormous courage to show your writing to other people, and when you spend months working on a project, seeing all its flaws, it can be very hard to tell when it’s ready for other eyes. You’re lucky that you already have a few close friends to share your work with, especially if they’re avid readers. Believe them if they encourage you. For me, the confidence came when I thought Gaia’s story deserved a shot at being published. The novel became its own thing, and my family encouraged me to take it further. I knew the publishing process started with the small step of sending out a few letters, so I did that, and when agents were interested in the concept, they asked for the manuscript. From then on, I’ve had guidance from my agent and my editors, as well as my family. It still takes courage for me to show people my work, so I understand how you feel, and I know you can do it, too.
All best,
Caragh

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