Crossing the Line Between Hobbyist and Professional

Lately, I've been working on my new book, How to DIY Anything: The Ultimate Maker Mindset. The parallels between the ideas presented in this book and the process of producing it are not lost on me. I am self-publishing, which means I am not only writing, but formatting for print and eBook, as well as submitting it to distributors like Amazon and iBooks. I designed and created my own covers. I've created a companion journal freebie, and I am even producing my own audio book. The weight of this job has me feeling like this book is where I have crossed the line from hobbyist to professional author. It's quite thrilling.

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When you are a hobbyist, there is no responsibility to anyone or anything but yourself and your desire to create something beautiful. As a professional author, you have the added responsibility for creating something that improves the lives of others in meaningful ways.  

With my previously published books, I have made them merely because I had an idea, and I wanted to see if I could. I shared them with others, made them available to the world on Amazon, and other retailers, but my children's holiday books were not intended to be anything more than a diversion.

This book is different. It is becoming something more than a diversion. The idea that anyone can DIY anything with the right tools, especially the right mindset tools, is a powerful game changer. I used to think that I was only good at a few things, crafting being one of those. Now, I know that there are fewer limitations on what I can do, and most of those limitations are all in my mind. I now feel the responsibility to share these ideas, because I think they will be helpful and applicable to other folks like myself.

With that in mind I am working harder to produce it in such a way that it can have the highest impact. I'm publishing it wide in several formats. I'm planning on doing some give aways, and I'm planning on doing some paid advertising. I've crossed the line. Now, I am working at a professional level. 

Working at this level is both exhausting and thrilling. Have you crossed the line yet? What was it like for you? Please share in the comments below. I can't wait to hear from you.