I Tried Everything

I’ve walked every path I could find.

Sent the emails. Created the accounts. Paid for exposure. Stayed up late researching, rewriting, rebranding. I’ve done the rounds—book bloggers, reader platforms, literary agents, even film reps. I pitched. I hoped. I waited.

Some answered with a polite no. Most didn’t answer at all.

I posted, recorded, edited, promoted. I tried TikTok, Instagram, newsletters. I paid for honest reviews. I gave my books away for free, just for the chance of being read. I updated my website, my SEO, my CTAs. I did everything they say you’re supposed to do. And when none of it took off, I circled back and tried again.

There were moments it felt like shouting into the void.

And still—I write.

Because even if no one’s looking, the stories keep coming. The characters wake me up at night. The endings twist when I least expect them. The words demand a page, even when the world stays quiet. I’ve realized something along the way: this isn’t just a career I’m chasing.

It’s who I am.

I write because I have to.Because it’s how I breathe.

And if you're here, reading this, maybe you understand what that means. Maybe you're walking the same long road. If so—keep going. Not because the world is watching. But because you're also doing this for yourself.

—Thaise