For J.M. Shaw, becoming a published author wasn’t a lifelong plan, even though writing had always been part of her life. As she shared on the Project Seed Money Podcast, J.M. has been writing for more than 35 years, mostly in private. While she dreamed briefly of being published as a teenager, she never truly believed it would happen.

That belief shifted in 2019, when she was diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Looking back, she began to recognize writing as a constant thread throughout her life, something she had always returned to. The diagnosis gave her language for that connection and, more importantly, permission to take her writing seriously.

Until then, she had never shared her work publicly. Shyness, self-doubt, and the belief that her writing wasn’t good enough kept her manuscripts tucked away. After her diagnosis, she decided to try something different. She sent one of her manuscripts to an editor, reminding herself that the worst possible outcome was simple rejection.

Even that step required support…her husband physically pressed “send” on the email for her. But the response changed everything. Instead of rejection, the editor told her the work didn’t “suck” and encouraged her to publish. Two years later, J.M. released her first book.

As she navigated the publishing world, she explored traditional routes. She queried agents and received offers from small and medium presses, but ultimately turned them down. Those offers required her to give up rights to her work and allow editorial changes she wasn’t comfortable with. For J.M., her stories felt deeply personal and surrendering control didn’t sit right.

She chose the indie publishing route, valuing ownership and creative authority. While the process came with a steep learning curve, it allowed her to protect her work and make decisions aligned with her values.

Publishing didn’t eliminate self-doubt. Jennifer spoke openly about vulnerabilities that surfaced once her books were in the world, from typos to negative reviews. Learning to develop thick skin became part of the journey. For her, writing from the heart mattered more than universal approval.

Today, she has published four books in a magical fantasy adventure series and is working on both a fifth installment and a dystopian side project she describes as “Robin Hood meets Romeo and Juliet with hints of The Hunger Games.”

Marketing, however, was intimidating. Rather than embracing the word itself, J.M. reframed it entirely. Instead of “marketing,” she chose to think of it as “showing the world I exist.” That shift helped her approach visibility without fear.

J.M. credits editors as some of her greatest teachers. Through working with professionals — many found through writing communities like the Alexander Writing Society — she learned how small changes could dramatically strengthen her writing. She also emphasized the importance of professional boundaries, choosing not to work with family despite their good intentions.

Her advice to writers still on the fence is simple but honest: courage doesn’t mean fear disappears. It means acting anyway. Writing success, she reminds us, is a marathon, not a race, and showing up consistently matters more than instant results.