We recently connected with Natalie Murphy and have shared our conversation below.
Natalie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
It was the night before another one of my self-publishing workshops. I sat at my desk, staring at the email. Another aspiring author had just signed up, eager to learn from me. I should have been excited, but instead, doubt gnawed at me. Who am I to teach them? What if someone asks a question I can’t answer? Imposter! Imposter!
Despite being a multi-award-winning author, that little voice in my head still whispered, You’re just lucky. You don’t belong here.
But luck didn’t write nine romance novels, a romance guide book and createa self-publishing workshop. Luck didn’t lead five workshop graduates to self-publish their books… two of whom are now literary award winners. And luck sure didn’t build the platform I was creating for my business.
That night, I decided to silence the doubt once and for all. I glanced across the room at my vision board and recited every scripture and inspirational phrase I had pasted on it, including my favorite one by Joyce Meyer. “Do it scared.” Then I reminded myself of every milestone I had achieved. Every workshop, every review, every thank-you message from a writer I had helped. Then, I did something even more powerful—I prayed about my success.
The next day, I walked into my workshop with my head held high. I wasn’t an imposter. I was a self-publishing coach with award-winning books, and a desire to help future authors take their writing journey to the next level.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Natalie R. Murphy. The ‘R’ stands for Romance junkie. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! I am an award-winning author, self-publishing coach, and unapologetic romance junkie. With nine steamy romance novels under my belt, and now my latest release, Make Room for Romance: A Flirty Guide to Passion & Play, I am on a mission to bring love, passion, and happily-ever-afters to romance readers everywhere.
My writing journey began during the 2020 pandemic. God turned a turbulent time into a creative outlet. Since then, my work has earned widespread recognition, including four Distinguished Author’s Guild Awards for Romance, two BookFest Awards for Love Story & Romance, and the prestigious Black Author’s Award for Fiction.
Navigating the self-publishing world alone, after I completed my first manuscript, I turned my challenges into a calling. I created From Pen to Published: The Road to Self-Publishing, a workshop designed to empower aspiring authors with the tools and confidence to bring their stories to life. This transformative program has already produced five proud graduates who are now self-published authors, with two earning the Distinguished Author’s Guild Literary Award.
Outside of writing swoon-worthy love stories or mentoring future authors, I am a professional photographer with a passion for music, singing, and journaling. I’m a collector of dolphins and whales…mermaids are my spirit animal (lol), and potato chips are my weakness… don’t judge me.
2025 is starting with a BANG! I’ve participated in a Book fair and vendor event and have sold out of three of my books at each event! On March 15th, I’ll be hosting another one of my workshops. On May 3rd, I’ll be participating in the Blk Ink Bookfest in New Orleans. I am currently working on a workbook for my workshop. And I’ve been asked to be an ambassador for the Distinguished Authors Guild.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Overcoming imposter syndrome: Embrace your progress. Keep a success journal where you record milestones, no matter how small. It’s amazing to see your growth on paper. Post testimonies and positive feedback somewhere you can see them regularly.
2. Building patience: Fall in love with your process. You wouldn’t rush a plant to grow, so don’t rush your journey…learn to appreciate it. Setting realistic expectations is key. Remember, every master was once a beginner.
3. Be determined to see the journey through: Know your ‘Why’. Knowing your purpose will be your fuel when motivation fades. Write it down and revisit it often. Setbacks are going to happen. Look at them as a lesson, not a failure. And surround yourself with a community of people that will support and motivate you.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Both of my parents were integral parts of my success. I get my love of romance from my mom. Her favorite romance/tragedy is Westside Story. It’s from the female lead actress, Natalie Wood, that she gave me my name. My mom also recognized my writing ability when I was a teenager and encouraged me to pursue it. When I went to college I decided to combine my love for photography and writing, and major in Photojournalism, However, my family couldn’t afford the equipment I needed. So, my career path was derailed.
My dad was a part-time, professional photographer, and was always taking pictures at family events. I loved looking back at the pictures he took and remembering the times. I still do to this day. He was also an avid reader. I rarely saw him without a book. As soon as I could read, he started weekly trips to the library where I’d get my pick of books to read. I loved it! I don’t remember the name of it but one of the first books I borrowed told the story of a windmill. I can still see the blue cover with the red windmill in my mind.
I’m grateful that they both played major roles in my current success, way back then.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://natsbooks.net
- Instagram: nataliermurphy_author
- Facebook: Make Room for Romance
Image Credits
Carey Fine D’sign Borders
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