GEORGE NEWS - Nicole Lubout, a local mum who accidentally discovered that she has a talent for writing, recently launched her debut children's book, There’s a crocodile in my sandpit.
The British born Nicole is married to, Marc, a "farmer-turned-IT-guy" from Bloemfontein. The couple and their two daughters, Liesel (3) and Elodie (1), now live in George.
Nicole says she has a background in tech marketing and never really considered writing.
The seed for trying her hand at it was sown one day when she wrote a short rhyme while watching Liesel, two and a half years at the time, at play in a sandpit with a Lego crocodile.
Without thinking much about it, she casually rhymed out the first line of what would eventually become There’s a crocodile in my sandpit: 'There's a crocodile in my sandpit, I found him there this morning, I've never met a croc before and would've liked a warning'.
"I shared this with my mother-in-law, expecting just a polite chuckle, but instead, she was captivated. It wasn't long before she flooded me with 'how to write a book' YouTube videos, and that's when the idea began to take root," says Nicole.
It was only later when she took time off from work to have her second daughter that she started working on a book. "After many drafts, I worked with a professional editor and the incredibly talented award-winning illustrator, Alison Mutton. We finally completed the book in August 2024."
The process was both a creative and entrepreneurial journey as she did it all herself: From writing and editing, to working with an illustrator and learning the ropes of marketing and distribution as an independent author.
She hit an obstacle when it came to distribution because, although she had used Amazon's printing service, she could not sell the book in South Africa as they did not yet serve the region.
It took more learning and research, and eventually, she managed to get the book listed on Takealot.
"I also secured a deal with a local distributor, although we're still in the early stages of that partnership. This journey has been filled with unexpected twists, but it's been incredibly rewarding, and I've learned so much along the way."
Little Liesel and Nicole reading from her debut book.
The most important tip she has for aspiring authors is to spend as much time planning how your are going to launch and sell your book as you do writing it.
"There's a lot of competition out there, and creating a book is both a big time and financial commitment. If you're serious about selling it, you need to have a plan."
She advises to also get input from friends and family to help with refining your work.
"As the creator, it's hard to be objective - you might love things that don't quite hit the mark, or feel like nothing is ever good enough. So find some trusted people to give you honest feedback."
She says working with professionals was extremely helpful, but if you cannot afford it, there are lots of free resources and courses online.
"I've even connected with some amazing self-publishers on TikTok who have shared some great advice."
"A little lesson learned - when I dedicated my book, it was to my first daughter since she was born before it was finalised. But by the time the book went to print, my second daughter had arrived! So now I'm in a bit of a pickle and definitely need to write a second book to keep the peace."
The book is available on Takealot and should be in local bookshops soon. Nicole is available to visit local libraries, preschools and schools to do story-time reading and meet the children. Groups who would like to make an arrangement, may contact her on 073 145 2058.
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