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This month, Yelitza Smith reflects on the role of resilience in realising her dreams and the BTR Creator Spotlight is on talented emerging author Dominic Yoboué.

by Yelitza Smith

When exactly, is the right time to throw in the towel? To get off the train and stop chasing my dream of becoming a children’s author? 

As a single mum who teaches English four days a week (although the preparation never really stops), my plate is pretty full! Teaching, marking, planning, cooking, playdates, ballet classes, swimming lessons, making dinner, bedtime stories… Breathing! Pausing! Me time? Writing? 

When is there time for writing? 
There are not enough hours in the day! 

I am always tired! No scratch that, I am often exhausted! And it’s not just physically tired. The mental gymnastics of my day-to-day leave me with brain fatigue on a regular basis. 

They say if you are juggling too much, put something down. But how do you put down the ​‘something’ that makes you happy? Walk away from a dream because it’s taking too long? Or leaving you with burn out? 

I have often wanted to give up! Wrestled with thoughts of doubt and despair. 
I have caved and crumbled; crumbled and caved! 

I have no desire to live with regret; ​‘what ifs’ or ​‘maybes’. But honestly, sometimes it feels like it would be easier to give up and stick to the day job. But I tried it once before and I felt unfulfilled and miserable! 

Plus, as cliché as it sounds, there is a real need for what I do, writing books with characters that reflect the diverse classrooms I have worked in for two decades! 

So how does one stay motivated when so few from my community have succeeded? It’s hard to keep powering forward when there seem to be so many obstacles and so much resistance. 

I have had to be my own cheerleader for a very long time; develop a positive mindset and see the big wins in the small things. Really dig deep and hang on to the belief I will finally get my ​‘big break’, but my goodness it’s hard to hang on to that sometimes. 

Thankfully, responses I receive from children are a huge inspiration: the light in their eyes, and the jiggles with glee as they see themselves in the pages of my books. As are the sales I have achieved independently and the parents asking, ​‘Where’s the next one?’

The end of 2024 and beginning of ​‘25 were wonderful! In the rare instances where I allow myself a moment of reflection, I can say: I am proud of my persistence and resilience. I see that I still have a distance to travel, but I am grateful, in 2026, to announce my transition from being self-published to receiving my first book commission. 

Now is not the time to throw in the towel; I don’t believe there ever will be a time! I shall be riding this train until the wheels fall off!

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