Out of my comfort zone

Although my novel isn't being released until next month, I'm on a mission to have my social media marketing plan in place now.  I have no idea what I'm doing.  Yes, the publisher is helping out promotion-wise--the perk of not being self-published--yet I feel I need to do more than sit around and wait.  

I'm not good at waiting.  

Yesterday I took part in a free PR day hosted by someone who knows what they're doing. Experienced authors took part who all seemed savvy to what was happening.  Then there was me...the newbie. I quickly realized I was probably about a month too early for everything happening, but I kept going anyway.  To say I was out of my comfort zone is an understatement, yet an accurate description of how I felt.  

Ask me about plot twists, character development, or pace and I'll have an answer.  In fact, I'll probably have a long-winded and passionate response to those questions.  I've got the writing down.  I get it.  Writing a novel or a non-fiction book is natural for me.  It's my thing, my niche, my groove.   

This stuff...this self-promotion lingo...feels weird.  I know stepping out of my comfort zone and putting myself out there in the world is all about growing as a person, yet it's scary.  I feel like a bird who's been kicked out of the nest...my wings haven't been tested so now I'm skipping in a zig-zag like pattern through the air praying I don't crash into the ground.  

I'm learning, making connections, figuring it out as I go.  Realistically, yes, I'm probably a month ahead of the game.  Oh well.  Now I know.  The beauty of being out of my comfort zone is that I cannot fail.  I can only zig-zag, dip, dart, adapt and aim for the sky.