Last in my series on writing. Seems appropriate to end on this since I’ve not long ago attended a self publishing conference. I didn’t plan it this way either, it’s just rather handy. Go figure.

Anyway!

Self publishing, a growing trend among emerging and established authors to get their books out into the world. Emerging authors who have taken various stabs at the traditional route and been unable to crack the nut. Emerging authors who want to keep a hold of as much control as they can over the process of publishing. Established authors who have previously published and regained the rights to early works. There are all sorts of reasons to self publish and since it is becoming easier to do so every single day, there are more books being published in this manner every single day.

I went to four different seminars on Sunday. Each one covering a different aspect of self publishing, from choosing a provider, to designing a cover, to advertising, to working with an editor. I’ve learned so much from those seven hours that my brain is still spinning from all the info. Do you remember my plans to self publish an ebook of erotic fiction come September? That plan isn’t going to work; not the self publishing part, the September part. There is too much I need to do and be sure I’ve done properly before I can make myself hit that ‘publish’ button. You only get to début once.

However, that still is my plan. I AM going to self publish an ebook and it WILL be my erotic fiction. To start. It will be self edited (after critiques), then copy edited, then proofread. It will have a beautifully designed cover. It will be promoted suitably and I will take my time over it. I refused to rush and release something substandard because I can’t wait.

The most important thing I took away from this conference is that patience is key. I have to force myself towards it, but I know that now. I have to be absolutely sure that things are ready.

If you need an example, I’ve received two emails in the last week from places I had submitted SORB to. A novel I thought was ready. Two emails saying ‘thanks but no thanks.’ And these aren’t agents or people supposed to take the novel further; these are just people I wanted critiques from. Now it may be that my work is too niche, or that there wasn’t a suitable editor, or even that I was just unlucky as a result of the volume of submissions. However, I can’t help but feel that if the novel was as strong as I thought it was, then I would have done better.

Just listening to Helen from Cornerstones and applying what she said to the novel tells me that I still have work to do. Better I find out now before I start hammering agents again, but sobering, just the same.

So… to wrap up, self publishing will happen, but not yet. Not until I can say, for real this time, that I’m ready.