Category: self-publish

Creativity, ebook, self-publish, Writing

Why Should An Author Self-Publish?

                                  
That is a question that can have many answers, and I’m willing to bet that if you took a poll with authors, you would get varied opinions, ideas, and reasons why. And to me, that is the beauty of the question – each author, with their own creative minds and with their own creative ideas will have their own reasons why.  But before we get to that, the first question we have to ask ourselves is why do we write the first place? If yes me that question my answer will always be, because I Iove to write. Our love for writing propels us to use our creativeness, refine it, and release it to the world. We spend hours, days, months, and sometimes even years getting that story out of our head and ready for readers to enjoy. To do that, you have to get published – either electronically or in print. This leads back to the title of this post.

The answer lies within the prospects of you getting published by a one of the ‘Big 6’ publishing houses. (It may be the Big 5 by now, based on mergers and buy-outs.) If you are one of the few to get that big deal, then most of the things that involve the process of self-publishing will not concern you. The publisher will take care of all the behind-the-scene details. If you are not one of those few then the answer is . . . YES! But this post isn’t about traditional vs self-publishing.

Now that we got all of that out of the way, let’s focus on what most of us will face – then ins-and-outs of self-publishing. 

ALL DONE

Now that we are done with our novel, novella, or short-story, we need to refine it, edit it, and make it ready for the masses. The process of editing and having a second, third, and even a fourth draft is something for another post, but the editing process must be addressed seriously before moving on to the next step. Now once we have that done and we have our cover art done, we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are other things that are involved in the self-publishing process, and again, that is something for another article.

I want to go back to something I wrote earlier – We write because we love to do it. For me, that is the biggest truth in all of this. Believe me, I will take all the profits that my work produces, icing on the cake, if you will. But the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction of setting a goal and completing it is the number one reason. Writing something that is yours gives you total control, and that control is one of the great advantages of going indie.

CONTROL

The times have changed and the best part of self-publishing is having control of everything about your work from start to finish. Most of the authors I know, and have corresponded with, prefer having a grasp on their projects and their future. While having control comes with its own financial costs, in the end, a self-published author will always receive more of a profit because of substantially lower commission rates. And yes, while we do write because we love to do it, once we put our product out into the public and it is up for sale, then their has to be some business-minded thinking involved. 

Having complete control that comes with self-publishing, is the biggest difference with being traditionally-published. You get to decide which way you want your story to go. You get to decide what cover art works best for you. Only the author of the story they tell, or book they write, can know what concept they want their book cover to reveal. In my own case, I have done cover art prior to writing and I have done them after the story was finished. Both have their advantages and both can guide you in your writing based on what your cover reveals. Another part of that control Is for you to decide on doing your cover art yourself or hiring a cover designer to get it just the way you want it. Sometimes it’s good to get someone else’s perspective and ideas. But again, you have the control!

Since there are so many distributors to make your book available, deciding on where, when, and setting the pricing points is entirely up to you. Publishing ebooks does not cost a thing, if you take the time and learn how to do it yourself. If not, with all the resources available, you can get your work formatted at a relatively low cost. 

If you decide to sale your book in print, once the file is in the proper format, usually PDF, you can have your book up for sale at no cost. This is possible because of POD, or print-on-demand. Basically, your book is a file sitting on a company’s server and when someone places an order to buy your book, it prints it, cover and all, and sends it out to the reader. The companies involved in this, (Createspace, Lulu, Lightning Source) take their cost for printing, paper, etc, then you get the residual. The best part of publishing your books these two ways is CONTROL. You choose the sale price, thus determining your profit percentage. Being able to have your book in paperback and it not cost a thing is almost too hard to believe, but it is very real and being done daily. 

ACCOMPLISHMENT

Doing it yourself, from start to finish, gives you an overwhelming sense of accomplishment – more so than being traditionally-published, in my opinion. I say that because it is a long road from the time you type or write your first word of your masterpiece to the fine-polished and finished product. At that point, only YOU truly know how much hard work you have put into it. The blood, sweat, and tears are only experienced by you. And no matter the sales or the reviews, good or bad, you will have done something many people have said they would do . . . finish writing a book! The sense of accomplishment in that can never be taken away from you. You gave birth to your idea and saw it to the end. 

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY 

Remember when you were a kid and you did something that would get you in trouble? Back then most of us would not take responsibility for our bad actions, and it was only until our parents ‘persuaded’ us into telling the truth. But taking responsibility for something as exciting as writing a book is easy because it should fill you with a sense of pride . But the difference here is that the words you have ‘penned’ are solely yours – your ideas, thoughts, and hard work. You were responsible for the finished product, and if you did it the self-published route, then it’s all your baby to claim and be proud of. 

THE JOURNEY

Speaking for myself and my travels down this self-publishing road, I am very happy with what I have accomplished. Make no mistake, writing is hard work, and if you add in the rest of what goes along with self-publishing, the work is even harder, but in the end, knowing you did it right and did it yourself will propel you to your next big project. The self-confidence that self-publishing brings is priceless. We can’t forget we have to do all of the little things to put out a good product and make it just as professional as a ‘Big 6’ production. 

So get out there and gather as much information as possible and use that to make your dream come true . . . and Self-Publish!

A. Lopez, Jr.

(artwork by Richard Krzemien)
 

Creativity, Promoting, self-publish, Writing

Does Social Media Play A Role In Publishing?

Recently, I wrote an article in my ASK AJ column in the All Authors Magazine. You can find out more about the magazine here: All Authors Magazine

Kevin from South Carolina asks:

‘Not too long ago, I decided to submit my manuscript to a publisher.  The potential publisher sent me an email asking how comfortable I was with social media.  I’m familiar with Facebook but I don’t have a Twitter account nor do I particularly want one.  After I answered, I got a response from the potential publisher, citing they are heavily dependent on Twitter for their marketing arsenal.  Should I be willing to compromise in the hopes that I get in or should I withdraw my manuscript for further consideration and try another avenue?’

A great question, especially for anyone new to social media.



Congratulations

First of all, as I often say, congratulations on finishing your work! That is something that cannot be stated enough. It is, and always will be, an accomplishment. Everything after that is where we learn and muddle through the pitfalls and mine fields of promoting and publishing. And let’s face it, there is plenty to be learned, and unfortunately, trial and error are part of that process. 

Submitting your work to a publisher, no matter how big or small, is a big step. You are putting your work out for others to read, critique, and say, yes or no. Being prepared for their words and response is hard to do. And when it’s your first work, it’s new territory and everything, good or bad, seems to fly at us from all directions. But the bottom line is you are ready to get it published, and you have received a positive response from the publisher. 

Benefits of Social Media

In the question for this issue, Kevin was asked by the publisher if he was comfortable with social media. Social media is mainstream on the personal side of life. Each person is different, and what may work for one or many, may not work for others. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest are just a few of the many ways to get the word out, so-to-speak. 

In the business world, social media is important as a marketing tool, and just about every publishing house has a Twitter account. They’ve done the research and made marketing plans based on the product they are selling…books. As the author, I feel it is a good idea to get familiar with twitter, the social media in question. Having an account and using as a business platform for your writing can help generate not only interest in your books, but more importantly, you!

The dilemma here is, should the author compromise and give into something he is unfamiliar and a bit uncomfortable with? – or something he might not want at all. Of course that decision, ultimately, will come down to what the author is willing to do. Jumping into something you aren’t familiar with – when all you hoped for was for a publisher to accept your work and publish it so you can get back to writing your next manuscript – can be a shock, or at the least, a strange turn of events. 

Choices

At the point the author is now, he is faced with making a decision – compromise and work with the publisher on their marketing schemes or withdraw and present the manuscript to other publishers in hopes that there are not any expectations of doing social media marketing in the agreement/contract. There is a third option, to indie-publish your book, but that’s a topic for another day and one I have blogged about in the past. 

From what I gather in the original question, the publisher is asking about the author using social media to market the potential work – potential, being the key word. I get the feeling that the publisher is indeed interested in the manuscript, and they are trying to gauge what the author is willing to do to promote the work. I almost get the sense that they are looking to see if the trio (the publisher, author, and manuscript) will make for a good working relationship. 

Patience

Being that this may be the very early stages of building a partnership between the author and publisher, and well before any negotiations take place, I would say to go along with any suggestions for now, as there is always time to pull away before you sign any agreement. 

I will also assume that you have an interest in the publisher or you may not have sent your manuscript there in the first place. At this stage, I would be patient and see where it leads, rather than withdrawing your work and possibly missing out on a potential opportunity. And in the meantime, you can always pitch your ‘script to other publishers or small presses. 

In this business of writing, it seems that just when you think you are done and ready to move forward, there is always a new, unexpected twist that keeps us from getting to  our next big novel. These twists are part of traditional and indie-publishing, with one of the differences being the freedom of choice you get going the indie route. Both roads have their own pros and cons, but on the traditional side, you have to play by their rules for the most part.

Moving Forward

In closing, instead of making the ‘social media’ subject a deal breaker, it could be worth trying to work out a compromise, or find some middle ground, to make both sides happy. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and keep the lines of communication open. Remember, if they are interested in publishing your manuscript, then you may have a position to negotiate key points in the agreement. But we also have to remember, that a publisher has a business model set for running their business. As we enter their world, as authors, we may have to find our comfort zone within and make it an great experience for our premier novel.

So I say, give it a go, while keeping all of your options open. Once you get comfortable with Twitter, I think you will find it an asset to your writing and marketing plan. Good Luck!

~ALJ~

(image courtesy of museumsandheritage.com)

anthology, book release, Books, self-publish, Writing

Concordant Vibrancy Anthology Book Release!

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Welcome one and all! Thanks for joining us today in the celebration of the Release of Concordant Vibrancy: Unity, An All Authors Anthology.

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Blurb:

All Authors Publishing House, a subsidiary of All Authors Publications & Promotions, is pleased to present its first short story anthology, Concordant Vibrancy .

Concordant Vibrancy represents the interweaving of unity and uniqueness through the eyes of eleven incredible writers. Through the array of genres, all of these talents share a phenomenal love of writing which aims to leave imprints in the reader’s imagination.

Short stories in this collection:
“Butterfly Mask” by Nicola McDonagh
“Messarii’s Blood Hunt” by D. John Watson
“Seven Days” by Harmony Kent
“Touch Me” by Andrea Houtsch
“… and we” by Adonis Mann
“Til Death Do Us Part” by A. Lopez Jr.
“Coalesce” by Da’Kharta Rising
“Her A to Z” by C. Desert Rose
“Lester’s Release” by Synful Desire
“The Authentic Snap” by Queen of Spades
“Alma’s Unsung Angel” by Y. Correa.

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What makes Concordant Vibrancy Different than most Short Story anthologies?

It was best described by Y. Correa, the Founder of All Authors Publications and Promotions …

Excerpt of Concordant Vibrancy:

Once upon a time I sat under a large and old tree—the tree was surrounded by many others like it, all of them contented with one another.
I marveled at the wave of wind that passed by, which like an invisible tide drew past the trees making the leaves on them swish like the perfect choreographed symphony—first one, then swiftly and smoothly the rest followed in suit. It was an inspiring thing to behold.
I thought …
There is no better demonstration of unity than that of Mother Earth. She teaches us that all things are connected—the heavens to the earth, the earth to the ocean, the ocean to the heavens—round and round it goes, dancing without squabble in absolute unison. It truly is a beautiful thing to see.
In addition I pondered …
As the matter of fact, the bigger picture is that the entire universe is connected. Whilst our planet is the size of a marble in comparison to the enormity of our universe, that by no means makes us any less valuable. She, Mother Earth, depends on the universe and vice versa. Could you imagine the impact on our solar system if just one planet became misaligned with the rest, just the smallest bit askew? We would all feel the repercussions of that micro-movement. The surface of earth would spin out of control, ravaging humanity with a cataclysm of natural devastation.
And so, I thought further, and said to myself, “Does humanity not realize the impact they have between one another? Do they not see that one action of strife can cause a wave of destruction?”
While it is true that I do not know you, I know this; you and I are linked simply because we are inhabitants of this planet.
Why do I say these things? Because unity was the foundation of the establishment of All Authors Publications and Promotions.
A year and a half ago a thought occurred to me, it was “Why are authors competing with one another? Why can’t they just work together?” Now I’m certain that I was not the first person to think that way, and certainly not the first to act on it, but I did see that while some authors were trying to work together they were doing it in a way that rivaled one another. It was around that time that the idea of the All Authors Blog Blitz crossed my mind.
I’d done some research on Blog Blitzes, their use and aim, and I thought, we can all do that together. We can create a tidal wave of recognition if we just work together.
What I did not expect was all that would follow after the All Authors Blog Blitz. In less than a year’s time, All Authors Publications and Promotions was born. A place created by an author, for authors, trying to establish unity in this market.
In time the All Authors Magazine was born, then All Authors Graphic Design, then the All Authors Certificate of Excellence, and many more projects.
Some people ask me why I chose the name All Authors. Well, that’s pretty self-explanatory, it’s because we advocate all authors, and try to reach all readers.

So, like leaves on a tree, we are all connected.

Mother Earth, the best example of unity mankind has.

Today, marks the historic event of the RELEASE of Concordant Vibrancy: Unity, An All Authors Anthology. In commemoration of this wonderful day we’ve decided to give 3 lucky people a chance to win a Paperback Copy.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Concordant Vibrancy by Adonis Mann

Concordant Vibrancy

by Adonis Mann

Giveaway ends January 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Also Available NOW at Amazon.com

Books, DRM, self-publish, Writing

What Is DRM And Should You Use It?

What is DRM?

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DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. That is tech-speak, but in layman’s terms, it means your electronic content is protected from it being shared or ‘pirated’ over the internet without your consent or knowledge. Having DRM on your content restricts access to copying, editing, and printing.

This can give digital content creators (musicians, authors, publishers) a bit of security and keep a tighter rein and more control on their works. As with anything else, there are varied opinions about how it works, the real security of it, and whether it’s a good thing or bad thing.

But, let’s step back and take a quick look at some of its history.

History

The idea of having digital content protected at the source has been around since the old ‘floppy disks’ (I hope I didn’t date myself there). From the floppy disks, the process extended to music CDs. This is where most of the controversy was thrust into the public spotlight, and where the music sharing company, Napster, was brought under heavy scrutiny. Many musical artists protested and sued Napster over the music being shared to listeners for free through mp3 files. This was a matter of the bottom line, money, and well totally justified, but more importantly, it was about the overall violation and disregard of copyright and ownership of the content.

The music industry was the first to take the hit from peer-to-peer file sharing, and from their experience and mistakes, the movie industry learned a lot and began to lace their DVDs with the code to prevent movies from being copied and shared endlessly. An owner of a DVD can legally make a copy for his or her own use, but this ability is limited by the digital management code in the disk. Music CDs were soon equipped with a similar protection to help cut the piracy and in an attempt to preserve copyright and keep the musicians from losing money.

The new player on the market is now the booming business of ebooks, and with that, it brings about the same issues that the above mentioned industries faced. Authors and publishers, the creators of ebooks, are now in the position of protecting their craft and hard work – leading back to the biggest protector, DRM.

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Should you use DRM?

Here, I will be speaking about eBooks. First, in uploading your content to a retailer (Amazon, Apple, Kobo, BnN) you may or may not be given the option to apply DRM to your content. Once you are at that point in uploading your book you have to make a decision about protecting it.

To me, it’s a matter of personal preference and what your expectations may be. Piracy runs rampant on the inter-webs, and realistically there is no good way to stop it. ‘If it can be taken for free, it will be.’ That’s the unfortunate truth.

With that said, let’s say you are releasing a free ebook. In that case, DRM might be a mute point. I say that because in a strange way, if you are putting something up for free, your content will more than likely be downloaded many times online, creating pub and exposure for you, your writing style, and your book. If putting it up for free, with the notion that word will spread about your product, then DRM-free might be the way to go. The only problem with that is, as piracy goes, there are some websites taking free works and then selling them on their site with no pay out to the author. Here is a very interesting post about this issue written by Y. Correa.

Another thing to consider is that is some circles, there have been reports of consumers having trouble using DRM content. I don’t know how true this is or what the percentages are, but if you are on the fence, you may want to look into these potential problems before you decide.

Not having DRM on a bestseller might not have a significant effect on sales if it is already at that level, and in the case of J.K. Rowling, she moved into the ebook market being DRM free. Piracy was always something Rowling has had to deal with, especially early on. Her thought in going DRM free was that she might build an audience of pirate readers and convert them into paying customers. But, very few have J.K. Rowling’s clout to pull that off.

For my ebooks, I do not use DRM when going through the retailers, unless they require it on their end. If there is a chance that a consumer might have a technical issue that may reflect negatively on my product, then I try to avoid it if possible. I want my reader’s experience to be the best it can be.

This all can seem very confusing, so I tried to give a little background on this ongoing topic of discussion in the internet community. There is no right or wrong way, and honestly, if a consumer really wants to buy your content, I don’t think DRM will sway them one way or the other.

The good news is that if you are asking this particular question, then it must mean you have completed your hard work and are ready to send it out to the masses. To that I say…Congrats!!

Book Trailer, Books, Creativity, Interviews, Promoting, self-publish, Writing

All Authors Blog Blitz

Today I am taking part in the All Authors Blog Blitz put on by Y. Correa and the All Authors Magazine. (a very well put-togther magazine…you should have a look)

I am featuring Debbie Boswell on my blog today. She is the author of House of Mirrors

Meet Debbie…

Debbie Boswell has a B.S. in accounting and an Enrolled Agent license (E.A.).  She is also the owner/manager of Crafts by Grace, a cottage industry in which she makes candles, soap and designs T-shirts.  Debbie co-wrote and co-produced her first screenplay, OPEN/CLOSE, through the Brooklyn Young Filmmakers Center.  House of Mirrors is her second novel.  Debbie resides in Brooklyn, NY where she was born and raised.

Here is a little bit about her journey in coming up with her novel, followed by the book trailer…

The first step is always the hardest. 

I was at Grand Central, watching the lunchtime crowd and worrying about a schedule I had to prepare that afternoon.  I’d never done that particular one before and in the anal attentive world of public accounting, perfection wasn’t an option.  I got my head chewed off by a tax manager once for not having the staples aligned evenly on a tax return.  To this day, I can’t staple my income tax return without developing a nervous tic.

As I observed workers hurrying back and forth with their Styrofoam cups or grabbing that quick bite before dashing back to the office, it hit me:  I hate my job.  Co-workers sighing loudly and scratching themselves before the day begins, permanent scowls branded on their faces, the schmoozing, the backstabbing.  This lifestyle wasn’t for me.  I needed to make a change.

I always wanted to work for myself.  I assumed it would’ve been accounting-related, but deep down, my soul was crying out for me to write.  I was writing stories ever since I was a little girl.  I used to get this spark every time our class went to the library or whenever I had to write a story, had art class or rehearsed for the school play.  While commuting to work or during lunch, I was reading books and magazines on how to write a manuscript.  I fantasized about seeing my novels in bookstores, even better, having them made into film!  Oddly, that spark returned during these activities.  I knew then what I wanted and if I wanted to feel that zest for my job again or for life, I was going to have to be true to myself.  I wasn’t an executive.  I was a writer.

However, the pressure to conform overrode my desires.  Fear of going against social mores kept me trapped.  So, I remained where I was, losing pieces of myself overtime, enduring nervousness and emotional abuse in the cutthroat environment of corporate America where I also faced the possibility of fading into oblivion.

Yet something inside of me kept saying, You don’t have to accept this lifestyle.

But fear is powerful.  It prevented me from taking the necessary step to make a change…until I got a little push, more like a shove—from a totally unexpected and unrelated incident.  I was figuratively, pushed into a pool without any water.  Devastated, hurt and angry, I took stock of my life and finally found the courage I needed to start living for me.

Gradually, I walked away from the corporate life.  Was it scary?  A little.  Adjustment always is.  Even starting this website is intimidating.  Plus, there’s risk of criticism and rejection.  Then again, I was experiencing that in academia, then in the work world.  Why not go through it while doing what I love:  writing?

Traces of my misadventures in accounting are in my debut novel, Miriam’s Journey.  The turning point I reached after that shove provided some material for my current novel, House of Mirrors, which ironically, which would’ve been my first novel, but after writing the first hundred or so pages, I decided that I wasn’t ready to write this particular story yet, so I put it aside.

The pain that led me to take that first step into writing produced two novels, my own business, Crafts by Grace and a screenplay but that’s another story….

You can also find out more about Debbie here: CraftsByGrace
Creativity, self-publish, Writing

Why Should An Author Self-Publish?

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That is a question that can have many answers, and I’m willing to bet that if you took a poll with authors, you would get varied opinions, ideas, and reasons why. And to me, that is the beauty of the question – each author, with their own creative minds and with their own creative ideas will have their own reasons why.

But before we get to that, the first question we have to ask ourselves is why do we write in the first place? If you ask me that question my answer will always be, because I Iove to write. Our love for writing propels us to use our creativeness, refine it, and release it to the world. We spend hours, days, months, and sometimes even years getting that story out of our head and ready for readers to enjoy. To do that, you have to get published – either electronically or in print. This leads back to the title of this post.

The answer lies within the prospects of you getting published by a one of the ‘Big 6’ publishing houses. (It may be the Big 5 by now, based on mergers and buy-outs.) If you are one of the few to get that big deal, then most of the things that involve the process of self-publishing will not concern you. The publisher will take care of all the behind-the-scene details. If you are not one of those few then the answer is . . . YES! But this post isn’t about traditional vs self-publishing.

Now that we got all of that out of the way, let’s focus on what most of us will face – then ins-and-outs of self-publishing.

ALL DONE
Now that we are done with our novel, novella, or short-story, we need to refine it, edit it, and make it ready for the masses. The process of editing and having a second, third, and even a fourth draft is something for another post, but the editing process must be addressed seriously before moving on to the next step. Now once we have that done and we have our cover art done, we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are other things that are involved in the self-publishing process, and again, that is something for another article.

I want to go back to something I wrote earlier – We write because we love to do it. For me, that is the biggest truth in all of this. Believe me, I will take all the profits that my work produces, icing on the cake, if you will. But the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction of setting a goal and completing it is the number one reason. Writing something that is yours gives you total control, and that control is one of the great advantages of going indie.

CONTROL
The times have changed and the best part of self-publishing is having control of everything about your work from start to finish. Most of the authors I know, and have corresponded with, prefer having a grasp on their projects and their future. While having control comes with its own financial costs, in the end, a self-published author will always receive more of a profit because of substantially lower commission rates. And yes, while we do write because we love to do it, once we put our product out into the public and it is up for sale, then there has to be some business-minded thinking involved.

Having complete control that comes with self-publishing, is the biggest difference in being traditionally-published. You get to decide which way you want your story to go. You get to decide what cover art works best for you. Only the author of the story they tell, or book they write, can know what concept they want their book cover to reveal. In my own case, I have done cover art prior to writing and I have done them after the story was finished. Both have their advantages and both can guide you in your writing based on what your cover reveals. Another part of that control Is for you to decide on doing your cover art yourself or hiring a cover designer to get it just the way you want it. Sometimes it’s good to get someone else’s perspective and ideas. But again, you have the control!

Since there are so many distributors to make your book available, deciding on where, when, and setting the pricing points, is entirely up to you. Publishing ebooks does not cost a thing, if you take the time and learn how to do it yourself. If not, with all the resources available, you can get your work formatted at a relatively low cost.

If you decide to sale your book in print, once the file is in the proper format, usually PDF, you can have your book up for sale at no cost. This is possible because of POD, or print-on-demand. Basically, your book is a file sitting on a company’s server and when someone places an order to buy your book, it prints it, cover and all, and it is sent out to the reader. The companies involved in this, (Createspace, Lulu, Lightning Source) take their cost for printing, paper, etc, then you get the residual. The best part of publishing your books these two ways is CONTROL. You choose the sale price, thus determining your profit percentage. Being able to have your book in paperback and it not cost a thing is almost too hard to believe, but it is very real and being done daily.

ACCOMPLISHMENT
Doing it yourself, from start to finish, gives you an overwhelming sense of accomplishment – more so than being traditionally-published, in my opinion. I say that because it is a long road from the time you type or write your first word of your masterpiece to the fine-polished and finished product. At that point, only YOU truly know how much hard work you have put into it. The blood, sweat, and tears are only experienced by you. And no matter the sales or the reviews, good or bad, you will have done something many people have said they would do . . . finish writing a book! The sense of accomplishment in that can never be taken away from you. You gave birth to your idea and saw it to the end.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
Remember when you were a kid and you did something that would get you in trouble? Back then most of us would not take responsibility for our bad actions, and it was only until our parents ‘persuaded’ us into telling the truth. But taking responsibility for something as exciting as writing a book is easy because it should fill you with a sense of pride . The difference here is that the words you have ‘penned’ are solely yours – your ideas, thoughts, and hard work. You are responsible for the finished product, and if you did it the self-published route, then it’s all your baby to claim and be proud of.

THE JOURNEY
Speaking for myself and my travels down this self-publishing road, I am very happy with what I have accomplished. Make no mistake, writing is hard work, and if you add in the rest of what goes along with self-publishing, the work is even harder, but in the end, knowing you did it right and did it yourself will propel you to your next big project. The self-confidence that self-publishing brings is priceless. We can’t forget we have to do all of the little things to put out a good product and make it just as professional as a ‘Big 6’ production.

So get out there and gather as much information as possible and use that to make your dream come true . . . and Self-Publish!

ALJ