I’m a List Maker.
Perhaps because of my fruitless craving to create order from chaos, I spend Saturday mornings sifting through the mess of my week to figure out what needs doing and what I should just toss in the bin. Plus, I’ll admit to a touch of OCD. Not ashamed. Subscribe whole-heartedly to The Law of Straightness.
This morning’s list is publishing my manuscript as an e-book. I found a great resource in Joel Friedlander’s site, thebookdoctor.com. He says that sure, you CAN do everything yourself to publish your book, just don’t be surprised if it comes out looking something like your sixth grade book report. Polish and professional is hard. He suggests tapping four areas of expertise:
- Editing
- Cover Designing
- Book Layout
- Marketing
Writing has been a love of mine since I was 10 so I have an OK handle on editing, but I may splurge on someone going through my work once. Or twice. The next two, cover design and layout, I’ve little clue. I know what I like and oftentimes I can tell you why I like it, but generating it from nothing is not a happy place for me. Pride won’t allow me to outsource marketing since firms big and small have been paying me to do that for a while.
I’m afraid to look at a calendar. I said I have to get this published by the Monday after Thanksgiving and I will. But I suspect that time will be tight.
2 comments On Publishing: Part 2
Steve, have you read “Bone Games” by Rob Schultheis? Likely, you have but, in the unlikely event you missed it……go get it. Also, Doug Ammons has written a few short stories having a new take on Human Performance/Achievement. I have enjoyed what you have written.
Barry, I haven’t read Bone Games, but just ordered it. Same for Doug Ammons. I’ve been alternating between research in the spiritual aspect of performance and the scientific, spending a lot of time in the neurobio arena. Thanks very much for the suggestion.