January 18, 2018
It has been a long time since I’ve posted on my blog but my time has been consumed with Indie publishing. I released Newfound Love in November and today is release day for Persistent Intruder.
Indie publishing is almost like having a baby. There are months and months of preparation before the delivery. Conception is probably the easiest part, tossing around ideas, finding pictures of hero and heroine, and putting together the storyline.
The first trimester involves writing, writing, writing – putting the words on paper. It can be easy when the story gels or there can be some morning sickness when the muse doesn’t flow, there’s too much research, or the characters just don’t want to cooperate. This can be as short as a couple days, or as miserable as weeks, even months. Eventually, your story takes shape.
The second trimester involves editing and rewriting. Editing the first draft leads to a second draft which can be more difficult as you fine-tune details, embellish the storyline, enhance scenes for an interesting and compelling story.
The final trimester is getting ready for the big event. You wonder what your book will look like. I visit a site that displays thousands of covers by hundreds of artists. This can be a dream come true or a nightmare. It took me weeks to find the cover for Persistent Intruder but when I found it, I was smitten. It tells the entire story with one look. If you read or are reading the book, I’d love your opinion.
The final trimester is also the time to get it ready for publication. I use two sites to prepare my book digitally and in paperback format. By now, I’ve had readers to proof the book and an editor to critique it. But before I upload the file, I need to read it again and incorporate their comments or corrections. Once the file has been uploaded, I need to choose my release date and provide the preliminary information – copyright, ISBN #, dedication, etc.
The labor pains start when you think you’re ready to publish it and see that you need to edit it one last time for spacing and final review. By now, I’ve read my book five times and am so ready to let it go, but I also want it to look professional. I quickly scan it one last time and when I check that “publish” box, there is a sense of exhilaration and closure. My “baby” is finally finished.
I hope everyone will enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy creating them.