Blog Post

New Book Woes...

  • By James DeHaven
  • 18 Sep, 2020

Releasing a new book as a self-publisher

New Book Woes –

Hello writer friends. It has been awhile since I posted a blog. I thought I would let you know what has been happening in my author world today.

As you know, from my previous blogs, and if you follow my website here, and my Facebook page at JMDProductions tm, I am in the end zone for completing my newest book – “A Love Lost in Time.”

I was really hoping to have it completed in time to honor my parents by releasing it on their anniversary in August. That didn’t happen. I was able to accomplish a pre-release however, and, I thought it was ok, until I received a proof copy. It’s almost impossible to catch every mistake…a period, comma, misspell, etc. However, we found a double paragraph. Yikes! I could not put it in Global Distribution like that. So…It’s been another edit – I’ve lost count of how many. I must have read this book through 50 times. No, I am not exaggerating that number.  So far, I have had 4 people edit this book besides myself. I can’t believe this double paragraph was missed. I think it was my error in sending the wrong electronic file to the printer.  Lesson learned, do not be in a rush to get your book out.

In any case, I am in the middle of yet another edit. Again, I was hoping to have it available in September, in honor of my parent’s birthday month. That will not happen either.

My parents were my most ardent fans, especially my mother. I think they won’t mind the delay, but it’s still in their honor anyway. Their religious upbringing has influenced much of my writing, and this book is no exception. I am sure they would have really liked it. And maybe they are experiencing some form of what I wrote about up there in heaven where they most deservedly are enjoying a well-earned peace in paradise.

Self-Publishing is not easy. It is very expensive to have a book professionally edited, a cover designed, and have a lay out professionally done. I’d say about a thousand for each of those services. And then you add marketing costs on top of that. So, doing it all yourself, is more cost effective, but very time consuming.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from self-publishing. Just know from the beginning, that you do all the work, unless you have hit the lottery, inherited a lot of money, or were lucky enough to have your manuscript accepted by a publisher who is doing all the heavy lifting for you.

In any case, I wish you much success in your writing. Keep doing something every day. Don’t give up. When I presented a workshop at our Library about Writing & Self-Publishing, that is what I heard the most. People procrastinated or stopped writing and then it lingered for years. The old axiom still holds true for most successful authors I have spoken with. That is…write a little each day. Good Luck!


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