Tag: publishing

“Should I Write a Book?” Well, the Answer Is Up to You!

“Should I write a book?”

That’s an excellent question. I’ve heard it before–mostly when people find out that I am writing books. The “Should I write a book?” query usually signals to me that a person has already taken their first steps down book avenue. In other words, if someone has formulated that question, then they already have the desire and have set their feet (or mind) on the path. The question is: do they have the determination and patience to see it through?

I love this era we’re in–the era of self-publishing. According to Bowker, there were over 458,000 self-published books in 2013. That number is growing, I’m sure. I know so many people who have a book inside, waiting to leap out, and now it’s possible for them to bring it all to life. No permission. No gatekeepers. Just a person and his or her story. Of course, this also brings to light this problem: if everybody can do it, then how do we know who’s doing it well?

My answer to that is usually that it’s a matter of taste. The person who published a book on his or her own probably likes what they’ve written. Their mom also probably likes it. But it’s no guaratee others will. The point is, you have decide what your motivation is for self-publishing. If you are doing it simply to get your ideas out in the world or to hold your book in your hands, then you’ll likely be immune to criticism from readers or the market. Just do what you do! However, If you want to make good money, get your book into a lot of hands (as well as onto tablets and into stores), and get your ideas out there, you probably have to take things like cover design, layout, and story edits to the next level.

In the end, it comes down to you and nobody else. “Should I write a book?” isn’t a question we ask a literary agent or publisher. It’s a question we ask ourselves. As you sit down in front of a blank page to write, remember that in this era of self-publishing, we can be our own answer.

If you have already asked and answered, “Should I write a book?” in the affirmative, here are some useful resources. I am not saying you should or shouldn’t follow the advice given in the blog posts that follow here. I’m just putting them out there for your review. Let us know what you think!

Self-Publishing – A 10-Point Must-Do Checklist for Authors – Part 1

Self-Editing Your Book: The Ultimate 21-Part Checklist

How To Start Your Own Publishing Company – 10 Essential Steps

 

Josephine Boyce Gives Us Sage Tips for Writing Productivity

[In this series, Creative Blog Profiles, joshpcreative.com takes a peek at what other creative bloggers are producing and profile them here. They don’t necessarily know it’s happening (although we do the pingback/trackback where we can), so we’re prepared to remove an entry if they get mad. Hopefully they won’t. We just want to find creative stuff to tell you about.]

So this morning, the Josh P. Creative fingers were rolling around the ol’ WordPress tags, and we happened across writer Josephine Boyce’s blog. Boyce’s “About” page tells us that her blog concerns “shiny things” (including clothes, food, and writing). She says she’s been trying to get published for years, and so I immediately felt a kinship with the blog! There’s a big community of us out there. We should all get together and have a potluck or something. I’ll bring egg salad. I have a good egg salad recipe.

Anyway, the post that caught my eye was a 12/14 piece on 12 Steps to Improve your Writing Productivity. There are a few of these floating around on the interwebs, but I like them. I especially like when authors put their own spin on them and make them personal, as Boyce does, instead of just parroting a bland list from some author interview they read somewhere.

Hers is certainly personal and entertaining.

A few of my faves from her list? Number 1–“Just write the first draft.” Yes. I’ve given that advice many times, and am also currently trying to adhere to it as I work on yet another manuscript. Sometimes, writing can be painful. We want to chuck it all out. But remembering that we don’t have to be publishable on the first pass is a good reminder. That piece of advice can go a long way when we get stuck on one particular paragraph to the point where we want to quit altogether!

Another good one? Number 12–“Shut up your inner doubts.” As Boyce reminds us, comparison can be the downfall of creativity. Don’t search the web for overnight success stories about authors who happened to be sitting next to publishing house editors on a plane who immediately demanded a copy of the person’s work in progress. Forget that noise. Focus on your own work and push ahead, because it is worth something. It is unique. It is YOU!

At the end, Boyce gives us a peek into some “Orwell” tips she received from a mentor years ago, including the importance of “short”words, cutting words, and avoiding jargon.

Sage advice.

Listen folks–the writing wilderness is full of scary animals and darkness. Often, we end up shivering in the cold. But if we can light a small fire and get some warmth back into our bones, the night isn’t so scary, and a path to creative freedom may just emerge where we least expect it.

Take a look at Josephine Boyce’s tips and see if you can get a little courage back.