For more than twenty years, I've known that I would write books one day. There just has not been the opportunity until the past five years. Journalism was my major in college and I've always had a great love for the written word! So here I am with my first book, written, edited, designed, typeset, and sent to the printers. My long awaited dream of being a published (that is a debatable term, I realize) author has come. Not one to usually flounder or cringe from a challenge, I do find myself feeling a little daunted by the process AFTER the writing.
Tax Identification number, business license, DBA (Doing Business As) name, marketing of the book, promotion of the book, getting reviews for the book, keep up the blogging, and all the extras that come inside the package of being an author. Grant it, if I had a publisher from a major company much of this would be done for me. As good as that may seem, there is also a downside to that way. From what I understand, if a big publishing company likes your book, they will come along side you, buy the rights to your book, and pretty much "own" you on their own schedule. I say all of this with the hopes that someone might come along and correct me or at least, enlighten me, if I am painting the wrong picture.
While self-publishing is harder in the long run (more wear and tear on the author), traditional publishing seems to take the ball completely out of the author's court and place it into someone else's. I'm not sure that I could work like that.
So, I keep swimming in this big fish tank - learning the lay of the "land". Just today, on the eve of my shipment of books leaving the printers, I was called for my first interview from our local city newspaper. Thrilled, but yet of course, nervous, I enjoyed talking to Marty. The whole time I was talking - I wondered if I was talking too much. OR maybe on the flip side, I made it easier on her because I volunteered the information easily.
This is all so unfamiliar to me. But I know this one thing. Years ago God planted the seed to write this story - and others. It is time. And just as He never left me alone when He required something BIG of me in the past, He will not now. I choose to stay focused and centered on the reality that all of this is because of and for HIM, who created me, formed me, molded me, defined me, refined me, and called me! Faithful is HE who will complete it - whether the fish tank is big or small!
