I don’t know about you all, but right now I’m in full NaNo Dread mode. It occurred to me earlier today that my fiancé and I will be moving into our new apartment mid-November, that I have a three or four day trip home planned for Thanksgiving weekend, and I’ll be entering the last stage of my new job training the last two weeks of the month. That’s a heck of a lot going on by itself even before you add the frenzy that is NaNo. Frankly, I was freaking out, until a thought occurred to me.
My fiancé thinks it’s high time I published something. So I’m publishing my NaNo novel this year. I’ve set a three month deadline that starts the minute Nov 30th is over. That’s three months to edit, polish and publish. I don’t know a single thing about the publishing industry—what the heck am I doing? I mean, I’ve read about it plenty, but my practical knowledge is zip. I’m not an artist; I can’t design my own cover. I don’t know much about rights or contracts or royalties.
I’m in way over my head, but all I have to tell myself is, I’m publishing this book, and I have to get through it. And this time next year, I shall be just another starving artist, but with a book out there…somewhere!
That’s great! Sometimes we all reach a point when we just have to take the plunge. Good luck!
Thank you!
Good luck. If you can churn it out and polish it well enough that quickly, it will take a lot of self-discipline. I hope you’re able to.
Thank you, I hope so too.
You can purchase an image from bigstock.com or 123rf.com for your book cover. A high quality image is about $5 on 123rf. You can then use Photoshop or something to add your title and such. I’d be happy to help you. I have Corel Photo-Paint and it would be easy for you to email me the image you want to use and for me to manipulate it for a book cover. Tweaking your word document so that it correctly transfers into the ebook format can be a bit more difficult. A style guide for ebooks can be found on Smashwords. CreateSpace for a paperback book is much easier. It has relatively clear step-by-step instructions.
Thank you for the offer of help, Dawn.
I might have to take you up on it, when it comes to the point that I’m ready to begin thinking about a cover. I had also thought about finding some gifted young artists from the local community college as well.
I think getting published sounds like running a gauntlet of indeterminable length with obstacles that jump out of nowhere that make no sense but I’m right there with you. This time, I’m on a deadline for my second draft but polishing it–well I’m hoping to get that done by next fall.
My friend is all over the publication process, she’s a businesswoman at heart, so I am going to let her tell me what to do about that! LOL! She may have some stuff on her blog: http://www.sabrinaafish.blogspot.com.
Melanie, I agree contemplating publication, I feel like I’m at one end of a long run with lots of pitfalls between me and the finish line. But you have to start somewhere, right? I will check out your friend’s blog, and good luck with editing and polishing your own NaNo novel!
Thanks! I wish you the best as well. My friend is like the angel on my shoulder encouraging my writing and networking!
It’s scary but I have no doubt that u can do it! And I wish u the best of luck.
Thanks Hallie!
Hey sissy! wow… u should have told me sooner that you were planning on getting that published!!! u keep so much from me! my nano novel couldnt’ be coming along more slowly but I’m still in high hopes that ill at least get a plot before the month is over.
Hey Koda!! I enjoyed Skypeing with you, we will have to do it again soon! Love you.