There’s a thrill – and a terror – to releasing your first book. Watching the sales climb, seeing the reviews come in, and knowing that SOMEONE ELSE is reading your book? That’s a feeling I can’t describe. It’s exhilarating. It’s horrifying. It’s mesmerizing.
It’s also a whole lot of work.
From deciding where to advertise, learning the industry, and working day and night to keep up with new ways to make sure people can find your book, it’s like a real job. This is the life of an independent author. No one tells us what to do. No one makes the decisions, and no one has all the answers. It’s us against the world.
And I’m addicted to it.
I have one serious back list… kinda. As I’ve said before, I have about 35 books in some state of “done”. Some are rough drafts. Some are ready to print. Others need some major plot work before even my trusted beta group will see it. They’re close, though.
What they don’t have are the finishing touches. Editing. Reviews. Advanced copies to people who will actually write a review! And the biggest deal breaker: no cover. Without a quality cover, a book simply will not sell.
So, my little publishing company (Spotted Horse Productions) has a bit of a backlog. We’re currently working on 3 books, from 3 series. I’m trying to figure out how long it takes to write a book, from start to finish, to predict the lead time for the rest. I figure, if I release all of these books, it gives me quite a span of time before I need to worry about what I am CURRENTLY writing, but between all of that? Yeah, I need to finish the ones that are “purt near” done.
I still want to watch the numbers. I want to get the feedback. I am addicted to letting people read my fantasies, and hearing both the good and the bad. I’m still trying to master this indie publishing thing, but I’m getting there, and I’m going full steam ahead.
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