Moving Forward
The last time we spoke, I told you I was feeling like an ass. Buridan’s ass to be more specific. This unfortunate creature was paralyzed by choice, unable to move forward because it was afraid of making the wrong decision.
The self-publishing world has grown by leaps and bounds since I first started writing. In the old days, you needed to handle everything yourself. Now, with companies like Book Baby, Smashwords, Girl Friday and Google Play, there are many ways authors can get their work out to the public. And you can pick and choose the services you need a la carte style.
That’s exactly what I’m looking for. My books have been written and are already professionally edited. I commissioned my own art and hired someone to design the cover. All I need is someone to do a final grammatical check, assemble the physical and e-book versions, and help me with distribution. But that doesn’t narrow down the choices. All of the companies mentioned above provide these kind of services.
In the end, it came down to the classic human touch. One of the companies arranged a Zoom call (I do much better with Zoom than a “normal” telephone call). Not only that, but the representative took time off from a family event to talk to me. He was enthused about my project and thoroughly engaged. The discussion went way over our allotted time as he suggested ways I could design my book, market it, and prepare for the next installment in the series. When we finally said goodbye, I found myself energized instead of exhausted by the prospect of self-publishing.
And the project goes to?
Bublish. A small company based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, it has a great record of customer satisfaction. It is more expensive than the other options, but I need a lot of handholding. Especially since this is my first time publishing.
I took a deep breath and signed the contract.
The work has already started.
More on that next week…
Curious about the donkey’s choice? Click below for a closer look.
