Trust

The manuscript is still with the editor. I have, for the most part, not been watching the clock, so I'm feeling very mature and proud of myself. She wrote only to tell me that she's working her way through ("laughing along and nodding understanding"), but has other work in the pipeline, so I am sitting tight. It's an interesting reprieve. I have had plenty to distract myself with: a visit from my niece, a planned performance of my solo show this weekend, and lots and lots of research and panic over what to do next.

I mean, revisions, certainly. But the sheer volume of information out there about how best to self-publish is overwhelming in the extreme. I heard recently someone say that "all publishing is self-publishing," and I like that thought, but I'm finding that there's also no such thing as self-publishing. At least, not if you want a truly professional looking product. I'm going to need to engage vendors for things like the cover and interior design, I'll need help with formatting and uploading to the various sites, and I'm...well, I'm not a very trusting person, I suppose. But in my defense, no one likes to hand their baby over to strangers. I'm in the midst of gathering recommendations, listening to podcasts, and scouring blogs and listings for referrals. It's a lot.

So much of the book is about my resistance to the prescribed path, not to mention my inability to ask for help and my anxieties around exposing myself....so this is sort of an amusing coda. Self-publishing is easy! Just face all your deepest fears. :)