So, I wrote a book…

I wrote a book.

This isn’t a shock to anyone, as I’ve been talking about it for a few years and badgering everyone I know (and many I don’t know) to read it. But what’s actually important is that I published a book. It’s out now. It’s done. You can buy it. Go buy it.

My First Novel - Published on Dec 1, 2023

I’m rather proud of how it turned out. And the best part is, much like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way.

I did it all.

I hired beta readers to read my early manuscript. On top of feedback from friends and family, I was able to improve parts of the story that didn’t make sense.

I hired an editor, who did a fantastic job and worked with me to polish the revised manuscript into something consistent. Consistency is key, she likes to say, and I’m glad she could bring some of that into my tense. It’s very difficult to remember whether I’m in past tense or present, sometimes.

I hired designers - MiblArt - to create cover art for me. They were incredible to work with and I would highly recommend them to all indie authors. Very affordable, very fast, and very responsive.

I bought a software called Atticus for formatting. I would also highly recommend this for indie authors. It’s easy to use, has great features like chapter headers and customizable templates, and works really really well. It was easy to make my book look professional, and it exports to both print and ebook formats. Can’t speak enough about Atticus.

And finally, I used BookSirens to get Advance Reader Copy readers. ARC readers are a great tool to generate some hype for your novel. Basically, people sign up and get a free electronic copy of your book with the expectation that they will read it within a given timeline and then leave you reviews on places like Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. etc. This helps with sales, as everyone is more willing to buy something that others have left reviews for.

The self-publishing route was actually a lot of fun and much easier to do than the traditional publishing route. I have a lot of opinions about trad publishing now, having become familiar with the industry in my own journey, but I will keep those to myself.

I think self-publishing is the future, particularly after seeing what’s available from distributors. It’s really great, and having done all this for The Awakening, I know I’ll have an easy time getting my next book to market. Even doing the marketing isn’t horrible - though I would caution indie authors who are looking at purchasing a Kirkus Review. I did, and while there was enough in the review for me to put a line on my book, I think they need to re-evaluate what constitutes a “professional reviewer.” A synopsis of the book is not a review, but thank you for liking the story and giving a verdict of “Get It.”

So that’s it. My first novel is finished. It’s out in the world.

I am content.