Writing Non-Fiction Blog Series - 4

So you might have noticed that I haven't posted in a few weeks - perhaps two or so. Reason? Not much writing going on in the last few weeks. I even had a few days of PTO - but no writing. Am I worried? No - not at all. Life is just that way for those of us who have challenging positions, family, and just life itself. That's the great advantage of self-publishing: you write on your own timetable, not the publishers. Sure, you should set writing goals - like weekly word counts, things like that. I do but it doesn't mean I get there every week. My weekly minimum when working on a book project is 500 words. Doesn't seem like much and the truth is - it isn't.

Most all of my early books when I began writing were handled through a publishing house. A publisher has many advantages for you the writer. They have professional editors, proofreaders, graphic designers - all engineered to make the book, you and the publisher look and read their best. You sign the contract, collect usually 1/2 of your advance and have to write to a specific schedule set by the publisher - with real goals that have to be met no matter what. Publishers calendar the books they plan on publishing - they project sales revenues and have those books slotted to generate income for them. So the pressure to write and get a solid manuscript to them on the date they want it is real. Many months later - after the book is actually published - you get the balance of your advance. Done.

Today, most all my books are self-published. The advantages are that I have full freedom to set my goals, timetables, etc. at the pace that I want. That said, I still have to be somewhat disciplined with my writing time and effort. I never want to be one of those people - no judgement here but not my cup of tea - that spend ten years working on a manuscript that never sees the light of day - until maybe they pass away and one of their kids stumble on it.

Still, the advantages of self-publishing provide me with much more income than what I get in an advance with a publisher. Amazon truly changed the self publishing market when it became an entity years ago based on online book sales. I have greater creative control of my work but I also have to invest in my book. For example, I have to hire an editor and graphic designer. That's money out of my pocket well before I see a dime of sales. You could self-publish a book on the cheap and do the editing yourself and have your cousin Frank who fancies himself as a "creative" design you book cover. But then, we'll know you did it on the cheap because it's absolutely impossible to write and edit your own work well. Editors are hired to make your writing readable and make sense the reader. In other words, editors are a great investment if you want to look better than you really write. Truth be told.

So what? I have a few weeks of little writing productivity. I wrote more in this blog for sure than I did for the book. Next up, time for the book. I'll get there. So will you.