The Self-Publication Road...first steps.

I am going to self-publish a book.

There. I said it.

After years and years of writing, editing, hand-wringing, submitting, editing, hand-wringing, waiting and editing some more, I have decided to self-publish a manuscript. Note I say 'A' manuscript, because I have decided that self-publication is the route to go for this manuscript, and this manuscript alone. Well, so far, anyways. If you've been following along with my drivel, you'll know that I have three complete, edited manuscripts in various piles around my messy house, and at least two in various stages of completion (35k, 9k). The manuscript I've decided to publish on my own is a fun YA historical fiction story with a hint of magic set in late 18th C New Brunswick. It's a quick romantic read, written as my 2010 NaNoWriMo project. Yah, I've submitted it to a few agents, even gotten some great, personal and encouraging rejection letters, but my heart isn't in it. It's just not a mass-market book. Don't get me wrong, it's a great story! But it doesn't fit the mould, nor does it run with today's popular YA dystopian, paranormal or other genres. It's different...and I like it that way.

For these reasons (and a few others) I've tossed around the idea of self-pubbing this manuscript for almost a year. I've REALLY tossed it around. My poor husband is sick of hearing about it. I've stared at my computer screen for HOURS, wondering and thinking and stressing. I've read and searched, and stalked my favourite indie authors' sites and I've come to the conclusion that it makes sense. I still am working toward traditional publishing with my other manuscripts (for reasons individual to the stories), but for this one, self-publication is the way to go.

And now that I've admitted it publicly...I'm going to do it.

I am slowly, with the help of my family and friends, coming to terms with the fact that I am, indeed, a writer. My husband has been a ROCK of support. He lets me wail and moan and gnash my teeth, and then tells me what I need to hear...it's my decision. I love him dearly. One particular friend of mine has also been struggling with am-I-a-writer-or-not-itis (and she's been PAID for her services) and we've been leaning on each other for support. She may or may not have even written a blog about it (check it out here). Every writer needs reams of back-patting and kick-in-the-butt-ing, and she's done both. Thanks V.

So...over the next few weeks/months/years, I'll be taking my first steps to self-publication. Cover art, formatting, final copy-editing...these are just a few things I'll be banging my head repeatedly over. My impatience to get moving will no doubt be an issue, but so be it. I've read some pretty AWFUL self published stuff, and I've read some FABULOUS self published stuff (check out Tammara Webber on Amazon. I LOVE her 'Between the Lines' series.). I aspire to be like the latter, and I know that good indie publishing takes lots and lots of time and hard work. I'll do my best.

Self-publication here we come.

Brenda

Conferences, Vacations and a SNEAK PEEK!

Visiting the Grand Canyon

May has been an awesome month. In fact, it's been 'Spoil Brenda Month'. Started out with a three day trip/one day writing conference with my BFF (where I won a door prize and a Kindle!), continued with Mother's Day, and then a 5 night vacation to Las Vegas with my hubby was just the icing on the cake. Not only that, but my latest YA not-so-urban fantasy manuscript "SKIN" is polished, and ready to go, and now in the hands of a couple of fabulous agents for review. Yay!  Let the obsessive email checking begin...

I've also gotten back to writing an adult contemporary manuscript I'm working on...thanks to the inspirational workshops at the Ontario Writers Conference, and the ongoing writerly banter I've had with several writer friends. I'm about 21,000 words in. Hoping to at least have the first draft completed by the end of July, in anticipation of WriteOnCon a wonderful online conference that happens in August. If you've not heard of it, check out the conference details out here. This will be my third year at WriteOnCon...can't wait! Last year I even got a couple unexpected of partial/full requests by agents, just by posting in the forums.

Vegas and the Grand Canyon were AMAZING. Cannot believe we actually went there. So worth it to have a little anniversary getaway by ourselves! Hubby and I had an awesome time. Pic above is me trying not to look nervous by the 2000 foot cliff.

I'm really excited about my new manuscript (SKIN)!  Selkies and secrets on the red sands of PEI...sound interesting?  I thought I'd leave you with a little taste. :) Enjoy!

The roads are red. I know everyone said that they would be red, but I just didn’t think they would look like this. Pinkish, orange-ish red, like sunsets. They’re weird in a pretty kind of way.

I’m sitting in the back seat of the van, mushed between five million suitcases and my very annoying little brother somewhere on Prince Edward Island. I seriously want this trip to be over, but unlike the hundreds of thousands of tourists who’ve crossed that awful bridge this summer, I don’t want to be on this island at all.

We’re moving here. It’s August and we are crammed into this crappy van and we’ve been driving for three freakin’ days to get here. It’s hot. Our air conditioning is dying a slow and painful death, and I can’t wait to get out on those long stretches of red beach just to get away from the van from hell.

Overdunne Writing...a manuscript is born.

I love to write. I always did, but didn't really realize it until a few years ago. Like most people, I wrote through elementary and junior high school, but only when I was told to. Mostly I read. And read. And read.

In high school I started to write articles for the school paper, and then for the local newspaper. I penned deep, teenage hormonally-charged poetry and hid it in my closet. I started university with a full scholarship and the conviction that I was going to be a journalist someday. And, yah baby, I was going to change the world.

But then the practical side of me kicked in. I am not a city girl. The glamourous, exciting, adventure-filled life of a prime time news correspondent didn't sit well with my inner chi. So what did I do? I became a military physiotherapist and moved to Ottawa. Not a whole lotta logic there, but it's what I did.

And before I bore you with any more of my life history, we'll skip over about 15 years. One husband, one military release, 3 kids, 7 moves and a tumultuous physiotherapy career later, and I'm sitting in a village in the UK, trying to figure out how to connect with family and friends back home.

I began to blog.

And I liked it.

Now, if you've stuck with me to this point, you'll know that I have absolutely no fancy computer skills in the blogging department. But for an entire year I filled page after digital page of words, photos, and links. Dunnesinuk was a diary, and a connection to home. My then 92 year old grandmother kept a copy of my posts in a binder at her bedside. I tried to draw a picture of our crazy life, from my youngest's scary night in a Swindon hospital and her first insulin needles, to the Paris Metro, to tea with the Queen. And the more I wrote, the more I wanted to write.

Enter my eldest daughter. This girl eats books. At 9 she had read all seven of the Harry Potter books...five times. Our local British library tried valiantly to keep her in prose, but it wasn't easy. So (cocky me) I decided to write her one. Sure! I could do that! A cinch, really! A little Middle Grade fantasy...a bit of danger, some faeries and elves... why not? In amongst all of the diabetic insanity, military and social engagements, travel, and general family madness, I sat down to write my kids a book.

Well, needless to say, I didn't finish it as soon as I'd hoped. Nope. Another trans-Atlantic move and more of the same slowed me down. But I kept plugging away, feeling a little thrill every time I got my characters through another chapter.

14 long months after I wrote my first words I had a 90,000 word, 330 page first draft in hand. I gave it to my daughter. "Here, Sweetie, try this!"

SHE READ IT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.

"Momma, when are you going to write another one?"

Are you KIDDING ME?? It took me 14 friggin' months to write that and you scarf it back in less than a day? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Don't get me wrong, I was elated that she had liked it, read it that fast, and wanted more. But, Holy Cow!

So that was a year ago. I've edited out 20,000 words, and I've gotten my first polite, but firm rejections from publishers. My Twitter education (thank you, Twitter friends!) has taught me that I need a bit more polishing yet, but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm starting the search for an agent. I still love to write. I still love my manuscript. And some day, maybe someday, you'll see my book on the shelf.

Till then, I'll be here, sitting at the computer, with my kids reading over my shoulder...and a smile on my face.