Wednesday, December 6, 2017

HIT ME- PLEASE

  This part of the monthy blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and only,  Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated.
December's Optional Question: As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently? 

The answer to this question is easy...
I’d hire a “hit” man...
Not to take someone out...
To keep someone in...
Me, specifically!
In my office...
In my chair...
And hit me every time my mind wondered...
Or checked emails or Facebook...
Or decided to clean...
Or let Netflix lure me to la la land...
Rather than focus on my manuscript.
Actually, I’m a lot farther along than last year...
But not far enough!
To figure out what's holding me from pushing forward...
I had to look backward...
When I started writing my first manuscript...
There was no such thing as self-publishing...
Oh, there were a few oddballs out there who did…
But nothing compared to like today’s influx...
In fact...
If any writer dared to self-pub...
Other writers would snicker...
"Must not be good if she can't snare an agent."
And me? I was ignorantly happy…
Believing that all I had to do was write...
And all the mundane things of getting published…
Would be left up to an agent, editor, and publisher.
When self-publishing became the newest craze…
I lifted up my haughty chin and sneered…
“Me? Self-pub? Never!”
Well, here I am...
More than a decade later...
(though I have written 3 other manuscripts)
With my haughty chin down...
And my humble pie up...
Ready to self-pub.
But lord the process is scary...
It's an emotional roller coaster...
Blindly flying around... 
All the downturns, upturns and curves...  
Ofthe newest marketing and social media skills.
What about you?
Are you self-pub'd?
What did your process feel like? 
Or did you find your way to traditional publishing? 


Always,
Em-Musing

P.S.
From my part of the world to yours - may your holidays be blessed and joyous! See you next year.

11 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

We have a big list of resources at the IWSG site to help you with self-publishing.
Instead of a hit man, I know someone who is ready to ditch Simon the Time Traveling Cat and he's even tougher. (Visit Ellen at The Cynical Sailor.)
Have a blessed Christmas!

Blogoratti said...

Must be a long and tedious road to be self published especially having to control the entire process. I guess it has its pros and cons. Greetings and best wishes.

Pat Garcia said...

I'm laughing at hiring a hit man to keep you in your office. I think I would need one to get me out of my office.
Wishing you a successful crossover into 2018.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

L. Diane Wolfe said...

If the hit man can also do research, he's hired.

You need help with the self-pub stuff, let me know.

Nick Wilford said...

A hit man to keep you in your chair! That's a great idea.

Cathy said...

Hi, great to meet you!

I'm new to IWSG and I really, really related to your post. Been there. Done that. Ready to self-publish? Thinking seriously about it, but it is a ton of work and it's expensive.

So for now, I plan to take one last swipe at traditional publishing with a digital-first company. If that doesn't pan out, yes, I will self-publish.

Pat Garcia said...

Happy New Year!
Don't hire a hit man. It is important to have a change of pace. If you hire a hit man you wouldn't be able to write again. That would indeed be sad.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G

cleemckenzie said...

I'd never considered hiring a hit man, but you might be on to something. But maybe I'll just super glue my favorite pants to the desk chair.

Sandi said...

"I’d hire a “hit” man...
Not to take someone out...
To keep someone in...
Me, specifically!"


This could be a career move. You know, lots of people need this and you understand! :)

It is overhelming. I have only ever been published here on the Internet, but lots of people have read my words...and yours too. It's something. It won't buy you a beach house, but hey...it's still something.

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