Step 1-ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM LAUNCHING THE FIRST BOOK

             We are only a day or so away from publishing our first book. Information about self-publishing has been slightly confusing when it came to choosing which platform to launch with, and of course, Amazon was the first choice. However, KDP-Kindle Direct Publishing was not the direction we wanted to go, only because we did not want to give ninety days of exclusivity.

              I spent several hours searching the web and reading several articles about the pros and cons of KDP versus a platform like Smashwords, whose platform shares the book with several other outlets, B&N, Apple, Kobo, and others. In this world, nothing is perfect, and I am finding that it is especially true in self-publishing.

              Once we made a decision, of course self-doubt comes into the mix. There are hundreds if not thousands of articles, which tell you that the decision you just made regarding self-publishing, is both right, or wrong, you choose! Personally, I am a control freak, so the best answer I came up with, for Nikkole and myself, was to make a decision, go out into the world, and learn from our mistakes. Take baby steps, because mistakes are inevitable, in anything that any of us do.

              However, the good news for us was that after contacting Amazon we found that we could publish with them, and not give exclusivity. I have been uploading the book's information, which was not as difficult as I expected, and should be out in the marketplace by June 13, 2016. Over the weekend, we will continue to research our other options, and publish with other platforms, within another week.

              With all that said, the real work is marketing the book ourselves. Standing on a corner, in the world of Internet, and hocking our wares, means self-publishing and self-marketing. We are unknowns who are launching on a day, no special day, when hundreds of other new books, with new authors, are feeling the same way that we are. They are excited, and rightfully so, but the reality is we join several thousand other hopefuls who begin the climb, all at the same time. Not to mention, hundreds of thousands of authors who have already been writing for years.

              We are about to embark on the road of self-publishing, and unfortunately a number of us will perish, along the way. I equate this to the Klondike Gold Rush, with thousands of us, slowly hiking up Chilkoot Pass. Each of us, hoping that when we reach the other side, we will claim a small bit of land, and begin to successfully mine for gold.  

               Like Nikkole and myself, all of us have completed the first part of the process, and have written a book. The platforms are no more than vehicles, making these books available to the public. If ours sells, congratulations to us, a small nugget or flake of gold. However, if on the other hand, no gold is discovered, again congratulations to us. We will make corrections, buy some new shovels, and dig deeper.  

           We have completed two other books, which we hope to have out in the market before year's end, but as is the case with most writers, the experience of writing and publishing our first book, and teh anticipation of finding that first bit of gold, is very exciting.

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