This is it folks, the final installment – the denouement. This is where I share with you the most important things I’ve learned from my grand publishing experiment.
(Fanfare)
- No matter how good you are at English Grammar, you’re going to miss some thing, more than one something. Besides, are you really that good?
- You have some interesting, original ideas but how about your language? Do you rely on cliches to carry your thought? Can you control your voice?
- Are you in a hurry to finish your novel and get published? How much time are you willing to spend on getting it right? How will you know when it’s done?
- What’s your budget like? Do you have a couple of thousands to invest in yourself? Do you have faith in your writing, your book?
- Can you identify your market? Who’s going to read, and more importantly, buy your book?
As you can see, what I’ve learned really amounts to nothing. All I’ve gained is an understanding of the questions I must ask myself every time I sit down to write something. I don’t have the answers.
One more thing.
Reviews don’t mean much unless they’re well placed. Even then, it’s the quality of your writing that going to drive sales. And I’m not referring to ‘good writing’. I’m talking about writing that pulls readers in by their ears, noses, fingertips and eyes and draws them deeper, deeper, and deeper still, into your created world.
Write like that and you’re sure to sell books, no matter what. People will talk about you and your book if they’re impressed by what they read.
That’s it then, tootles; I’m off to my next book.
Till then write and be, well.
Flying Solo: Confessions of a self-published author 