While I've self-published two books with a co-author, I have
a persistent fantasy that it would be easier if I simply sent a manuscript off
in the mail with a note to the publisher: "Gone to the south of France. I’ll
be in touch." Alas, no such note
has been necessary as the work was all done by my co-author and me.
I also had two friends review the books. After the review of
the second book, which resulted in very helpful comments, it took us another
several months to make changes and improve its readability. The length of time
was, in fact, protracted--exacerbated by a lengthy trip to, well, the south of
France. But not even counting the hiatus,
it was a lot of work—not the original writing, but the editing.
It's been a satisfying process, but not without its
struggles. And the result? We have two books that, it turns out, need to
be marketed. Just when I thought we were
finished and ready to turn our attention to book number three, I find myself
scanning the ether for quick marketing fixes.
The notion of writing a book, publishing a book, and then writing
another book is a myth. If I want to
write, I have to be satisfied with the circular nature of the total experience.
Clearly I'm not in it for the fame.
Do you have similar stories to share?
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