Progress Update (24 May 2021)

Time to Renew My Goals and Create Some Clear Next Steps

It’s almost June; that means we’re almost halfway through the year. And that means I have 6 months to write the publisher-ready manuscript for my book. To date, I have made some tremendous progress: I’ve started this blog and have an ever-growing readership. I’ve chosen a topic: The Creative Process. I’ve written a rough outline. I’m now able to develop my ideas around this subject with more clarity. I’m now a little stuck, with no clear next step in front of me. I keep coming here each morning to pick away at ideas (as is now habit) but this is really just a distraction from the more focused effort necessary to making this thing happen. I think the next step will be checking in with my coach (I have a coach who helps me through creative challenges) and setting some new or at least renewed goals to aim for in the next few months.

To Self-Publish or Not?

One of the next decisions I feel I need to make is whether to publish vs. self publish. There are clearly pros and cons of both. It feels easier in the long run to find a publisher, who has all the industry knowledge and puts up all the marketing effort. I’m bad enough at marketing and selling things like art prints. If I were to self-produce a few thousand books, the onus would be all on me to make them move. If my own track record has taught me anything, it’s that I am terrible at moving physical product. These books would likely sit around and collect dust. In the best possible scenario for a self-published book, I would have the opposite problem: demand would be high, and I would be spending too much time fulfilling orders or coordinating help in doing so.

The positive side of self-publishing, of course, is that I get to keep more of the profits, assuming I can generate as many sales as an established publisher. The question is: how far along in this book do I need to be in order to make this call, one way or the other?

There’s only one way to find out. Keep writing, and while I’m doing that, I need to be doing more research into my publishing options. I feel like self-publishing can be a bit of a jungle all on its own. There are many self-publishing platforms, classes, systems, methodologies, and so on, and these days, it seems that anybody who fancies themselves an expert in anything wants to have a book. Some of the self-publishing industry (which seems ironic, doesn’t it?) seems scammy to me too.

Call me old fashioned, but I believe having the backing of a publisher sets me up as far more credible. And having the help of a publisher sets me up for so many of the details I would rather not have to think about, including design, layout, marketing, lead generation, sales and distribution.

Looks like I’m selling myself on finding a publisher, talking myself out of self-publishing.

Are There any Skillshare-style Platforms for Book Publishing?

I wonder if there’s such thing as a half-way approach that combines the autonomy of self-publishing with the reach of traditional publishing. Something like Skillshare but for writers. As a teacher on Skillshare, I produce my own classes, from writing to recording to launching. Skillshare takes care of reach, though. With a base of millions of students, my classes have the potential to reach a much wider audience than if I were to self-host my classes. They also take care of the cost of hosting. Other than the effort and expense of producing my own class videos, it’s free to offer classes on the platform. Meanwhile, Skillshare has a strong, reputable brand that I am proud to be a part of.

Are there any self-publishing platforms like this, which provide assistance with things like printing, sales and marketing, distribution (to online and traditional book shops), and a certain level of credibility that comes with its brand?

Looks like I have a bit of research to do. These can be my next steps:

1. Check in with my goals: set new ones and renew old ones. What are my next steps in terms of actually writing? Write them down and start working toward them.
2. Research self-publishing options: are there any platforms that mirror the kind of service and reach I enjoy with Skillshare? Use research findings to make a clear decision: to pursue either self-publishing or traditional publishing.

Outro: In Praise of Daily Writing

So that’s where I’m at today. I’m still enjoying writing here every day. Having a daily writing practice has been a huge game changer for me this year. Not only does it keep me thinking about my book ideas, it has given me a way to think about all my industry-related ideas. It’s also given my days a clear shape, and in an unexpected way, it’s made me far more productive. Since starting this discipline, I’ve started to make to-do lists each day, that I almost always complete. Writing is always the first item; I know that I will write, so I put it there and make sure I do it.

I’m enjoying watching my follower count here grow slowly, but steadily, each day. This, plus all the comments I get from readers, is also very motivating. Having an imaginary audience is necessary for any writer to begin. Having a real audience is what keeps me going.

Of course, I must always remember that I’m writing because I have something I believe in, a message for my audience. I’m not writing for the approval of my audience. Audience approval is a gauge, not an engine.

So today, I’m writing this someone boring update, mostly to keep the habit of writing going, to push through (even though I really didn’t want to write today). I realize it’s not going to help my audience as much as it’s just for the sake of my own discipline. But that’s just how the creative process goes sometimes.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you, and let me know what you think about self-publishing vs. publishing. Do you have any experience in either? I’d love to hear your insights.