how to e-publish : step 3

I said I'd tell you about step 3.

Hubby took me out on an art date, which is really the most awesome kind. Here's what our art dates entail: two artists drinking a bumload of coffee, drawing and saying things like 'wouldn't it be great if we could make a living off of this or that amazing creative idea (or type of art project)?' and 'watch me draw this!' and 'did you see that sign with the heinous kerning? Yah, I'm SO sure.' Plus it's fun because we take silly pictures of the other one drinking coffee and we sometimes try not to snarf hot coffee out our noses from laughing.

Since the book I'm working on is a picture book, the story of a little character I've had in my head since our oldest was a little, a big aspect of my book is how it will look. The illustrations. Droolings, we sometimes call them. There I was, all proud of myself for having finished step 2 when ...

Hubby says, "Prototypes. 3 of them. Now." 

Obviously the picture of him is a re-creation. But it's pretty true to the actual event so I feel good about including it here.

And so I did. 3 prototypes. BAM! I almost passed out after the first two. I had no scissors with me, people! Sharpies? Left at home! But he was 'adamant', what with his ordering me my favorite dinner (without olives) at my favorite restaurant and getting me coffee refills and everything.

It's good for me to have something tangible. It makes the whole prospect seem a little more real. And actually helped me realize some of my ideas aren't as rounded out as they may need to be. Maybe it was all a little vague... that ethereal desire to 'make a book' is now getting more specific. I'm more of an idea person. It's the doing. That's hard.

Still pushing through, though. On to step 4. Yikes.

And still I can't find that little slip of paper.

how to e-publish : step 2

So, I'm really doing this thing! One friend kindly chastised me for setting the bar low when I wrote, "I said I was going to publish a book. I never said it would be any good."

I'm done with that talk.

This book is going to be totally awesome.

[Which means 'really cool', for those of you who were not in middle school in the 80's.]

This week I achieved step 2. And possibly step 3. But I'll tell you about that later.

Step 2a) Set a tentative deadline.

Step 2b) Make a list of all the things you know you have to do.

This list may include things like, 'find out all the things I have to do' and 'freak out because as you go along you realize you forgot about 10 things, like the existence of ISBN numbers' and 'freak out some more as you look for the first draft you wrote, on a tiny piece of paper, which you can't find.

after looking...

for a long time...'

As you can see, my list is extremely organized, concise and clear.

We've officially started! (And if you haven't, maybe you should consider it!)

how to e-publish : step 1

If you're here because you're hoping for advice and help on how to self-publish an e-book, or e-publish, you're in the wrong place. Because despite the title of this post, I have no idea how to do either of those things! No, it's true.

But I've got a plan.

A hope.





I'd like to learn how. I'm going to do it. For reals, as I like to say (even though the grammar is tragic). It's a goal for my year, this year of not living in fear. This year of doing things I've been nervous about, or afraid of.

for.

far.

too.

long.

My husband and I are going to work on this project together - which I'm really excited about, since it's been a long time since we've worked on a book together. As usual, I'll be illustrating (and in this case also writing) and he will do what he always does, which is, make everything look good. (Thanks, honeycakes!)

Even just posting this is a bit of a fear-buster. If I tell people, then the hope is 'out there' and then other people, besides just the one in my head, will know if I fail. But whatever. It's done now.

What's the book about, you ask? Well, it's a little story that's been swimming around in my head for a long time. And, since I think in pictures, that's mostly what it is at this point. But since those are still in my head, too, you'll just have to wait and see.

Step 1.
Post about how you're going to e-publish. So it's more real. And other people can ask you about it.

Check.