Tiffany M. Davis

I was checking my spam folder when I came across an email from a POD publisher I’d once considered. I re-read the pitch, the benefits, the ratings, etc. Then I thought about the various things they offered versus the price, and all of that versus what I needed to do (Ingram distribution? Production file ownership? Amazon and Nook? What about Kobo, Sony, Etc? Smashwords?) And how am I going to start my PR stuff for maximum exposure? Will my graphic designer get what I need done in time?

AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

This mental mash-up reminded me of a similar state of mind last night, when I agonized over the date of a scene setting. It had to be correct, and I did calculations to make sure it was. I was so obsessed with this one small detail (and since it was only the first draft, I had plenty of time to correct it down the road), that I almost missed a deadline.

Self-publishing, while rewarding in the end, is a hard road. Unlike traditional publishing where you sign a contract, deliver your manuscript, and more or less keep it moving until time for the first author event, a self-publisher has to do EVERYTHING–and often on a less-than-shoestring budget.

Then there’s the fact that, as I mentioned in a previous post, your book needs to be good enough to encourage someone to not only buy this book, but future books. It’s imperative to bring your A+ game, especially if you’re a first-time (solo) author, as I am.

I know all this. I’ve researched various self-publishing options for the past year. Upon further inspection of the POD publisher’s package, I realized how the fees broke down and how I could achieve the same results without killing myself.

In short, there was no reason for me to freak out.

Except my publishing date draws nearer every day, and that is a scary yet exhilarating feeling. As the day draws closer for me to put my baby out there for all to see, criticize, ridicule, and hopefully enjoy, it’s easy to find something–anything–upon which to vent my anxiety. Whether it be a small plot detail or the price needed to make a decent profit, freaking out is becoming more the rule than the exception.

I have to keep reminding myself that everything will work out, that I’ve planned for this, and I am doing what needs to be done. I got this. Easier said than done, but infinitely preferable to curling up in a fetal position in the corner.

Thanks for stopping by.