Dolt Book-Writing Course Continued

Click on the title of this blog for the best definition of a dolt that I have found to date. It sure fits me to a T. Let us continue down the road of publishing your first novel. The road can be rocky and uphill, but once you gain confidence, it begins to be level and paved.

O. How do I find a publisher? This is the million dollar question that keeps most newbie writers from finishing their book project. The truth is that this question is the easiest to answer. You are not going to find a traditional publisher unless you have really high-up-the-ladder connections. If you had these connections, you wouldn't be reading this blog in the first place. This leaves a POD (publish on demand) publisher, or you become a self-published author. The latter is reserved for brains who can do all the technical stuff and don't mind having a garage full of books to sell. I prefer to use a POD. You don't have to deal with a garage full of books, copyrights, legal stuff (disclaimers), and technical issues because they are taken care of by the POD publisher.

P. Can I get my book published for free? No, you cannot. If you think you can, you have been listening to someone who is below dolt level. Somewhere around idiot, I should think. There is nothing for free in this world, but with research and commonsense, you can minimize the costs associated with publishing your book. The main thing is that it can be done, so quit worrying and finish your book project!

Q. How can I get my book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble? Once your book is published by a POD publisher, they will put your book on just about every virtual book store on the planet. Sit back and relax. It won't take long and you will be able to see your book cover, grabber, bio and price on line. That is an exciting day for sure!

R. Will my POD publisher promote my book? No, unless your name is Stephen King, which it isn't. You will be responsible for promoting your book. If you had the commitment to write the darn thing in the first place, you surely will have the commitment to promote it.

S. How long will it take me to become a best-selling author? Now that is a difficult question. If I quoted the daunting statistics concerning newbie authors, we all would be selling shoes for a living. This is where your passion and commitment comes in to play. Without great passion for your work, you will be buried in the negative press about how many books get published every year vs. how many authors are successful. Of course, it also depends on your definition of success. Seeing your book in print should be your first goal and a lofty goal it is. How many people do you know personally that are published authors? I only know one, and that is me. I find comfort in that statistic. Screw all the others.

End of series for now.

Write on,

Mittster