I released my first e-book yesterday.
As usual, the launch itself was anti-climactic. After months of research, weeks of design, days of testing and hours of i-dotting and t-crossing, I clicked on a few last buttons … and voila, my e-book was live on Amazon. I’d planned to tell the whole world about it — I even considered a broadcast to the entire galaxy. But in the end, I opted to Tweet about my latest accomplishment, pin a message to my Facebook page, and write this blog post. Sure, I’ll advertise my e-book and promote it whenever I can, but I’m not expecting to overtake J. K. Rowling anytime soon (she is currently #2 on the Amazon Top 100 — for a book she hasn’t even released yet!).
An experienced publisher recently told me that publishing is like filling a bucket with an eye-dropper. It takes thousands of drops to fill the bucket, but if you’re patient enough, you will eventually fill it. I’m already feeling the truth in that statement, and I’m embracing it. It takes time to develop any new skill or practice, and it takes even longer to establish a reputation for quality work.
I have every intention of becoming a working author, a top-notch e-book designer, and possibly even a “real” publisher (i.e. someone who publishes more than his own work). But I’m walking this new path one step at a time, intent on taking in the flowers along the way. In my past life as a software entrepreneur, I all too often allowed stress and ambition to beat the joy out of an otherwise fascinating journey. This time around, I have no desire to jump back on the hamster wheel or shoot for the stars. That is, unless there’s a planet out there somewhere with creatures who read English and have an appreciation for adventurous, romantic fiction about middle-aged men travelling to faraway places in search of mysterious inventions. If anyone knows of such a planet, I’d like to target it in my next Google ad campaign.
Mark of Words 