Keeping the Faith

Bruce, my not boss who doesn't pay me to write, again asked me how my book was going. He sent me links to two books on Amazon. Both were about how to become my own literary agent. That would be marketing.

The trouble with me, as I see it, is that I'm a writer, not a businesswoman. I know a lot about business. I know about profits and loss, I know about accounting and bookkeeping which is more than just a fun word with three double letters in a row. I know that in order to sell something, you need to have a buyer. No buyer? No selling.

I know that I can write. I am not sure how well I can write, but I know that I can write better than the average person sitting in front of a computer. I know this because I am often confronted with other people's writing and frankly, mine is better – even if I do say so myself. In fact, other people have told me that mine is better which is probably a much better measurement than my own self delusion.

I have a book. I have an entire book. Written. What is next on my list of things that need to get done is finding a place to sell my book. I want to be a seller, not just a writer. Therefore I need a buyer. In order to find a buyer, I have to let people who might actually buy the thing know that I have something to sell.

This is tantamount to dating for the newly single. It is easier, safer, and less stressful to stay at home and sit on the couch. However, it is really difficult to meet new people from the couch unless you have a roommate (only two double letters) who invites people into your living room for you.

I am sitting on my couch waiting for some publisher to phone me and ask if I have a book I would like to sell them. "Why, yes I do!" I might reply. "How thoughtful of you to give me a call. Let me just get that mailed off to you." And later that same evening … my book hits the stores. If you are going to daydream, might as well go big.

I know this isn't how publishing works. I know that Print On Demand is risky. I also know that POD is how many new authors get their start. And then I also know that some publishing houses look down their sleek noses at those who have had to succumb to POD, assuming that they didn't write well enough for a real house to take their book. That may be true, but my stumbling block is in even asking the publishing house in the first place.

Other people who read my writing tell me that it is interesting and would have a market. I wish I had the faith to put myself out on a limb and get this thing out to the world. I'm sure they would enjoy my book. I enjoyed it. So they should, too.

Come sit here on my couch with me. We can read it together.