Is It Self Publishing or Publishing Yourself?
Being an author is hard. My first book was a non-fiction guide to living with chronic illness, co-authored with my physician. Near the end of You Don’t LOOK Sick! I made the statement that getting a book published is not unlike sending your young child off to that very first day of school. This child, a baby only yesterday, is now heading down the sidewalk on her own. I imagine every parent remembers that first, frightening day. Putting your book in the hands of readers takes courage, and faith in the story you have to tell. Your book will no longer be what you think it is, but what others think it is.
CeeGee’s Gift was published in 2019 and, unlike the first book, I decided to self-publish this second one. I believed in the story, which started as a play and had been within me for many years. I didn’t want to take even more years to get through the publishing pipeline and endure the rejections from 20-something’s who had never written a book. It turns out self-publishing is just as hard, if not harder. The practice is now common, but the traditional system still works against you. It is hard to get editorial reviews, to get into bookstores, to compete in a crowded market. And it’s costly. My husband says that ‘being an author is a very expensive hobby’.
Now I am working on my third book, a memoir about my journey through life with my mother, a vibrant and creative spiritual seeker. One way to reduce your chances of becoming a well-known author is to first write non-fiction, then a novel, and follow it up with a memoir, so for some reason that is what I’m doing. But today, I checked on Amazon to see if there were any new reviews for CeeGee’s Gift. I thought it unlikely as it’s been a couple of years now, but to my surprise, I found two new ones. I keep writing because it’s who I am, it’s at my core, but comments from readers like these keep me going.
“By the time I was only halfway through I knew I had to order this book for my children and grandchildren. This book offers all the wisdom I would most like to pass on to my family. It's an excellent read for young and old alike. I can't recommend it highly enough. Well done, Joy Selak.” Patricia
“This is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. The dialogue is just wonderful. The author is a genius, the reader doesn't really know what decade this takes place in, but that isn't necessary. The truths in the story are what's real.” Nancy
Eternal thanks to you Patricia and Nancy. You make it all worthwhile.