RUN YOUR MOUTH

It's downright amazing to be this friggin' close to thrusting my first book out into the world by the end of this April.  A lot of things went my way.  I happened to have enough money to self-publish, wisdom/assistance from a number of folks, bills/money hurdles I could handle, and the mad need to see this thing through.  But you know the real reason I'm getting this baby out in April?

'Cause I told everyone that I would.

I set the date in October (which was stupid).  I didn't have everything edited, my final copywright was still in limbo, and I didn't have the cover art set up . . . or a final book title locked in!  I even changed my mind on which self-publishing company to use (like, 3 times so far).  But here's the thing . . . I ran my mouth and ended up setting this beast up in six months.  And my family/friends just can't wait to see the fruition of my literary abilities this coming April.  Why?

'Cause I ran my mouth well enough to get them curious.  My stuff's so "different" that merely describing some of the short stories got people wanting to read the whole book.  That's the nice part of this increase in my blood pressure. 

And I wasn't about to let my fledgling readership down.  The fear of such an outcome is a useful stick, especially when I want to slack off a bit and maybe delay publication until May or June.

I nibbled at different aspects of this endeavor on a (pretty much) daily basis, which is the only reason I was able to do this at all.  Unlike a final exam, this isn't something that would've worked by a lot of last-minute "cramming".  Still, I'm tired, in need of a long vacation, and spewing money like an erupting volcano.

But I'll get "Unheroic" out by the last day of April . . . 'cause I said I would.

If you have a finished book, think of the following factors before you set a self-publishing date:

1. Treat that publishing date as etched in stone, like a wedding date.  It doesn't get changed/cancelled for any reason (even if you're dead).
2. Has your work been copywritten yet?  If so, cool.  If not, hit the Library of Congress' site and get your piece copywritten (thus allowing you to sue folks trying to plagiarize your stuff).  It can take from 2 - 6 months for the registration to go through.
3. What monetary obstacles are in your forseeable future?  For example, I was paying my editor on some last-minute edits during the Christmas holidays.  I was also paying for cover art during tax season.  Try to set your window during a boringish part of the year.
4. If you're self-publishing, I'd suggest that you get your business/tax situation settled.  For example, a vendor's license or a LLC might come in handy if you're starting your own business as a self-publisher.  Call up a few accountants/lawyers and get some wisdom.
5. Edit and re-edit the crap out of your "finished" work, even after the editor's done.  The both of ya' probably missed something.  Stop proofing the masterpiece only when it's well and truly finished, not when you're sick and tired of looking at it.
6. Be ready to sacrifice.  To meet a six-month deadline (without everything in place) will require some fast-paced spending of your time and hard-earned cash.  Treat your writing expenses like your rent/electric/car note, rather than a bottom-tiered expense.
7. Thoroughly research your publishing companies (and their contractual fine-print) before you relax and assume you'll be using their service.  Hit 'em up with questions now to avoid surprises later.
8.  And lastly, run your mouth.  Yes, you risk disappointing folks if you renege on the publishing date.  But guess what: if you tell enough people about what you're doing, you've created "buzz".  Without paying a dime toward advertising, you've got customers wanting to buy your masterpiece.  Better still, the peer pressure of meeting that deadline makes you a 1,000 times more disciplined than if you didn't have a locked-in date.