Self-publishing: why you can do it too

I’m always amazed at how many people I meet who say something like ‘Wow, you write books. I wish I could. I’ve had this idea but it will never happen.’ (I’m guessing you are probably thinking the same thing too!

Shall I tell you some of the most common reasons they give me?

• I’m too young
• I’m too busy
• There’s no money in it
• I will never get an agent, let alone a publisher

There’s also a subtext which may or may not be vocalised:

• No one will ever want to read what I write
• Self-publishing is stigmatised
• I’m not that smart
• I’m only good at xyz, I can’t write for toffee
• I fear failure!

Despite now being a self-published author, it should not surprise you to know that all of the above have gone through my tiny little mind at one time or another. While I wrote the prologue to The Growing years ago, it took me a long time to start seriously writing and actually produce a finished book.

Writing the prologue, I just loved the idea of something as immensely powerful as The Object being pursued by something even more badass than it but it took me years trying to work out what would have led to that confrontation and what kind of environment would spawn such a conflict. That led to the creation of the Resonants Universe and you know what? I realised that what comes to pass in this fictional universe has echoes in the science and technology, and depicts the manifestation of real fears that are out there right now.

The implications of it all are frightening and I hope I am wrong, but I feel I have to write about this because these are the very real challenges we and the rest of humanity will have to face and there is no obvious happy ending that I can see. What the hell am I on about? Well, read the whole series and you’ll get a glimpse of what I believe is the terrifying future we are moving into.

Despite this, I do believe in the courage and character of the human race, and people like you and me are key to us avoiding the calamity that awaits. Pardon me for going off on one. I guess the point I trying to make is that if you have a story to tell, then tell it! Your voice, like your vote counts, so let it be heard.

A good friend said to me a short while ago: ‘I spend my days preparing reports and am very well paid for that, but when I am gone, what will I leave behind?’ The good news is that he is now working on book that will be out by Christmas and I think it will be brilliant. You can do the same, no matter how young or old, or how dumb or smart you think you are. Self-publishing is really not that hard, and if you would like some pointers please say so and I will gladly lay out what I have learned in a future blog!