Self-publishing: It’s not for the faint-hearted

by Lewis Hellyer

 As a newbie writer, I don’t have the expertise that more experienced writers have. However, I can tell you what I have learned so far from being a member of writing groups and book publishing and promotion groups.

Writing a book is a major undertaking. It takes time, energy, patience, and fortitude along with a plot, storyline, characters, readability, and more.

Completing the manuscript is just the beginning. Then we have to edit and revise, not just once, but until it feels like a REAL, believable story that readers will enjoy from the beginning to the middle and finally, the last words on the last page … The End. We also need beta readers who preview the manuscript’s readability, among other criteria. Then an editor, a professional one, paid to edit, line by line and word by word, using their expertise to correct mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This is part of getting the manuscript polished for publication.

It’s not a task for those who are faint of heart. Next comes getting the book PUBLISHED. We opted for SELF-PUBLISHING, literally! No waiting for weeks, months, or years to get a literary agent or traditional publishing house to accept the manuscript. This part of the process has its own agenda, guidelines, policies, and ageements – all before the ACTUAL printing.

Are you tired yet? Me too!

But wait, SOMEONE has to market and promote the book. Oh, no – that’s ME, too!

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Lewis Hellyer is the pen name of Jamie Lewis Hellyer and Darlene Eutsler Lewis, a mother-and-daughter writing team. Their new novel, a light romance titled On Butterfly Wings: A Journey of the Heart, is soon to be published. Jamie is working on her thesis for her Ph.D. in metaphysical science. Darlene is tackling manuscript preparation for publishing, promotion, and marketing. Darlene is also working on a memoir and a new romance novel and a republishing of her revised children’s book, Where Is Reice?