Well, I sold two more books of poetry at the market last week. I feel like I've got some momentum I can build on - plus, we acquired another office in our suite, so aside from using it for work, I can also use the space to organize and work on magazine submissions. Very exciting stuff.
I've found myself getting better about making time for the things I want to do, instead of trying to find time. It's much more effective. I've been able to make a good amount of time available to work for my BB's business, while working more than full time at my day job and investing time into producing stuff for the market. The next step is to consistently make time for my writing and for pursuing publication.
Of course, there are only so many hours in the day... but it's all well worth doing. I'm going to print some more chapbooks this weekend, and possibly put together a new one. Someone asked me for a business card at the market, so I feel like I should probably put together a marketing website PDQ!
Showing posts with label self-publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-publishing. Show all posts
05 August 2007
29 July 2007
The Joys of Publishing
No, that's not sarcastic. I get so much satisfaction from self-publishing. I've done a lot of it, giving chapbooks away to friends and family, but this summer marks the first time someone's paid me for my poetry. I have sold two, count 'em, TWO chapbooks at the local crafts & farmers market this summer! I'm over the moon. For some reason, getting payment for a chapbook makes me feel "published" more affirmatively than when I hand them out for free.
It also makes me want to take another stab at sending my work out for publication. Here are the problems with trying to get published in the commercial world: 1) there are a million other people trying to do exactly the same thing, and a limited market; 2) it's incredibly labor- and time-intensive to prepare the submittal; and 3) you end up having to spend a fair amount on postage, supplies, and readers' fees or samples of the magazine in question.
Really, what you're seeing here is one end of a perennial debate with myself. It takes a massive investment of resources to try to get published. But it's worth investing the resources. However, being a notorious procrastinator, plus busy with work and other activities, I rarely get past square 2 or 3. I've submitted a few things in my life, and besides the time I spent as a journalist, I'm getting published currently as a columnist in a regional pet magazine - but it's scarcely enough to call a resume. I crave national publication! :) The worst of it is that I know exactly what I need to do, I just haven't made the time to do it... yet.
It also makes me want to take another stab at sending my work out for publication. Here are the problems with trying to get published in the commercial world: 1) there are a million other people trying to do exactly the same thing, and a limited market; 2) it's incredibly labor- and time-intensive to prepare the submittal; and 3) you end up having to spend a fair amount on postage, supplies, and readers' fees or samples of the magazine in question.
Really, what you're seeing here is one end of a perennial debate with myself. It takes a massive investment of resources to try to get published. But it's worth investing the resources. However, being a notorious procrastinator, plus busy with work and other activities, I rarely get past square 2 or 3. I've submitted a few things in my life, and besides the time I spent as a journalist, I'm getting published currently as a columnist in a regional pet magazine - but it's scarcely enough to call a resume. I crave national publication! :) The worst of it is that I know exactly what I need to do, I just haven't made the time to do it... yet.
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