Hi Everyone,
I'm back from my blog break and posting more stories on Blog 1 (Your Stories) beginning tomorrow. My blog of Sooner Than Tomorrow - A Mother's Diary: A Memoir About Mental Illness, Family, & Everyday Life. I'm leaving the blog (Blog 2) open for new readers while I get my book published.
While attending a writer's conference, one speaker gave me this good news. She said (to the audience): "The publishing world is changing."
"If you're an unknown writer over 70, don't try to find a publisher."
"If you're an unknown writer of a memoir, don't try to find a publisher."
"If you're writing in diary format, don't try to find a publisher."
"If you're writing about mental illness, don't try to find a publisher."
"If you're writing about someone who died less than ten years ago, don't try to find a publisher."
Hmm? My writing checks all her boxes. What should I do? Give up? Go away? Write something else that means nothing to me? These are fighting words.
I've lots to consider. If I self-publish, among other things, I have to buy an ISBN number, apply for a LCCN number from the US Library of Congress, hire a professional cover designer, hire a professional graphic designer to format the interior pages of my print book and/or to convert it to an eBook, possibly purchase an editorial book review, and register my book with the US Copyright Office.
Then there's marketing. Posting my book on Amazon doesn't cut it. People have to know it's there. They have to be directed to it.
So I'm asking myself, what do I want to accomplish? I know I want my diary in finished book format per my original intent which was to leave a book for my descendants. Should I defy all odds and look for an agent/ publisher? Should I publish my book myself? If you've read A Mother's Diary on my blog and you have any thoughts on this, please let me know. Your feedback will help me sort out what I should do going forward. dede@soonerthantomorrow.com
If you haven't read Sooner Than Tomorrow, it's still available on Blog 2. To read it from the beginning, read the Introduction in the navigation bar above, then go to "Scenes from the Trenches" June 14, 2017, in the Archives on the right hand side of the blog page. To continue reading, scroll up in the archives from June 14, 2017.
I didn't know, as I was writing, that I was capturing the last year of my son's life. In my memoir, his voice comes through loud and clear. However this goes, I'm grateful. In these pages, Pat will always be alive.
All my best, Dede
P.S. If you aren't subscribed to Blog I, it's continuing. Hope you'll sign on. If for nothing else, for Happy Pics :-)