Were you ever one of those people who really had a story to tell and just wanted to get it out there but didn't know how to do it? Have you got pages and pages of writing tucked away, or worse yet, rejection letters from publishers saying thanks but no thanks? Is it really possible to get your writing published, in paperback, no matter how good or how bad it is? The answer is a resounding yes!
I did it last year, via an online publishing company. I had already written the book but had no idea of where to start. Then an article in the Toronto Star about Lulu.com (an online publishing company) created the spark to finish the process. And it really wasn't that hard. I had all the tools on my computer - Microsoft Word program, and Adobe Acrobat Reader/Writer (to create pdf documents). Even if you do not have the tools to create pdf documents, the online publisher can do it for you.
I must admit I rushed through the first version just to have a paperback in hand that had my own name on the cover - and how exciting it was too! Then I had to go back to include the revisions to text. It was a bit confusing at first - I was afraid of hitting the wrong button and having the unedited version go out to the masses. But the online chat people were terrific and very patient with me. In the end, in a relatively short period of time, my book was published. You are given the option of managing your own distribution or you can purchase the online publisher's distribution package - a relatively small fee that within 6-8 weeks will see your book online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com (I chose the distribution package).
Since then, I've also used Blurb.com to see how it compared to Lulu.com - I have to say, Blurb was even easier to use. You can create entire photo books if you wanted in the Blurb program. Perhaps you have a family vacation or special event that you want to print special editions for all family members? Well this is certainly the tool to use. It makes publishing your own work so easy. Plus you still have the option of keeping your book private, or offering it to the general public. They even have a new "wrap-around" option for the cover of your book - where the cover is sealed right on the book, not a loose flap that can be removed. How cool is that?
One might ask, are online publishers just adding more "junk" to the Internet? Is this the equivalent of literary spam? Are these stories actually contributing anything useful or is it just a way for people to create the equivalent of personal soapboxes that otherwise would not receive any attention? Is this really a useful service and might future writers be "found" on the Internet like actors and actresses working as waiters and waitresses have been discovered for films?
All I can say for sure is that the reaction to my first book thus far has been very positive. Comments have ranged from "...a riveting story" to "what a great inspirational story" to "...a heart warming story with a happy ending and really shows resilience in the face of all that was occurring". If those first readers are the only ones to buy my book, their reaction alone was worth it.
Article prepared by Alison Prentice RN BScN., Senior Medical Writer, and now President of Creo Mundi - a company that produces Intentional products. Alison has over 24 years combined experience in nursing and medical writing. http://www.creomundi.com
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