The Pep Talk We All Need Now and Then

If you're an independent (self-published) author, then you likely are familiar with the crippling moments of insecurity that come with self-publishing. Here are a few examples of what I am talking about:

- BY KIM CATANZARITE

After weeks of brainstorming, you select a title for your book. Is it the “right” one? More than half the people you polled (a group of 50 newsletter subscribers) thought so, but can you be confident this is the title that will attract readers to your book? All you know without a doubt is that the book must have a title, and you can't begin to launch until it does, so time is of the essence. (This applies to the cover art as well.)

You're filling out metadata forms, and you come to the part about keywords and categories. You know your book is a cozy mystery, but when it comes to subgenres, you're not as sure. There are some thrilling moments, so should you select thriller? There's also a love story involved, so would romance be appropriate? Which words properly describe your story and will attract the readers you want to attract?

The glow of having launched your new book has paled. The preorders and congratulations from friends have ended. Your book baby is no longer a new release, and orders have become, well, like raindrops in a desert climate. You've reached the quiet zone. As your skin breaks out in a cold sweat, a very loud, panicked voice in your head shouts, Now what do I do?

You want to produce your book in as many forms as possible—hardcover, paperback, e-book, audio, large print—but you don’t have the budget to do it all. The plan was always to create the e-book and paperback, but you've heard the audio market continues to grow at a rapid rate. A professionally made audio-book will cost a substantial amount of money. Should you take the plunge? Will you make your money back if you do? (This applies to every product you create.)

You've always dreamed of your book appearing in Kirkus Reviews