Lessons Learned My 1st Book Launch, Part 2

A friend who reads this blog sent me an email right after Lessons Learned from My 1st Book Launch was posted:

“You really scared me! Is it that complicated, or can some be investigated earlier so it is all ready and just needs to click buttons????”

 My reply:

“Yes, I believe you can investigate the launch process early, understand every single thing, check it out and make your schedule and just do it. And I didn’t have the luxury of time.

While the editor was completing his work on my book, I chose to give a week to a new friend I met online. I just flew off in the middle of my draft to launch project to meet this person who had been so supportive of me while I was writing (Please see Weird Publishing Project: Beta Readers.) I spent 4-5 days with her, and threw my entire schedule off.

But I was committed to a launch before Christmas, specifically, before December 15, and I did — not only because I was being pushed by “the guys”*, but because, at least in this moment, I can’t afford to continue with the school. This 1st book of 4 in the Burnout to Bliss series was the one I’d chosen for my weird Indy publishing experiment — to see what it was like, what it took, how to do it.

It’s not as easy as some make it sound, yet many are successful, aren’t they. Relax.

I made a lot of mistakes. So did others on my launch team (they told me so.) It’s a learning experience. I’m beginning the 2nd week of promotions and still am making mistakes. And some are pretty awful!  Like, who knew you had to HTML your book description before copying & pasting it into the online form for Awesome Gang? I sure didn’t. And the description for my book that I just now saw in their email newsletter is one really long, single paragraph. Ewww!

I used BOOK Launch, the checklist from the school, and tips I had learned from others on the Facebook community. When it came time to launch, I still didn’t know what I was doing although I had written all the steps out in my own hand more than once.

But geeky things scare me! Despite that, I am an Indy author with 4 books published since 2012 — and I did most of the work myself. Most people who do this might not be as ignorant as I am about such things. (I’m the one person left on the planet who chooses not to use a cell phone…)

There’s no reason to suspect you’ll have the same issues. You’ll be fine.”

About Learning

Every time we do something new, no matter what it is, we’ll make mistakes. And that’s good, because mistakes give us feedback about how to do it better next time. There’s a tendency to imagine that we’re supposed to do everything with aplomb and grace and perfection. Ain’t gonna happen. Relax, enjoy the ride. Make notes about what you’re learning.

I have to remind myself of that every day.  Remember my index card with eyeballs reminding me it was an experiment? And on this venture — my weird Indy publishing project — I’ll get several more times to learn. I’m committed to completing the series of 4 books by December 2017. And I will: with “help from friends“, “the guys” you met in the first book, and “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise” (re’ “unforeseen events”).

Til next time…

“Please be kind to everyone you meet, for we all have our hidden sorrows.” ~Tzaddi

*please refer to the Afterword that appears at the end of BURNOUT — How A Desert Lizard Restored My Faith.

Don’t have it yet? It’s only $.99 now — at least for a few more days. CLICK HERE to buy your copy now. And please do leave a review, no matter how short.

Thanks! ~Pam Young