Are You Ready to Publish Indie? (Part 3)

Are You Ready to Publish Indie? (Part 4)

Where Did the Magic Go? The Production Phase of Writing

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I was all set to post Part 4 of Are You Ready to Publish Indie? this week when I realized that I needed to pause. This series moved from writing to editing to formatting and continued further and further from the creative part about being a writer.

The technical aspects (Part 4 will discuss book covers and ISBN numbers) are necessary parts of our work as an indie writer. But there are times when I’m slogging through it and feel mired in mud. Have I lost the vision of writing?

The answer (after eating large amounts of chocolate) is no, of course not. And if you get to that point where you’re elbow deep in proof pages and cover queries and creating accounts in preparation to upload your book and you worry that your muse is gone, well, have some chocolate. Go for a walk. Watch an old movie. Do something fun. Maybe think about your next book.

Isn’t that fun? Looking at a blank page and covering it with new worlds? Going down the path of a new story, living the lives on the page, pulling at your hair in frustration when your characters refuse to do what you want? And the exhilaration you feel when the problem is fixed and it’s flowing again?

I find writing to be fun. Frustrating. Sacred. Horrifying. Erotic. And a million other things. It’s life that spreads itself into a two-dimensional format that people read and turn back into three. It’s magic of the best sort.

That’s why I do it.

The flip side of the coin is that I’m learning to embrace the technical work so others can see the magic. I’m not there yet although I know that the learning curve for publishing Book 2 will be shorter (once it’s written, that is).

In the meantime, there’s some chocolate waiting for me on the kitchen table. And a few notes I want to scribble down for Book 2. It’s good to pause once in a while.

 

 

 * Image courtesy of federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 

4 Comments
  • Jan • March 23, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Sometimes it’s necessary to take a break!

    • J. M. Levinton • March 23, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      Absolutely! 😀

  • chris • March 25, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    Chocolate really is the answer to all of life’s issues!

    Although, I know a few oddities who claim that marshmallow Peeps are a wonderful response.
    (We know those folks are just jealous!)

    Seriously, now….. I believe it is always good to take the time to sit back, relax and let the fact that one has actually accomplished something of importance!

    • J. M. Levinton • March 25, 2015 at 6:26 pm

      I don’t know about importance, but I hope my writing will give people a time out. 🙂

      And seriously–chocolate IS the answer! (I can’t speak for Peeps. LOL)

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