Early this year I set the intention to publish another book. I am incredibly pleased to announce that Positive Aging: A SMART Living 365 Guide to Thriving and Wellbeing is now published and available on Amazon. It is available either as a paperback or on Kindle. While it took longer than I expected and several challenges popped up along the way, I believe it turned out even better than I hoped. And, in true SMART Living fashion, I also learned a few things about myself and the process that I thought some of you might be interested in learning, regardless of whether you write or not.
As some of you may know, this book is my sixth published book. My first book was published in 2003 by Findhorn, a small publisher in Scotland. I could barely contain my excitement when I held that first book in my hands when it arrived in the mail. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before I learned that in spite of being “published,” the success of the sales and marketing of the book rested on my shoulders. Never one to push my writing on others, my book achieved only marginal success.
I thought I arranged it better when my 2nd book was published in 2008. My publisher, another small independent that focused on real estate related books, promised to do advertising and even hire a publicist. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as planned and once again my anticipated success was limited. As with my first book, my percentage of sales was so small that although I did receive royalties from both, neither tipped me into a higher tax bracket at the end of the year.
So, it was exactly because I had two previous experiences with being published, I had no hesitation about publishing my next book in 2013. By this time social media was geared up and allowed authors a way to promote themselves without going on the road. Plus, because Amazon provides free software for those of us who can do-it-ourselves, I didn’t need to sell nearly as many books to match my previous sales. What did I have to lose? Nothing.
Now with four self-published books under my belt, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
1) If I can figure out how to format and publish my writing—so can you! Like so much I’ve learned in my writing career (not to mention life itself), the most important element is persistence. In other words, don’t give up. I’ve always believed that if others could do something, most of the time, so could I. Plus, enormous amounts of suggestions, tips, details, and ideas about how to go about self-publishing now exist all over the internet. If you’ve written anything and want to see it published—now you can.
2) Publishing a book is just another “If Only…” Have you ever told yourself, if only such and such would happen, then I would be happy? If only I won the lottery. If only so and so wasn’t president. If only I could find a better job. If only I could retire. If only I hadn’t done that, or could do that, or whatever—fill in the blank. Any time that phrase comes up, we are using it as an excuse not to do something. We tend to believe that thing, that “if only…” is what’s holding us back. It’s not. It’s us.
In addition, whenever we use that “if only” phrase, we often think that once that thing happens our lives will be perfectly wonderful. I sure did. I thought that once my book was published then I would finally feel like a real writer, be able to call myself a writer, and everyone else would see it too. I was wrong. It actually took three or four more books and a lot of self-work before I was able to feel like my success, even though relatively modest, was mine to celebrate. What I’ve learned in the process is that feelings of success or achievement really flow from the inside out. All those external things we think look good or are necessary, are only window-dressing. Believing we deserve our good is an internal job that only we can fill.
3) It takes longer than you think it will take. Even though this is my fourth self-published book, the process takes longer than you think it will. I suppose if I really pushed it, I could have forced it out faster. But something else I’ve learned along the way is that forcing something seldom comes out better. As it turned out, I came across several studies and ideas that I was able to include in the book because I didn’t finish it until a month or so ago. Not only do I believe the book is better this way, it also made me enjoy the process that much more.
4) The satisfaction and growth you get from formatting and learning to publish are highly beneficial. One thing I’ve learned in the area of positive aging is that the more we challenge our brains the longer they “last” and the better they will continue to serve us. Sure, you can study another language and do crossword puzzles, but trust me, learning to format and publish your own book is excellent exercise for your brain, (not to mention your self-esteem!) So, although I’ve previously formatted three books, the software continues to change and it is a constant learning curve. But like I’ve said before, if I can figure it out, I sincerely believe you can too. Then, when you hold that new creation in your hands, not only do you feel enormously proud of what it contains, but you also know that you added yourself to every single part of it.
5) It will never be completely “done” and never be perfect—but don’t let that stop you. One of my favorite quotes that I routinely tell myself is, “You didn’t come to get it done.” And yes, I’ve written a blog post about it too. But what that reminds me of is that no matter how long I work on something, I could keep changing and tweaking it forever. Would that make it better? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. As every artist and writer knows, the only time your creation is ever really done, is when you decide to stop. It’s that way with self-publishing. Although I’ve been blessed with many great helpers to polish the book, I still know there are bound to be typos or errors that have slipped past so one can never be sure it is perfect. On top of that, there are bound to be critics who don’t like my style or manner of communicating. So, in spite of that, when I hit that “publish” button, I must feel confident enough that it is the words and ideas I share that mean the most, and that I’ve done my best.
Any writer who has ever written anything—and that includes those who write poetry, journal, blog, short stories or novels—every single one of us lives in an exciting time. We have the ability to publish our words and put them out in the world for others to see. The argument, of course, is that self-publishing lowers the bar for quality writing. But I believe the advantage of putting publishing in the hands of everyone is far more valuable than the detriment. Simply put—poor writing or substandard ideas won’t find readers. Water rises to its own level with writing and most things in life.
Oh, and I suppose my final lesson learned is that if you are thinking that publishing a book will make you a lot of money, you might want to try something easier. Sure, there are a couple of people (out of millions) who have published something and made good money. Just like there are a few bloggers (out of millions) making a decent amount of money on their blogs. But, trust me, it isn’t an easy way to make a buck. If you don’t have a passion to share your ideas with others, the required time and energy will probably not be worth the effort.
I personally believe that we are all creative and each of us have something special to share with the world. My something is writing. What gets me up in the morning and keeps me plugging away at my craft is knowing that someone, somewhere, just might pick up one of my books (or read this blog) and find something helpful, inspiring or makes them think. Self-publishing opens that door for me and other writers. Whatever creative gift lies within you, the SMART road is to find a way to share it with others.
Would you like a free copy? I’m going to give away 3 books (either print or Kindle) to 3 people who leave a comment below. (International winners by Kindle only)
Winners will be chosen randomly by Kloe!
Link to Positive Aging: A SMART Living Guide to Thriving & Wellbeing At Any Age on Amazon
Congratulations to the three winners of my new book–Positive Aging: The SMART Living 365 Guide To Thriving and Wellbeing At Any Age. Kloe selected the names of 1) Alison Slade; 2) Haralee Weintraub; and 3) Lisa Listwa. Thank you all for entering!
Kathy, this post really spoke to me. I am a writer. I have written in many genres and venues: poetry, fiction, academic articles, technical writing, and blog articles. I also am a published writer, having published in academic and literary journals, and one anthology. I have published a book of poetry with a small press, collaboratively published another book of poetry via self-publishing, and co-authored one academic book.
And yet I have a huge mental block about writing a book. I don’t lack ideas. I have outlined proposals for several books over the years. Nor do I lack the will to put in the hard work of writing the book. I am currently working on my third novel (all three of them in first draft version still). What I lack is confidence. There is a voice in my head that tells me I can’t write a book (notwithstanding the fact that I have already written and published books – somehow they don’t count), or that I can’t get a book published (even though I have successfully published my writing many times). The self-sabotaging voice also whispers, “If you haven’t written a book, you aren’t a ‘real’ writer.”
This quote from your blog article above really sums it up: “feelings of success or achievement really flow from the inside out”. I have to find a way to get past my fears and just do it.
Thanks for writing about your experiences with publishing. It is very encouraging to read about how you have persisted and been successful in publishing multiple book, despite the challenges of the process.
Jude
Hi Jude. Thank you for your very honest and thoughtful comment about your own struggles. It’s funny (not ha, ha but uh, yeah…I understand funny) how much our own inner critic can sabatoge us writers. Believe it or not, I still hesitate myself now and then. If I’m in certain settings and people say what they do, I often bring up my real estate background and that just drives Thom crazy! He’s like, “Why would you do that?” And sometimes I don’t have an answer. So I TOTALLY get where you are coming from. Much as I know better, and I’ll bet you do too, I find myself remembering those few people who criticised my writing along the way and blow that all out of proportion–rather than focusing on the people who do appreciate my style and writing. I think it was Julia Cameron or some other writer I admired who said we should keep a box of messages that people sent us encouraging us and completely ignore the others. But even though I know that, I still catch myself now and then. For me I think it is because I’m afraid I will be judged one way or another–and I try to head people off at the pass. It’s easier to say I am in real estate because I don’t care about that or what they think. I DO care about my writing and how it’s perceived so that holds me back. But when it comes down to it–it is ME holding me back. How about you? Have you identified what the “mother” of your fear is? I do believe it is helpful to get as clear as we can about it.
So can I help you in any way publish one of your novels? For me, it was easier after I published that first one and got past all the thoughts people might think about self-publishing. You might be blocking yourself now because you’ve got three in the queue? And the momentum of just learning how to do it…and then getting it done was so rewarding I cared far less about how I might be judged. If you want my help with any part of it, please just ask. I have been so fortunate to have others help me along the path that I am happy to “pay it forward.” ~Kathy
Kathy, you are very kind. I really appreciate your thoughtful response and offer of help. You are an excellent writer with a lot of wisdom to share. I have been enjoying reading your archived posts since I discovered your blog.
Part of my problem is that I have put fiction writing on a pedestal, having been an avid reader of novels since I was a child. Initially, the thought of writing such a long tale and keeping it coherent seemed daunting, although I think I have gotten over that now. Also, although I have published in other genres, it seems to be especially hard to break into publishing novels. It is very competitive. That said, I think this third novel I am working on now is a good story that hangs together well. I would like to try to go the route of traditional publishing with it first (agents, query letters, and all – yikes), but self publishing is an excellent alternative that I might explore. First, though, I have to finish writing it…
Thanks again,
Jude
I can relate to all the points you make here, Kathy. The most painful truth, to me anyway, is the last one. Knowing that it can never be perfect, is something I (will) struggle with, as most writers do. Coming to grips with “I did my best and now it is ready for the world” is difficult. And, every time I would find a typo, or think “this or that could have been better”, I would feel a stab in my heart. Let alone when there are critics and trolls around. So, with that, growing a thick skin (or whatever the expression is) certainly would be a good trait to have as a writer (or business owner or customer rep). I do know from experience that you can’t make everyone happy, no matter what you do or how hard you try. Just realizing that, helps.
Nope, we don’t write to make money. We write to inspire and express ourselves. The poop to value ratio is very obvious, but always worth it. So far. 🙂
PS: I love the notification box for new replies at the bottom of the comment form, Kathy! 🙂
Hi Liesbet! Yes! Thanks for tying in the PTV ratio on this post. It’s true, isn’t it? There are many advantages but some of the downsides suck big time. I don’t’ suffer too much from perfectionism but I still twinge when I see OBVIOUS mistakes! But if I let that perfectionism get to me I would never have done most of the things in my life that I have. I’ve also come to realize that I don’t care too much about trolls and critics…but I do find it challenging when friends are critical…I take that pretty personal. Fortunately I have found that the older I get the easier it gets to both accept myself and my work and let go of other people’s opinions. (just one of the many advantages of aging…) And so glad you like the notification…I hope you know that you were the one that inspired that change. ~Kathy
Congratulations, Kathy, Great read. Wonderfully inspiring.
Hi Dorothy! Thank you. I sincerely hope the book (and the majority of my blog posts) are inspiring! ~Kathy
Congrats on your new book. A topic that I have been focusing on for awhile. Instead of being retired I refer to it as a redesigning free life or Freedom life. Best wishes for much success with your new book.
Hi Kathy S! I love your titles for this time in your life. I too believe that we all have the ability to direct our focus in a positive way no matter what happens in our lives. And calling it your “Freedom Life” says so much. Good for you wherever it takes you. ~Kathy
Congratulations, Kathy, I think your publishing brain must be on fire. So happy for you. I used a small press to publish my first book in 2015, A Mother’s Time Capsule, Short Stories. It was fun to do the project, but also an investment which my royalties could never make up. But I learned things. Then the publisher closed, so now the book is available on Amazon only in a Kindle edition. I could go ahead with the paperback, but instead am rewriting my novel, my big project. Then I will be querying. If I ever achieve my life-long dream, you will hear about it. LOL. Congrats again, Beth
Hi Beth! Oh do! I know you are super busy with your blog and other projects but as you know, there is something really sweet about having our words out there. And besides your novel, if you want to put that first one on CreateSpace (the print book arm of Amazon) I am happy to help with that as well. Thank you for your support. ~Kathy
Yay, you! #3 resonated. I attended an author luncheon last weekend and the authors on the panel talked about the writing/publishing life. They all nodded knowingly when one guy said he thought it would get easier, once he’d written a few books and had the process down. But every book is its own world, pace, challenges. Congratulations, Kathy! You are a beacon.
Hi Lynne! Well then it’s a mutual admiration society! I read many great things on your blog and appreciate your novels as well. You are helping to grow awareness about the positive benefits of aging with all your work as well. If nothing else, it sure helps me/us as we go through the years to come regardless of how long it takes, right? Thanks again for your support. ~Kathy
What an inspiration you are to those of us who are scared of whats on the next page. I took the time to read some of your blogpost’s – refreshing. In my head, there is a book that I want to write and self publish….by the time I turn 60. Thats a year and a month from now. I will continue to follow you and channel your strength.
Hi Teri! Welcome to SMART Living and I’m happy if I am able to inspire you to both keep writing AND publish a book. You really can do this and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. ~Kathy
Congratulation on your latest book. Your writing has encouraged me to make changes as well as take a giant step (for me) to publish, starting with my blog. As I start making plans to downsize my current career, I am planning for the next phase and writing is a priority. My family was amazed (I am the engineer in the family and identify with the characters in the Big Bang Theory). But creativity is my main motivator and it was a rush to hit the publish on my first posting. This is a work in progress and I am grateful to writers such as yourself that have encourage their readers to take a chance. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Hi Jamie! Congratulations on starting your blog AND your eventual book. And YES to that feeling of satisfaction and pride that you get when you accomplish something creative and share it with the world. I will be sure to check out your blog and please know that if I can offer any help, I would be happy to do so. And how did you know I love that quote by Gretzky? ~Kathy
Kathy, how exciting! And like someone pointed out, you said nothing!! Congrats on a 6th published book! Looking forward to reading it! If it hadn’t been for blogging, I would not have self-published my little how-to book on blogging photography. So many folks think books have to be long and involved, but people wanting to dip their toe in can publish something short and sweet and enjoy the process. Thanks for sharing your journeys. Surprisingly, in spite of the over 150 free copies I gave out, I still made enough royalties to afford a nice dinner at a decent restaurant 🙂 This sounds like another fun topic for us at our meet-up next month!
Hi Terri! The good news about not saying much is you can take your time and not feel pressured. Of course the bad news about that is that it is fairly easy to put things off. I’m hoping that I’ve managed to make it better by waiting so long. But hey, you know how it goes with publishing with your book. And as you said, it doesn’t have to be a huge thing, just something you want to do. And yes to the nice dinner out as well. But you might want to start thinking of another because as I said before, a series helps your readers enjoy more of your work. ~Kathy
Aren’t you the humble one! You didn’t mention you were this close to another publication. I read all of the other books and I look forward to this one. Patience and acceptance give us a lot of peace.
Hi Gary! Hahaha…I don’t know about humble as much as “slow”. Like I said I have been working on this all year and finally got it done. And thank you for all your support and encouragement with all my books. I count you as a fan and a close friend…what a nice combination. I surely hope all writers have friends like you! ~Kathy
I have been following your posts for sometime now and have been able to change some things in my life for the better as a result. Although I don’t have the desire to be a writer I applaud your abilities and wish you success. I haven’t yet purchased any of your books they are on my Amazon wish list. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Barb! Thank you. So nice to hear from someone who has been following the blog for a while. It’s so nice knowing you are out there!!!! Hopefully, you will be one of my “winners” and will get a chance to let me know first hand if you enjoy the book. And even though you don’t want to be a writer, I hope you found some of these lessons helpful no matter what you do. ~Kathy
Congratulations on your new book! I always enjoy reading your blog and look forward to reading this book. I find your blog covers more mindful topics surrounding retirement vs. the financial aspects found in most other “retirement” blogs.
Hi Alison! Thank you. I know there are LOTS of other great blogs out there about retirement and making the most of our lives so I consider your words to be great praise. The good news, in my opinion, is that there are now so many resources reminding us that our lives can continue to grow and blossom if we are willing to adapt as we go. Thank you again for your comment. ~Kathy
Wonderful that you’re sharing this advice. I really value it since you’ve been on both sides of it, using a publisher and then self publishing. I definitely have a book in me!! I went to a training session on self-publishing just last week and this post reiterates much of what they said as well. The main point being – it is in there, just get it out into whatever format you can, it will never be ‘perfect’ but it will be yours 🙂 THANK YOU!
Hi Julia! Thank you for confirming my lessons from what you learned at your training session. I so agree that we can’t let perfectionism or “critics” determine whether we publish or not. Far better to jump in there and FLY! 🙂 ~Kathy
That is my plan! 2018 is my year.
I’m not sure I have a book in me, but I admit that I’ve thought about it before. I will hold on to your generous tips just in case I actually manage to do it. I love the title of your new book and will definitely put it on my “must read” list. I also love that you used that terrific picture of you and your sisters on the cover… so much joy! Congrats on your latest achievement!
Hi Janis! I read your blog post and know you have so many great thoughts that I’ll bet you could put something together as well. And as you know, this is what I call a “blog-to-book” meaning all of these articles were written for this blog. And sure, you can dig around and read them for free, but I’ve found out that when you have so many articles like I do, that people really appreciate them being “collected” under one particular theme. And I’ve also found that some people who never read blogs are more than happy to read it in a printed book form. So nice to allow all the words you’ve written to find a new audience. I hope you know that I’m happy to help if you ever decide you might try it. ~Kathy
Congratulations on another book! I had two books of toddler crafts published by an actual publisher years ago, but they didn’t have the budget to market them. Eventually they stopped printing them. I’m now thinking I might be able to do a better job myself! So I’m going to start investigating that route. Thanks!
Hi Pyjamas! Yes, isn’t it true that most of the time people think a traditional publisher is so much better, but there are things you don’t even know you don’t know–like how you STILL need to do all the advertising and promotion but receive a very little royalty from the sales. Both of my published books are out of print now and I’ve thought about having the “rights” returned to me…but I have a few other complications with that as well. But hey, if you can see yourself reviving those books then go for it. I’m happy to help if I can. ~Kathy
You are proving your generosity once again, by giving so freely of the benefit of your experience. Every point reflects such great advice! Thanks, Kathy, this article will be bookmarked under “Great advice for writers”!
Hi Diane! Thank you. And I happen to know you have a lot of great content on your blog that would make a great blog-to-book as well. Have you thought about it? If I can ever help, let me know. ~Kathy
Yes, I have thought about it, Kathy, and yes, you can help! Thanks for the offer! I’m not yet ready, but will do some research and connect with you about this someday soon. Exciting!
Hi Diane! I KNOW from reading your blog that you too have plenty to write about and/or include in a book. And don’t be concerned if the info is on your website. I think most of us in our demographic love to read it in book form with the focus all worked out for us. Plus, by putting our best blog posts in a book we reach an entirely new audience that doesn’t like to read (or at least regularly read) blogs on the internet. Any time you are ready, just let me know. 🙂 ~Kathy
Congratulations on your books and all that you’ve learned along the way. Great post and it’s giving me a much-needed boost to my own process. Thanks!
Hi Lisa! I hope that I can inspire others by my example. It really is a gift to all of us writers to be able to publish our work these days. Instead of waiting on a select group of others to legitimize our work, we now have the entire world. Good luck to you and if I can ever help, let me know. ~Kathy
Very true. We write because we can’t stop ourselves from writing. That’s how our thoughts and ideas take shape. When we know that others are experiencing similar challenges, we ourselves feel better. Thank you for sharing your publishing experience and good luck with your latest book.
Hi Alex! So true huh? We can overlook a lot and do whatever it takes to get something done when we feel it is our purpose. I’m happy to share some of my own progress to help others. It might not be “easy” but it is rewarding, right? Thank you so much for your comment. ~Kathy
Congratulations on another book, Kathy! I’m getting closer to publication with my memoir. I learned something recently that really made me shake my head. Did you know, if you’re not published by say, Simon and Shuster you have to pay rent for Barnes and Noble to put your book on their shelf. Publishing has lost its mind.
b
Hi Barbara! GREAT! If I can help when the time comes just let me know. And NO! I didn’t know that about Barnes and Noble. I agree that Publishing is DRAMATICALLY different these days but I tend to believe there is more good than bad. The only one of my books that ever made it to B&N was the first one (it was pretty exciting for me to see my book there!!!) but they only had like 3 copies and that was it. And again, except for the ego boost of it, it didn’t increase my numbers a bit. ~Kathy
Congratulations on the new book. I enjoyed Rightsizing, so I think I’ll need to check out Positive Aging….isn’t that what we all want? I’ve been thinking of going the Kindle route with a book idea that I have and this is definitely making me think even more of that.
Hi Jennifer! Thank you. One thing I read early on when I started blogging was that creating a series of books helps with the marketing (and obviously that’s what I needed to work on) because the theory is that if someone likes one of your books, and then sees you have more, they are more likely to buy more. And that has certainly proved to be correct in my case. The first Simple * SMART & Happy did pretty well, but I actually sold more of them after I did the Rightsizing book. I’m hoping I will find an even great audience with this one. And again, if I can help you in any way, just let me know. ~Kathy
Congratulations Kathy! Sound advise as usual but this time on of self publishing. I love your nudge that if you can do so can some one else, not as self deprecating but as encouragement!
Hi Haralee! Oh good. It’s hard sometimes because while I am proud of myself for getting this book done I don’t want to wave it around like a big flag thinking I’m special. And as a fellow blogger you know that much of what we do is spelled P-E-R-S-I-S-T-A-N-C-E! Right? I really believe that more of us can do far more than we always think…but we have to want to! ~Kathy
I always look forward to your next post :-). I’m in that “early 50s but eyeing what’s coming” stage, and think that embracing SMART living at any stage is, well, smart LOL. I try to impress upon my daughter what I’ve learned in the past ten years about simple living, She hears a lot of “ooh, read this article”… LOL. Looking forward to reading the book. Congratulations!
Hi Pam! Thank you so much for telling me you appreciate my posts. It does get a bit lonely out here in cyberspace so it’s nice to know others are out there reading. How great you are able to share thoughts with your daughter about a more simple (and hopefully SMART) life because I’m pretty convinced it makes a huge difference. And even if she doesn’t read them all, it is bound to help you focus on what’s important to you, too. Thank you for the comment! ~Kathy
I will add it to my book list on my blog. Surely spreading the words is what matters these days.
Hi Ann! Thank you. You know that spreading the word these days is extremely important because otherwise, no one will ever know about it. I definitely appreciate any and all sharing! ~Kathy
Congrats on publishing another book Kathy – quite an achievement! I think I’m one of the only bloggers in the world who doesn’t feel the need to write a book. I read dozens and dozens of novels but don’t have a work of fiction in my head either – I guess I’ll just keep plonking away on the blog until inspiration finally strikes!
Hi Leanne! I’m surprised. I read most of your blog posts and think there is at least one book in there too–especially all your SMART thoughts on happiness and wellbeing. If inspiration strikes please know that I would be happy to help you in any way I can. ~Kathy
Kathy-
Congratulations! I love your blog and am sure I will love your book!
Hi Lynne! Thank you. And you know that if you are one of the winners I REALLY do hope you like it. And in that case I’ll beg you for a review on Amazon 🙂 ~Kathy
This is such generous, candid and thoughtful advice, Kathy. I greatly appreciate it. I can’t wait to hear what method Kloe chooses to decide the winners. Is she open to bribes?
Hi Donna! Aren’t you the early-bird today? And your comment reminded me that I never gave those treats you brought for Kloe and Tasha until the next day. For some reason I forgot them (maybe all the excitement or maybe the margaritas) and I didn’t find them until the next morning. They were greatly appreciated and who knows? Kloe might be susceptible to a bribe. 😉 Although I will advise her against it. ~Kathy