Know Thyself, Writers (And Would-Be Publishers)

There are a thousand little details to take care of when one becomes a publisher, and frankly, I’m more of a Big Picture gal. But I had a fairly good idea of what I was getting myself into before I signed up for this adventure. Still, there have been moments… 

For the better part of January, there have been LOTS of moments as I’ve tackled formatting my manuscript for ebook and print. So I thought I’d share a bit about the process in general. 

There are several avenues one can pursue with formatting: there are free programs that are basic but serviceable and there are programs that come with a cost, providing a few more bells and whistles and continuity if one is planning on writing/publishing lots of books. Or one can hire a professional to format the book, either separately or included in a package deal (for example, the company that creates the book cover might also offer formatting for an added fee). 

As I read all about formatting and costs and such, I was reminded of my newly painted bedroom vs. my newly painted kitchen. 

When I realized my bedroom was long overdue for a new coat of paint, I looked around and eyed the king-sized bed, the dresser, and the chest of drawers. My back hurt just thinking about what it would take to move those heavy pieces of furniture to get to the walls. And to tape all the trim, including crown molding—egads! So I called the painter guy and it cost me more than I budgeted but it was worth it. The room looked fresh and gorgeous and I knew the professional paint job would last for years. Plus, my back thanked me profusely. 

Then there was my kitchen, where I’d had renovation work done. I looked around and eyed the wallpaper; it was time for it to go. Not only that, I wanted to remove the chair rails and paint the walls. 

This time, I decided I’d do the project myself. Because for one thing, there was very little wall space; it was easily accessible, requiring little ladder work. It would be tedious, but it really only required time and attention to detail, both of which I could manage what with a Shutdown going on. And in the end, the kitchen looked pretty gorgeous, too. 

Now back to formatting. I weighed my timeline as well as the time involved to do the project myself. I looked at quite a few different programs and read reviews about finished products and support staff. And of course, I looked at my budget. 

Ultimately, I purchased a formatting program. It was moderately priced and provided extras I wanted. And I knew I had plenty of time since I’ve pushed my deadline way out. Most of all, I was sure that, given all the tutorials, the program would be doable for a do-it-yourselfer publisher. 

I was mostly right. It hasn’t been the easiest part of the process (See “there have been LOTS of moments as I tackled formatting”) but now I have a swell program and know what to do (and what not to do) for the next book. 

So the bottom line? Know thyself! Honestly consider what you can manage, no matter what your writing project may be. Get excited about the Big Picture, but take a good look at the little details, too. And when you’re done, celebrate! In my case, with a nice, long nap…zzzzz.

~Cathy C. Hall

Photo by Magda Ehlers: