Self publishing, my journey so far.

Before I self published I did approach some small publishing houses, I even toyed with the idea of Vanity Publishers. Having received the usual rejections letters or no response at all, which I did half expect, albeit the rejections were not of a negative, saying they liked the story, it just wasn't for them. This set me off in search of selfpublishing options as I really I wanted to get my story out there in the big wide world. I initially looked at Amazons createspace for my paperback version and smashwords for the ebook version but after weeks of deliberation and Internet searching I came across Completely Novel, a Print-on-demand platform, who offer a free and paid packages to publish with.
The free allows you to publish and sell through there site and the paid packages allow you to sell through booksellers world wide, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, waterstones etc.
I started out with the free version but soon went up to the mid package and I have to say how I was pleased I am with their service and with the final product once my book landed on the doormat.
My book is now featured on the above mentioned sites and I have recently signed up with Amazons KDP program, of too which I am very pleased as and my book sales, are slowly but surly increasing. And promoting my product has certainly helped, by using the various social media platforms, I feel Twitter has given me the greatest following, although I do have an author page on Facebook, of which I advise anyone to do and in particular get an author page on Amazon if you use it, as this will give your fan base more info on you as an author. As does my webpage and blog site. I have also joined varying communities for self promotion and use some paid services to promote my work too. And off of the back of this, I now have a literary agent currently reading my book, so hopefully if she feels I have something and everything crossed we can work together to further expand my presence. I will keep you posted on how this goes.

It's been a while....

Well I have been working hard on getting my first book Memoirs of an Ordinary Guy published, firstly I went down the route of crowd funding with Kickstarter but that didn't take off, so I then looked at Britians Next Best Seller, although I had support from both family and friends I didn't make the quota needed to secure a contract. Of course before all that happened I went down the traditional route of approaching various publishing house, some not quiet repeatable as I would have liked (Vanity Publishers), admittedly they welcomed my manuscript but at a cost. The more reputable ones said a nice "Thank you, but not at this time" yes I was a little down hearted, but onwards and upwards I went.
It was then that I approached Completely Novel and started to self publish, now I have my very first book in my hand, of which I am very proud.
So that brings me back to this and continuing to write my next masterpiece.

New coincidence

So here I was, writing another section to the book involving an airship what come on the tv as I write. The Hindenburg. First there was the mouse and now this...mmmmmm me thinks

The re write

Well, here i am nearly 8:30 am uk time and I'm one word away from 6000 words, no suggestions please on the 6000th word. I have revamped and revamped again, read through and read through again and I have to say I am proud of my words so far, the plot is all falling into place nicely.

Early morning writing

Well, it's now just gone 6am, I've been up since 3am working on my words. Working nights does this to you on your nights off. But I can sleep during the day. I find it's my best time to write, in peace and solitude alone with my thoughts.

Nearly 7:30am. I am so pleased to be writing, my story is taking shape nicely.

The mouse

OMG....how funny or should I say spooky is this......I'm sitting here in the kitchen having a cuppa and finally tapping away at my keyboard after a few weeks of writers block...I was just introducing a new character into my new book...A Mouse of all things...why a mouse? It just came to me.
All of a sudden...out of the corner of my Eye I see something scurry across the kitchen floor and disappear under the door...when it re appears what is it? Only a bloody Mouse.
Omg I think it was meant to be.

“Now just hold that there, while I arrange some tea.” She said and disappeared from the kitchen, leaving Gerry alone or so he thought.

“Hello little fella.” He said to the mouse that....

That's what I was writing at the time. And this is how it continued.

“Hello little fella.” He said to the mouse that, caught his attention as it scurried across the kitchen floor.

The mouse stopped dead in its tracks and looked up at Gerry, as if listening to him.

“What is all this?” he asked, How did I get here? More importantly. Why? Why am I here my little friend.”