Now, we all know that it takes a certain talent, a certain way with words that entitles you to become an Author. Not just a writer because anybody can write but a published Author.
I have heard stories that the publication process can be a real bitch. It shouldn't be considering that your work is being reformatted from a five subject notebook to a soft and/or hard bound masterpiece. I think a lot of those people were too impatient, like most of America is. You have to be patient if you want it to look its best for shelf life, and the eyes of your potential readers. The saying "You can't rush art." fully applies.
Here is a rundown of how my publication process went and the joy I had entirely throughout. I am a patient person and I realize that the company is not just working on my book, but more than likely, several other authors before me and after me. So keeping that in mind, the process was fun.
Once I had a complete manuscript, edited by my own personal editor and long time friend/brother, Austin, I began the search (well, I had been searching here and there throughout it's completion) I discovered a list of publication houses that dealt with poetry and I spent a good two hours generating a list of web sites.
I started going down that list, visiting web page, after web page, reviewing their various submission guidelines, I came to the conclusion after viewing close to 75 sites, that my time spent generating and searching was all for nothing. All for nothing except a short education in submissions.
Each and every guideline stated that they would either A.) not accept unsolicited manuscripts or B.) they would accept them but would throw them into a slush pile for a slight possibility of actually reading it. An unsolicited manuscript is a manuscript that is not backed by an Agent. If an agent is representing a manuscript it seems more ligit rather than a manuscript that quite possibly was written in two weeks.
So I went on the hunt over the internet for an agent to represent me. I considered self publication but more of a last resort because I knew my writing was worthy of being published and if it absolutely came down to it where I had no luck, I'd go the self publishing route. I just somehow knew that I'd always be published, ever since I started writing. It was my dream that I was damn sure, I was going to make come true.
I found an agent whom after my, I guess you could call it an application but more of a critique on my work, was willing to represent me and get my manuscript published. It was almost the one year mark of my contract with the agency, when a publishing company took an interest in my work. This, I believe was right around my birthday; either on the day itself or a couple days before/after. Nice B'day present!
After submitting a couple of things to the would be future publisher, they told me to submit my manuscript to them because they thought I might be a good fit as one of their Authors. I submitted my manuscript and they told me that they recieved it and to wait two weeks because of all the many manuscripts that they were to review. Four days later, I recieved an email from them saying that they wanted to publish my work.
To see that in my INBOX was a complete shock and awe! My jaw dropped and I became slightly sweaty. I just stared and zoned out the rest of the world around me. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I was immediately overwhelmed with such a joyful feeling, it was like I found god or something. I ended up closing out the email and then reopening it again to read it over again, like my eyes were misled. I ended up laughing aloud, like a mad man and right away called my fiance, Cortney, at work to tell her the grand news. She started crying tears of joy because her baby was now to be a published author.
I electronically signed the contract and the publication process begun, for Map of a Distorted Mind. The crew at Strategic Book Group/Eloquent Books were extremely cordial towards me throughout its process. For every step of the way, it was skillfully coordinated as I dealt with one department after the other was finished. Versus all of it at once. I was able to sign off on every stage and they never once, told me to change my work.
I don't compromise my writing. I just don't. It's written the way it's written because that's how I intended it to be read. I was not about to be published under the conditions that I change a line or two or however many first, in order to be published. They respected my work and I believe they have a lot of faith in me that I will come through.
Department after department, once completed there was a steady point close to the release date where nothing was happening, no emails were coming through. I would say this stagnant point was the worst and only because it was all finished and I was just anticipating its release ASAP. After a couple of months of inactivity, Map of a Distorted Mind, was released in July of 2010.
As of this morning, I was able to preview my royalty report and see a clearer reality. Clearer than when it was initially released and I held that freshly printed copy of my book in my hands. When I logged onto my royalty report webpage, I saw that I accumulated 31.00 in sales just in the first month. In the first month of its release I sold 12 copies of my book.
It may not appear to be a lot to some of you, but to me 12 copies is an amazing amount for just the first month of being available to the public. Writing has always been about the passion and sharing my work with anybody who was willing to listen or read it. It has never been about the money, although the extra money is nice, it simply is a hobby that I would one day like to be able to just do without working for a corporation.
Paying the bills by my writing would be the next big dream of mine but until then, I will just keep the passion alive and eventually I will get there. Altogether, this book took me a total of ten years to complete; 8 years of material, 2 years for the publicaton process to complete.
It doesn't stop with Map of a Distorted Mind, this is only the begining. I currently am juggling between writing three other books to be published. I have a whole book shelf in my head, so you all will have something to look forward to.
If you put your mind to it...
