My First Month as a Self-Published Author

It's been a month since Underwear Probation went live on Amazon and it's been very exciting for me.

Before I self-published, I had three other books out that were produced by a publisher. That was nice because someone else did the work and sent it to me to approve. But, I wanted to see if I could do it myself.

I've been fascinated by epublishing, and self-publishing in particular, for quite some time. I love the idea that old publishing rules are out the window---books come in all lengths and price ranges and topics now. The option to self-publish appeals to my rebel nature, though some might say that I just like to be in charge.

I was particularly intimidated by the idea of designing a cover, but I did it and it was fairly easy, especially compared to what I expected. I get a sense of accompishment when I see it because it reminds me that I did something that I wasn't sure I could do.

But, beyond the advancements of my tech know-how, the real thrill has been checking my sales (ok, sometimes obsessively) each day. Not because I'm getting rich, but because each sale gave me a little thrill.  Someone bought my book! If you bought Underwear Probation I might not have known that you specifically were the person who bought it, but you should know that each time I saw my sales numbers go up by a sale or two, it made me smile and sometimes cheer. Even if my sales number only goes up by one number each day, I get a little giddy nonetheless. So, please know that your purchase is sincerely appreciated and it made me smile and possibly dance around a little bit.

I get royalty checks from my publisher for my other books, but they usually come months after the books were sold. I like getting the checks, but there's something about knowing right away that books have been sold that really motivates me to keep writing.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to both self-publishing and working with a publisher and each writer should make the decision that works best for them. But, for the last month, self-publishing has been pretty exciting for me.

Thanks everyone for your support and kind words.

And---if any of you have questions about self-publishing, I'm no expert, but I'm happy to share what I know. My contact info is in the tabs at the top of the page so feel free to email me with any questions you have.