Today I took that step into the unknown and uploaded the final draft of a short story that I have been working on to Amazon Kindle for self-publishing.
Writing the story was the easy bit, it flows from you without the need for conscious thought. Then comes the hard bit. You have to read through it objectively not once but a number of times and the more you do this the harder it is. You have to study all angles: does it read well? Is it interesting? Have I used repetition? Will the reader understand what I am trying to say?
So over the last few months on this 13,000-word story I have poured both heart, mind and soul into this creation. A week ago I started the process of signing up for an Amazon Kindle self-publishing account (KDP). Again time to use the conscious part of the brain, oh dear! What to write on the blurb? How to make it stand out? Choosing a picture and the font style for the cover.
It all came together, and I finally hit the upload button. Of course, it isn’t over at this point. In the ideal world, it would sell itself. I could go back to step one with a new story and channel my creativity or maybe editorial step 2 with the other stories in various stages of completion on my flash drive.
Now comes the nail biting part. Will anyone buy, read, like it…or will it slip into the nether world of stories lost on the ether never to be read? So how do I ensure that my labour of love over the last few months doesn’t end that way?
If you would like to read it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S2MRJEI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_
Maria Gibbs 