Why This, Why Now?

After all these years of writing stories and letting them gather computer-dust in my saved files, why now have I decided to start self-publishing? What motivator set this casual train wreck in motion?

There isn't any one good answer. Mostly, I wanted motivation to finish all of the books I had started, the ones I insisted need "a little more polishing" before they were ready for outside eyes. And they did need more polishing - it takes one draft to uncover the bones what you're trying to say, another draft to tell yourself the story, a third draft to let your characters start having a say, and a seventy-eighth draft for it to start resembling the story it was supposed to be. I can't even say with complete confidence that A Lady Never Swears is ready for the public, but what I am ready for is the challenge of putting myself out there and seeing what comes of it.

Secondly, I was tired of playing the "Publish me!" game with the publishing companies. Like so many other writers, I have a whole graveyard of rejection letters from literary agents and publishing companies alike - or, as it goes more often, an assumed graveyard of rejections, since no response is the most common response. Perhaps this self-publishing journey will prove them right, that my work is not yet worthy of readership. But if publishers and agents aren't going to take a chance on me, I have to go ahead and take a chance on myself.

And, most importantly, I wanted to share the simple enjoyment of the stories I have to tell. I've started with romance because I think it is a fun, captivating genre that does not ask too much of the reader but allows them to ride the ups and downs of love at their leisure. Curling up on the couch with a romance is the perfect way for me to relax and unwind, and writing a romance novel gave me so much pleasure that I wanted to share it with more people. If one person, stranger or friend, gets enjoyment out of reading one of my novels, I'll have accomplished what I set out to do all along.

I don't believe self-publishing is taking the easy way out. The farther I progress in this process, the more I realize how daunting self-publishing is. I'm my own designer, editor, author, publisher. There is no real safety net to catch me, no person I can blame if the formatting is wonky or a massive typo is printed. This is a real lesson is full accountability. That isn't to say I have no support - my family and fiancé have been so helpful and supportive of me. Their belief in my success has kept the spark inside me fanned and flaming. But if I publish this book and it looks like shit, well, that's my bad.

Live, laugh, love or something, I guess.

- C.W.