Publishing conflict: later or sooner

Aaron Shepard is a busy guy. He’s a publisher and author. He’s been an actor. He supports readers’ theater, makes flutes and plays them, and is an authority on self-publishing.

For several years, Aaron’s Aiming at Amazon was the major guidebook for self-publishing authors who hoped to sell their books on Amazon.com.

This was one of the first books I bought when I decided to self-publish in 2008. I learned a lot from "Aiming" and from Aaron’s Perfect Pages, which explains how to produce a book using Microsoft Word. Aaron's POD for Profit updates "Aiming." His From Word to Kindle will be a big help to ebook newbies. Aaron is a frequent contributor to the Yahoo print on demand publishers group, where many people depend on his advice.

Aaron taught me a lot. I’m particularly grateful for this advice: “Set the book aside for a month or two.”

In 2011 I wrote and published eight books. That's much too high a number for a one-person publishing company -- especially when the boss has another business, with employees, to watch over. I learned that it takes much more time and effort to promote a book than to write it. In 2012 I cut way back. (However, 2013 may turn out to be busier than 2011.)

The 100 Worst Self-Publishing Misteaks: How amateurs can publish books like professionals -- or even better was supposed to be published in July of 2011.  

Co-author Sheila Clark and I worked on it intermittently, but now it's almost finished. I learned a lot when I wasn't working on it, and the book will be better because of the pauses. 



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And now some reasons to NOT delay a book:

1. You may lose interest in the subject.
2. The subject may become less relevant to potential readers.
3. There may be fewer potential readers.
4. Someone else may publish a similar book.
5. The similar book(s) may be better than yours.
6. You can't stand reading it again and again.
7. You have come to hate the title.
8. You have come to hate the cover.
9. You delay income.
10. You may become ill, disabled or dead.