Getting Off the Publishing Merry-go round

by Althea Longley
(Brisbane, Australia)

Genre: Suspense Fiction

Facing the 'empty nest syndrome' when the last of my children left home, and fearing that I was becoming 'brain dead' I accepted my youngest son's challange to write a book, regardless of the fact that I knew nothing about writing books. My only qualification I had to offer was that I loved to read. Well, what did I have to loose? And it just might be fun.

Deciding what to write about was a bit of a problem until I realised all I had to do was write about situations and places I was familiar with.

Finally finished, my book, Another Chance, I was certain, was a masterpiece. I printed it out, wrote up a perfect I thought proposal, parceled it up and lovingly sent it off to publishers. I wondered how I was toi decide which publisher I would accept. Oh! I was such an innocent then! The rejections came, and I climbed on the publiushing merry-go-round. This was my great achievement, and I wanted to see it in print! I didn't know I had to be a published author before I could be published!

Having now in my mature years, learned to use a computer, I spent hours on the internet researching all my publishing options. To my amazement, there were pages and pages of them.

I could pay a fortune for vanity press how I hate that expression,but this was not an option as I had not the dollars they asked for.

And then late one night I found it! Lulu.com! It sounded too good to be true, and what's more it was free. I published my book online, and what a thrill to finally see it.

I never started writing to make my fortune. I write because I enjoy it. But it is always good to find an e-mail 'you have royalties' even if they are few and far between

Today I have six books published with lulu. I find it an excellent site, easily navigated, their marketing advice, forums, and very helpful, especially with regards to the live help. As far as I am concerned, self-publishing POD is the way to go

Visit Althea's Love to Read.