Wednesday 30 November 2011

The best time for planning a book...

The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.  ~Agatha Christie

I did it- I finally finished editing my manuscript for The Bittersweet Vine yesterday. I was at it till eleven but at least its done before the festive season. I think it needs another three edits at least before I contemplate sending it off to publishers. I want to see how Goa Traffic does on the Kindle (new edition) before I contemplate uploading TBV. But basically it needs an edit and after the expense of the Goa Traffic Edit I want to give traditional publishing a go first. I think that would provide an all rounder experience for me.

The problem with Goa Traffic is the marketing - once I have exhausted Facebook, Twitter, Linked in and this blog- and I have sent countless press releases where do I go? Do I look to start spending money on advertising – would it be cost effective given that I have to re-coup the costs of the publishing in the first place (back to the editing I guess)

What are my options? I mull this over for a few minutes and realise – I need to put in some leg work- you hear sayings everywhere that say 1) good things come to those who wait and 2) its not worth having if it is easy- you know what I mean … I know deep down that I have to start approaching book stores- and what happened to the retail buyers that I was supposed to call? A big fat nothing- is this because I am lazy? Is this because I inherently feel this is not my department? I am a mere writer not a marketer – in fact marketing was my worst subject back in business school- but hang on I do have a degree in business studies- surely Goa Traffic and marketing a book is just business.

My whole life (i’m talking grown up here) I wanted my own business. Right now I am considering training as a life coach so that I can set up my own business life coaching people – yes there is a market- I am a good listener- yes I actually think I would be quite good at it. But after Iyla Grace (a handbag company a friend and I started that did not get off the ground) I know just how hard having a business can be… It needs your time and dedication. Where I am finding it difficult to fit in a full time job (that is getting busier and busier) writing (and the laborious process of editing – it takes more time than actually writing the first draft –plot and all) and reading – I cant lose that – to be a writer and not read- well that’s not right is it? Plus giving time to my family (people always want time remember that and you have to give it- writing is a solitary hobby and you have to break away from that sometimes)

So I now have a dilemma- basically my plan was to train as a life coach this year so that by April next year (yes a month before the dreaded birthday) I would be able to start my own business in Life coaching – I’m thinking a website … etc but it is going to be hard work and do I have time to train to get a diploma in life coaching as well as doing all the things mentioned above. Will I fit it in with my job? I mean lets be honest I am not going to be able to give up my job and be a life coach full time. And then the marketing of GT and the editing of TBV willl go down the drain but I have to consider this. Writing – my one true passion – yes I now have my own business you could say- the business of writing- I have Goa Traffic under my belt and even Yeoman Publishing, a facility for my publishing my own works.

Ohhhh dilemmas…

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