So many people have a book inside them, just waiting to get out. But like so many other projects in life, you may have temporarily shelved your idea of self-publishing a book. But now you’re determined: It’s 2022 — the year you will self-publish your first book.
The team at Izzard Ink knows that authors put off finishing their book for a number of reasons. Do any sound familiar to you?
Writer’s Block
Writer’s block is an unpleasant phenomenon experienced by many writers. Stemming from anxiety, writer’s block paralyzes your brain, causing you to freeze up when you sit down to write. Even if you have an outline for your book, you may struggle to get out each sentence or each word.
Although you may not yet be a published author, that doesn’t mean your writing isn’t legitimate work. And doing a good job at work is challenging when you’re dealing with difficulties in your life. For instance, post-holiday blues are common and can last until spring. You may have a history of anxiety or depression, you may be dealing with a health issue, financial hardship, problems with a family member or relationship — any of these issues can affect your ability to concentrate on your work.
If your writer’s block goes on for weeks or months, consider consulting a mental health professional for help.
Procrastination
Unlike writer’s block, procrastination is more of a garden-variety problem that can be to blame for a lot more than neglecting to work on your book. People procrastinate about work, exercise, starting a diet, turning off the TV and a million other tasks.
According to a recent New York Times article, the root of procrastination lies in negative moods. The issue could be self-doubt, fear or generalized anxiety. Procrastinating feels like a reward, because avoiding the activity means avoiding the deeper issue. Over time, procrastination could lead to serious mental health issues in addition to more obvious problems such as getting in trouble at work, living in a dirty home or even meeting financial ruin.
Many people beat themselves up over procrastination, believing that if they just put their mind to it, they could overcome it. If this is not possible for you, it is not a character flaw. Make another New Year’s resolution to get help when you need it — without feeling ashamed.
It’s Too Hard
Admittedly, good writing — and rewriting — takes a lot of time and effort. But like the Chinese proverb says, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Sometimes it helps to break your project down into smaller steps. Plan to write a certain number of pages or complete x hours of research each day. It’s good to set daily goals rather than weekly in order to help you resist the temptation to leave it all until the end of the week, when it will seem overwhelming.
Fear It Isn’t Good Enough
Many authors — and creative people in general — have moments when they’re racked with anxiety about whether their project is good enough, and whether it will be well-received, panned or ignored. But you will never know if your book is any good if you don’t publish it.
The good news is, when you self-publish a book, there are no publishing houses twisting your arm to change the story, characters and plot, or to add more sex, violence or drama. You have all the control over the end product. The editors at Izzard Ink can help you develop your book, but their level of input is entirely up to you.
Other Things Get in the Way
Especially if you are busy with your day job and your family, you may feel like you don’t have time to write your book. Sometimes this can seem like an excuse, but other times it’s legitimate. If your boss makes you work a lot of overtime, if the demands of young children and aging parents are constant, it can be hard to carve out time for yourself.
Former President Barack Obama had trouble finding the time to write his first book, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance until he sequestered himself in a remote location, where he was able to finish the book in time. You may not have the luxury to retreat to the mountains or the shore to finish your book, but you might want to consider taking some vacation time or hiring a sitter to make it easier to set aside a block of time to finish. If you wait until you have time to self-publish a book, it may never happen.
Worry It Won’t Get Published
Many would-be authors obsess about whether they will be able to get a contract for the book they’re writing. In the traditional publishing world, it’s rare to get the attention of a major publishing house without having an agent. It’s best to write up a book proposal and at least one chapter to show to agents while you are looking for one to represent you. Potential agents might have suggestions for you. There is merit to the argument that putting so many hours of effort into writing a book may be all for naught if you can’t get a contract.
However, this is not a concern when you self-publish a book. You don’t have to wait for anyone’s OK or approval — you self-publish your book when you believe you are ready to do so.
Self-Publishing with Izzard Ink
One reason authors choose self-publishing is to retain more control over the final product, but others welcome input. The good part about working with Izzard Ink is that we have dozens of experienced professionals to help you with every aspect of writing a book — but only if you want these services. You are completely free to use your own editors, illustrators, graphic artists and distributors, or to use none at all.
To learn more about how to self-publish a book with Izzard Ink, contact us today.
