“Try everything once except incest and folk dancing.” We attribute several people to that quote, including Sir Thomas Beecham and Winston Churchill.
I think it is an overall theme for my week.
Things are tough right now. Most of us are experiencing a worldwide stay at home initiative to prevent the spread of some microscopic virus that can take down the greatest of humans. Our kids are schooling at home, something that my kids have been doing since infancy. People are working from home, or not working at all. The industries that were previously looked down upon by the elite have been deemed essential and revered as heroic. There are earthquakes that have rattled sleepy cities, and pestilence, and famine. There was a run on toilet paper. And that is seriously something I cannot understand or get over. It’s weird, and for some very scary. It’s a series of firsts for millions of humans.
I had a huge first this week. I have many clients that have unique challenges. Some have disabilities or are technology challenged. I work with all ages of people. I have a twelve-year-old client and a 78-year-old client. I work with a variety of skill levels, and I do my level best to help each one achieve their goals. This week, I was very disappointed in my inability to meet the demands of one of my clients. The result was a dissolution of the contract. It was a first.
I have never cancelled a contract with a client before. I have always done my best to meet whatever challenges arose and meet those head on. I won’t lie, frustrations occur. I may cuss, scream, cry, and possibly end up in the fetal position while watching Lord of the Rings and gluttonously devouring chips and hummus. I am not without shame. However, I always work it out and cross the finish line. We are most of the time jubilant, but sometimes we will crawl across the line, huffing and puffing, relieved that it is over. I had both kinds of experiences this week. But that one, the one I couldn’t help, it eats at me.
What I am learning is that firsts, and mostly failures, teach us. We can come away from those things with a newfound courage or a desire to never do that again. But there is always a satisfaction that you at least did it once. This cancelled client taught me I have limits and self-respect, and I hope that I never have to cancel a contract ever again.
This week, I helped one of my clients upload their book onto a platform I had not previously recommended before 2020. I have another client talking about using the “jacket cover” feature on IngramSpark that none of my clients have previously used. She is working with her cover designer to get that done. I hope it turns out nice. I have another client working on her children’s book, and going through that formatting process is new and presenting some challenges for her, but she is tackling it like a trooper. It helps that she has an awesome editor/book coach to encourage and support her every step of the way. Each one of these firsts is exciting and terrifying. I hope they each yield some good learning experiences and courage for each of my clients.
Publishing your work is not for the faint of heart. You are asking the world to read something you created and criticize you for it. It may be a first that you haven’t tackled. My recommendation is to not put it off. It isn’t incest or folk dancing, it’s publishing. There are many people with skills to help you accomplish your goal. Take on the challenge, get yourself a good support network and team, and cross that finish line. There is no greater feeling than to accomplish a tough goal.
You have time right now. What else are you doing but sitting around in your pajamas and binge-watching Netflix? Get that book done. If you need a free consultation, or encouragement, contact me and I will do my best to help you accomplish your publishing goal.
I’m sorry you had to cancel a client this week. Sometimes, we don’t work well with another person. That’s part of life. What do you think of an indie author co-op where each other contributes skills they have (like editing, proofreading, formatting or cover design) in exchange for skills they DON’T have from another in the group (like the above or cover design or marketing)? Do you think such a co-op could succeed? I love my small publisher but they reverted rights back to me on one book and shut down the other series I had planned to submit my SIXTH book to this fall because it wasn’t selling as well as others they have). My indie titles stress me out though because I hate trying to find “all the people” who will do a professional job on my book. What are your thoughts on this?
Hey Sharon. I like the idea of having a resource of people to refer clients to. I don’t know if I would call it a co-op, but I do have several people with various skills in my “arsenal of tools.” So I do book formatting and cover design. But for covers that need more pizzazz, I have some other artists that I refer out to. I do internal formatting, but if a client needs a more artistic interior (children’s books), I refer them to a really great company that is tried and true. I could always use more because of varying artistic style and genre specs that are needed. Those matter. So I guess, I save my clients some of that heartache because I help point them toward people that can serve their needs. I am the go between on the whole process so that they don’t feel alone and aren’t searching on their own.
So, I guess to answer your question, yes. I do believe that a co-op could work. However, trade would have to be worked out on a case by case basis. I firmly believe that the advantage to indie publishing is that the author is in complete control and makes that initial investment for a more long term benefit. So having a network at your disposal is a luxury that many wish that they had. I am glad that I am able to point my clients toward people that can help them accomplish those many tasks, if I can’t do it myself.