During our conversation, I learned that she started on the book last fall, and here it is summer, and she has her book published and is having a book signing! I think that happened pretty rapidly, and it convinced me to begin working on my book projects sooner rather than later. I am currently completing a qualitative research project about homelessness among adolescent mothers in Chicago, and purposed within myself, that after I finished the research articles, I would begin to write 1000 words daily toward the completion of my books. However, being the social entrepreneur that I am, there is no set date that the research will be completed: It is a very complex process that I am endeavoring alone (I will never, ever take on the responsibility of a research project without adequate funds to hire staff again). If I stick with my plan to write 1000 words of my books once I have completed this research project, who knows when my books will be done!
So now I have purposed to start writing 50 words per day toward the completion of my books, and instead of waiting until the indefinite date of when I complete my research, I will begin on August 4, 2008. Writing 50 words daily is not difficult to do, especially since I love to write: I am sure that there will be many days when I exceed 50 words. Nevertheless, I will not pressure myself to write more than 50 words daily.
I had given some thought to, and have done some research about my options when it comes to publishing. Initially, I thought that self-publishing might be the best way for me to go. Then, a little later, I thought it might be good to search for a publishing company. However, after talking to my former co-worker who has published her book, I have once again decided that I will self-publish. There are benefits to self-publishing and to being published by an established publisher. Of course, I will enjoy the autonomy that self-publishing provides. I was further persuaded to self-publish once my former co-worker shared information she had learned from a seminar she attended. I don't remember who she said the author was, but he hosted a seminar, and talked about how 20 publishers rejected his book manuscript: Many told him that he couldn't write. I shared with her that I had read about a mystery novel writer, who before she was first published, received 160 rejection letters from publishers: Talk about tenacity! Anyway, the author whose seminar my co-worker attended, decided to self-publish due to the rejection from 20 publishers. His book became very successful, he was featured on the Oprah show, and within 1 hour, he sold 1 million copies (talk about the power of Oprah). As a result, he enjoyed the financial merits both of authoring and publishing his book. My former co-worker, who also self-published her book, suggested that these experiences (i.e. hers and the successful authors) were confirmation that I should self-publish my books when I write them. Say no more--I think that self-publishing will be the best option for me as well.
So now, the procrastination has to cease. I have these book ideas, and it is time that I start writing the books. As the Nike slogan so eloquently states, I'm going to "Just do it". Until the next blog,
Lillian S. Harris
"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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