I've had quite a few days now to really think about my decision to print my books through Createspace instead of publish with someone, and I'm still very happy with the idea. While I haven't completely ruled out sometime trying to get published with OakTara, I have decided I want to be an indie author. I definitely feel it's the right thing for me. I like doing this on my own, and I know I'm going to enjoy doing all the work that's required, the cover, interior formatting, etc. because I've always enjoyed doing that kind of stuff. Also, being a completely independent author, I almost feel as if my books will be more in God's hands. Not that they wouldn't have been if I'd been published with a traditional company, but since self-published/printed books don't seem as likely to succeed it will make it just that much more exciting and satisfying to see what He will do with them. Even if I reach just one person, I'll still have reached my goal, because that one person will obviously have been the reason God gave me the inspiration to write my books. My books will go wherever and become whatever He plans regardless of how I get them out to the world if it is the way He wants me to, and I have no doubt He led me to Createspace.
Now, for a little update on my actual writing process. I've been trying to get back into Makilien the last couple of days. It's been a little difficult after working so hard and researching everything I needed to for printing Every Tear, but I'm slowly getting back too it. I also started thinking about what I should call each individual book since "Makilien" is really the name of the trilogy and I came up with three one word titles that I think are very fitting for each book. Book one is Truth, book two is Courage, and book three is Trust. They are each the central theme of that book.
Lastly, an update on Every Tear. Mom is just about finished with the final edit, which leads me to address the fact that, no, I do not have a professional editor. I by no means think my work is perfect, but I just can't afford that kind of service, and I think my mom is a really good editor. We've spent hours going over my writing, and I'm very happy with what we've achieved between the two of us. So that is nearly finished. I finally bought the cover image the other day, the one of the crying eye that I wrote about in a post from last year. I've been waiting to buy that picture for over a year, so it was very exciting. I also found and purchased a very nice "piratey" font that I love for the title on the cover, so it's getting very close now. I just need to create the cover and Mom will work on the back cover text as soon as she's done with the chapters. As soon as I'm finished with the cover, I'm going to create the book trailer for Every Tear. I already have the "first draft" made, and I will post it here as soon as it is finished. So there's a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks, and I can't wait to keep updating on my progress.
Later in the afternoon yesterday Mom started working on my cover layout. We just worked more on it this afternoon too. I've been watching and telling her the different things I have in mind and it has come together amazingly. We really haven't worked on it that long, but I think it's pretty much finished. I can hardly imagine having any publishing company do this for me. It is WAY too much fun to do it ourselves.
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