Writer… or Publisher?

I’m an independent writer, so I wear two hats… not at the same time of course. That would be silly! But while I love to lose myself in a story I’m writing, I also have to find time for the publishing side of my business. When I first considered foregoing the agent / Big Publishing House route, that side of the business stymied me. After all, I didn’t have any books available for anyone to buy, so how could I afford to hire a cover artist or someone to format my stories into books?

I couldn’t. But I could learn to do those things myself. And so, my educational journey began, and to my absolute astonishment, the part that terrified me the most (covers!) became one of my favorite tasks. As to formatting, well, I’ve done it in various ways over the years, but I’ve settled on a great software program called Vellum. It does a spectacular job!

But back to covers. Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time scrolling through art work on my favorite stock photo sites looking for just the right image for an upcoming release. After choosing a couple of pictures, I downloaded comp versions (watermarked for safety) and plugged them into my cover template in my design software. A picture can look great on the site, but be totally wrong once I pull it into my template, add text and overlays, and generally make it conform to my brand. It took me a couple of tries, but I finally found a stock photo that conveyed the feeling I wanted. Then, and only then, I returned to the site and bought the right to download and use the chosen image.

Who knew that in order to be a successful writer I’d need design software, photo manipulation software, and the self-confidence to use them? Certainly not me!

When I began this journey, I expected to just write my stories. Other people would deal with the rest of the process. But after I signed with a prestigious NY agent, I discovered I wasn’t happy letting other people dictate my writing career. I especially disliked having others tell me what I could and couldn’t write. I fired my agent…. and then worried about what I’d do next. Fortunately, I’ve never been afraid to learn a new skill, and learning to wear a publisher’s hat was just that: a new skill to be mastered.

Not that it’s ever mastered. Nope, just like writing, there are always new skills to be learned!

About Debbie

Debbie Mumford specializes in fantasy and paranormal romance. She loves mythology and is especially fond of Celtic and Native American lore. She writes about faeries, dragons, and other fantasy creatures for adults as herself, and for tweens and young adults as Deb Logan.
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