Day 289 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

THERE'S THE UPS - AND THERE'S THE DOWNS!

OR

CREATIVE INTENSITY, IT COMES COMPLETE WITH A POST-MANIC HANGOVER!

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Everything is set to go. The final edit went okay. The conversion from Word to a .pdf file was seamless. Trying to figure out page numbering in Word was going nowhere fast so I opted for a more direct manual approach. Friggin' problem solved, period.

 

I've put away the late night, thick as mud, French Roast and chicory, and substituted tea once again. All that's left is to run it all past the Editor-in-Wife one last time and then attach it to an e-mail to the printer. The original project estimate was for front and back covers and twenty-four pages. That grew to thirty pages, which I don't find unreasonable, and will raise the overall cost just slightly. I've shot off an e-mail to inquire about the possibility of doing the cover in a gloss stock. In all, I am still very pleased with the product.

 

The amount of energy invested in a project like this is enormous! The outcome, when things work, is highly gratifying. As much as I try to divorce myself from the emotional part of it while carrying on the mechanical work, it lingers just beneath the surface. And, the final result, when I have reached an agreeable end, is a period of lethargy. I just want to curl up with someone elses words for a few days, but I have so many other irons in the fire still that I can't. That's the problem with being a AAA personality type. I am either all in or all out, and all out goes damned nowhere.

 

So tonight will comprise the full extent of my "breather". I will read something written by somebody else. (Actually, I'm kind of cheating that one, too. The book I've chosen to disappear into is Mark Levine's THE FINE PRINT OF SELF-PUBLISHING.) There is never really a moment that isn't a learning experience for me, I guess.

 

There's still the copyright registration, but that's somewhat anti-climactic. The real test will be the debut on November 7th. That will be in front of a mostly 'home turf' crowd, which will be easier than looking out into a room full of strange faces. You would think, after nearly four decades of this, that part would get easier.

 

I'm still soliciting advice or comments from the Internet community on experiences using PayPal as a payment intermediary? How easy and reliable have they been to deal with? What hidden costs, if any, did you encounter? Are you currently using them? If so, what are the pro's that have kept you there. If not, why? Any response would be appreciated.

 

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Meanwhile...live, love, write. Then go take a break!

 

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Tomorrow,

Dane F. Baylis

Author/publisher.