Writer Beware!

Happy First Anniversary 
to the Insecure Writer's Support Group website!
To visit, click here.

If you'd like to see that first post,
click here.

To become a member of the IWSG,
click here.



Last spring, as a newbie member of the IWSG,
I volunteered to co-host October's IWSG Post Day.

What's that old Alexander Pope adage?
“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”



Little did I know that it would be an anniversary day.

Nor did I know that it would be a day of posts
for an eBook anthology that the IWSG team is publishing:
The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond.

Nor did I know that all IWSG members, Facebook members, and followers were invited to contribute.

Do I know how to pick a month to volunteer, or what?
LOL!




Joking aside, I am thrilled to be a co-host 
on such an auspicious day!

My wonderful co-hosts who are stepping up to help 
IWSG founder Alex J. Cavanaugh today are
Kristen Smith, Elsie Amata, and Suzanne Furness.
Visit them, thank them, and follow them (if you haven't yet).

I hope everyone has had fun this past month
writing and polishing his or her contributions.

I worked on a piece about writing.
Then a few days ago Alex sent out a request 
for contributions on publishing and marketing.

Yikes!  I haven't published my book yet.
Actually I'm still writing it.
So out I crawled on a long skinny tree limb,
and I came up with a piece on publishing ~
300 words exactly, Captain Ninja!
I can't pare another syllable.

Here are directions for submitting your contribution 
of 200-1000 words to the IWSG eBook anthology:

1.  Anthology submissions of 300 words or less can be posted 
     as your contribution for IWSG Post Day.

2.  After you have posted on October 1, 
     go to this page on the IWSG website
     and enter your link at:
     http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-guide-to-publishing-and-beyond.html
     The deadline for submission is Thursday, October 2, 2014.

3.  If your anthology submission is over 300 words,
     email it to theIWSG@gmail.com  
     also by October  2nd. 

4.  Be sure to state which category you are contributing to,
     add a one-line by-line, and permission for the IWSG to use it in
     the eBook anthology.

So here's my contribution:  
Title:      Writer Beware!
Topic:     Publishing
By-line:  Louise MacBeath Barbour (Fundy Blue) 
               Blog:  Standing Into Danger @ http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

Permission:  The IWSG has my permission to use Writer Beware!
                     (text and photos) in its eBook anthology.

Don't let the word Beware scare you,
my post is meant to be helpful.



****************************************   
Writer Beware!


It’s a heady time for writers.

The Internet has cracked open publishing

like a gull dropping a clam on a rock

to get at the mollusk inside.

Never has publishing a book

seemed so accessible.

Fundy Gulls on the Hunt

But writer beware!

Publishing is riddled with pitfalls

that can thwart your plans

like Fundy rocks can frustrate a hungry gull.

Fundy Rocks

Nova Scotia, Canada

I'm no famous author.

I've written reports,

published articles and a short story,

presented at literacy conferences,

and established a blog with a growing readership.

I'm writing my first book

and imagining it on bookstore shelves.

But I have observed several writers

as they wrote, published, and marketed their books:

It's a tough mollusk to crack.

There is a surfeit of information

available on publishing a book,

and there are many ways to publish.

Most can cost you more

time, energy, and money

than you ever dreamed.

What have I scavenged

as I observed writers in my life

strive to accomplish their goals?

1.  It takes grit to publish a book.

2.  You must be very clear about your purpose for publishing 

      and the time, energy, and money you can invest.

      These will determine which publishing route you take.

3.  You'd better understand your chosen route thoroughly.

4.  It's worth the cost to have a lawyer 

     examine any contract before you sign it.

5.  Know your legal rights 

     and protect the copyright to your book diligently.

Can you publish your book?

Yes:  I’ve seen the most surprising people publish!

Is it worth it?

Sometimes:  But you can increase your odds for success

with a keen awareness of your purpose, resources, and rights.

Like a gull searching for a suitable rock,

you can use your intelligence, experience, and resourcefulness

to crack open publishing

and extract your dream.

Gulls on Peter's Island

Between Long and Brier Islands, Nova Scotia

Meet you on a bestsellers bookshelf somewhere soon!