How I Got Pre-Publishing Perturbation

Right now I’m feeling a little unsettled.

In my head, I’ve committed myself to blogging my process to publication to hopefully provide a useful guide to myself and others in the future. I’ve already posted on one of the ways I got beta-readers and tons of useful feedback (thanks again, FB NaNoWriMo group!) and I plan to go back and fill in the blank steps beforehand later.

But it would feel dishonest to post this particular step out of order. Because this is me, a few days out from my planned publication date, apparently going stir-crazy. I’ve decided to call it Pre-publishing Perturbation, because I’m apparently three years old and I’ve always liked alliteration.

 

It’s even more insane because everything’s going great. I’m working on incorporating the beta reader feedback. I’m sending out feelers to get reviews and increase awareness. I’ve decided on my marketing plan (which I’ll do a full post on in future to share the good and the bad): start in KDP Select, build up a minimum of 10-15 reviews, then do a free promo and market the crap out of that. After the 90 days, drop out of KDP Select and go onto other platforms.

Simple, right? But for some reason, I’m wandering the corridors at home like a zombie. My head feels like it’s been stuffed full of cotton wool. There’s just so much to think about and organise, without even counting the old writer fear of not knowing if it’s good enough, if maybe I should wait another two months and just keep polishing this baby, because it’s not perfect yet.

And it’s okay. Because I know this will pass. And I know what every other professional writer out there will tell me: get over yourself and keep moving. And I know I will, eventually. I just feel like I have to document this… feeling. Of constantly getting up. Of being agitated without knowing exactly why. Of watching the words blur in front of me. It occurred to me during one of the moments when I was pacing the corridor that I’m behaving exactly like a woman about to give birth, walking around to ease the cramps, hand on belly, constantly aware of the book baby.

So perhaps this is just a stage that everyone goes through. How about you? How do you cope?

 

 

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