Blog Post

2 Step Forward, 1 Step Back

by Kristena Mears
Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

This wasn’t the blog I intended to post today.
I had one all ready to go with grand announcements and timelines of my cover reveal in two weeks and my book launch at end of May. I still plan those and they are in progress, but with all the dates set and plans in the works, I can’t help but be discouraged and I write this today.

After all these years, is it really happening?

My book launch is scheduled for May 23. I’m so excited. I tingle when my mind lingers on this long awaited day. Is it really this close? After all these years, is it really happening?
My cover reveal is even closer. Two weeks! While artwork for the cover is ready, there is still so much to be done; especially since I’m an Indie author. I can still reveal the cover to all my fans, but I’ll just have the front done. When finishing a cover, one step is to create the side binding. This last step can’t be completed until there is an accurate page count so the lettering on the binding can be centered correctly. I never appreciated the importance of this until this last month. I thought the word count was the determining factor.

These last few weeks I have been formatting

These last few weeks I have been formatting. Since this is my debut book, I had never done this before and was at a loss to know where to start. There is so much more work that needs to be put into a book launch as an indie author compared to a traditional author. If I was going the traditional route, this wouldn’t be on my list of needed duties. The publisher would be taking card of all the details.

So why am I discouraged today? It’s not the extra work. I’m enjoying that part. I like having control over every aspect of this process. I’m thrilled that I could choose the book cover and the font and layout. (none of which I could do going traditionally) Then why am I upset and frustrated?

Last night my computer had a systems update. I didn’t have it plugged in and it was running off the battery. Can you guess what happened?
It closed in mid update. It was late, and I was tired from a full day, so I didn’t open it back up until this afternoon.


You know when you get that warning to not shutdown while updating?

You know when you get that warning to not shutdown while updating?
Listen.
My manuscript Word doc had been open, and I lost all the formatting work I had been doing over the last three weeks.
Soooo… today I’m extremely frustrated.
I can still continue with the cover reveal because that only shows what the cover will look like, but I need to start over. This will prevent me from getting the final page count to my designer by the end of this week.

I had added extra time at the end of this process ‘just in case.’

I am still ahead, however. When I started at the end of last month, I had no idea what I was doing. I watched several YouTube’s and read everything I could get my hands on. I tried different thing and found out what worked, what didn’t, and what I liked. The leisurely pace I set is now going to need to convert to a brisk run, but I still have time to meet my goals. I won’t be required to change my launch date as long as I work hard and I hit no other major setbacks. I had added extra time at the end of this process ‘just in case.’

Just don’t call me for any long chats. I won’t have time until after my release next month, that is still planned for May 23rd.

When is the Cover reveal, you ask? Didn’t I say?
Well, April 23rd, of course!

ღ(¯`v´¯)ღ About Kristena Mears ღ(¯`v´¯)ღ¸

Kristena is an award-winning author, speaker, blogger, and self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. She lives near Cincinnati, OH, where she is a supervisor at a large company. She’s been married to her “better half” for 39 years.and has three grown children.
When Kristena’s not busy writing or working, you’ll probably find her nose in a book. She also loves spending time with her family, traveling,
cooking and dabbling in photography

Visits: 78

2 thoughts on “2 Step Forward, 1 Step Back

  1. I’m so sorry you lost all that work. What an awful realization that must have been. You have taught me a valuable lesson Kristina. I often leave my doc open as well and I am also about to self-publish for the first time, so lesson learned. Those overnight updates are dangerous! As you say, the formatting looks daunting, and I know it will be a steep learning curve. Well done by you to forge ahead.

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