DIY

When it comes to my titles, I do it all.  I'm not only the author, but also the editor, the formatter, and the cover designer.  I'm even the photographer for the book covers.  And I do all my own marketing.  I'll also claim the title of caterer, since I rarely finish a project without having to get up and fix one or both of the kids a snack.  I swear they're hungry all the freakin' time this summer!  Must be going through a major growth spurt…  Anyway, I don't have the luxury of hiring expensive professionals and I don't have an extensive circle of friends who are all experienced writers themselves.  There's no one to reach out to when my work needs edited.  I don't have a friend who's a librarian or a sister who's an English professor or an Uncle who's a magazine editor.  I have only myself to rely on.  How does this compare me to other authors?  Does it make me better?  Probably not.  Does it make me less deserving of my readers?  I certainly hope not. 

The upside to doing everything yourself is the accomplishment of it all, the bragging rights.  I get a good feeling when I tell someone that I not only wrote the book but also shot and designed the cover myself.  The downside, of course, is that I spend more time on all these other things and less time writing.  I want to just sit and lose myself in my storytelling, but I have to juggle all these things.  I need to be thinking about the next book cover and formatting the next print edition and posting updates on forums and creating a public personality on Facebook and Twitter.  And let's not forget that my first and most important job is a stay-at-home dad…and nap time only lasts so long.  And never mind that they just had lunch, they're so hungry! 

Seriously?  How many peanut butter sandwiches can two kids eat?  …Okay!  Fine!  I'm getting up!  …Again!