Sorry For The Delay

Many of you have asked, "Where the heck is the book?"

It's currently out in the world seeking a publishing home. I never thought it would take this long to go from what I believed to be a finished manuscript to a book available for purchase. As a first time author, there is a lot I don't know about publishing a book.

Here are some of the lessons learned so far:

1. What you think is obvious and clear doesn't make it so because of the strength of your belief. Feedback strengthens your ability to connect.

2. Telling people that a book is coming needs to be carefully managed so that there isn't such a long gap between blabbing about it and delivering the product. Duh.

3. There's more to publishing than just writing a book. It's a business in the middle of massive changes. Ultimately, art and commerce must converge. An author needs to understand the requirements of both writing and marketing. I'm learning.

4. Reading ain't what it used to be. People seem to want their spiritual nutrition in concentrated, easily digestable bites. The Visionmaker is demanding and that goes against the trend.

5. Finding the right partnership between an author and a publisher is like meeting your mate. It requires tenacity, resiliency and commitment.It can take a while.

6. Rejection is normal. You can't take it personally or see it as a condemnation of your work.

7. The process of writing is initiatory. It demands that you create something from nothing every day. Whether your work gets published or not, you are a stronger person as a result.

8. Persistance is everything. Taking positive steps every day keeps the process of creativity rolling along and staves off the temptation to become impatient.

9. Sometimes, it's better to give yourself some time to re-read your manuscript several months after you think it's finished. You'll discover a whole world of ways to improve on what you thought was perfect. You see things on the page that were previously invisible, revelations that are less than becoming. Self-hynosis is an early stage of delusion.

10. Never tell anyone that you have completed a second book prior to publishing the first one. Ooops.

© Patrick O’Neill 2010. All rights reserved