When someone else publishes your book you have a buffer between you and your insecurities.
You can doubt your book from morning ’til night but still go to sleep knowing that “at least someone else thinks the book is worth publishing.”
But when you self-publish, it’s just you and your insecurities.
Most days, I hold them at bay.
I remind myself that I’m the worst critic I know and even I love my book. I remind myself that my agent also loved the book. So what if a few dozen publishers didn’t love it enough to throw money at it. Some of the best books also happen to be the most rejected books.
That’s what I tell myself.
But self-doubt is always looming close by. Like this morning, as I prepped the book for the printer. I’m still not sure if I selected the right printer. Between Lightning Source, Lulu, Fast Pencil, CreateSpace and so many others, it’s not easy knowing you’ve made the right choice.
But making decisions, right and wrong, is part of self-publishing.
Which means self-doubt is also part of the process.
Better to just accept it and move on.
Self-doubt or not, The Tourist Trail is coming to bookstores near you very soon…