self-publishing diaries | the final stretch
The early half of this week has been dotting the i's and crossing the t's on CLOVEN, whose release is pending just after the beginning of the year. The initial proof copy was lost in the mail or swiped from the package room (or has somehow vanished into a dimensional divide along with a bottle of nail polish and some air fresheners) so I had to order another. Given shipping times, I assumed would set me back a few weeks on the release, but I there wasn't much that needed adjusting besides some margin/gutter issues, so I was able to make those changes in the master file, get it approved by the printer, and place an order for my first stack, which given its the 10th, may guarantee me copies before Christmas. It feels like a more wintry book than GRANATA, which was all spring/summer, the first book in the series, so this mid-winter debut seems perfect. There is a third that clicks away at the back of my mind (and actually, some of those collages already exist from a couple years back, I would just need some more to round out a potential new project I could maybe devote this summer to.
As for the process of fine tuning, its much like what I've encountered with trad publishers, though it may just be a question of who is doing all the proofing. Presses across the board that I've worked with have varied greatly in more hands-off publication experiences and more involved editing work. Some wanted to make changes for things like smoothness and consistency, others pretty much wanted the book as/is. I hover somewhere in between in my own editing work, but its a little tougher when its your work. You don't have anyone to blame for a lingering typo that has avoided multiple re-readings and red pen sessions. And inevitably, there is at least one.
This project isn't as lengthy as GRANATA, only around 40 pages, which feels right for a less sprawling story of Iphigenia. It does have the same dimensions and interior style, as well as a cover that brings the first book to mind, complete with the full color collages. In the coming weeks, I plan to work on some more videos and other promo materials to be ready for the official launch. It will be available individually as a signed edition in the shop or as part of the January Patreon bundle (which is actually less / month than the sales price, plus you'll get some other treats.)
I was thinking the other day, when I had to order another stack of an older self-issued volume, DARK COUNTRY, how much releasing my own work has changed my view of what's possible for so much the better. On one hand, the benefits are immediate, like control over timelines and the book's launch into the world. It also feels good and more sure-footed to not be waiting on submissions and schedules and just feeling like there are blocks and bottlenecks that are ultimately a zero sum game, at least for me and my needs/wants. If I could go back a couple decades, as enjoyable as its been to work with other publishers, I'd switch to self-publishing much faster than I did (for zines and chaps, I've been doing it all along through the years, but I've only had the design/layout skills in the past half-decade or so. )
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