PixlBit

For any of you creative types out there, be grateful you live in the 21^st century. Thanks to the advent of the Internet and social media, artists of all stripes now have an unprecedented amount of opportunity to express themselves to the world. Money, connections, and even a higher education are no longer needed—the artist just needs to grab the instrument or device of his choice and create the masterpiece of his dreams. Follow that up with a quick upload to the appropriate site on the Web, and fame is just a click away.

Well, maybe it isn’t quite that easy—with artists of all kinds looking for an audience, one’s work can easily be overlooked amid the countless submissions contributed daily to Youtube, Blogspot, The App Store and the like. I’ve experienced this firsthand with my own work; I’m a writer who has spent the last year crafting a novel. It’s not easy work—the amount of discipline required just to complete the thing was enormous—but sadly, finishing the book was just the beginning of my difficulties.

Upon completion, I was faced with the same question other artists then ask themselves: “Now what?” Be it a book, film, or video game, the work in question isn’t just going to publish itself and amass an instant following. In my case, I knew going the traditional publisher route was probably a needless waste of time. The big companies—e.g. Random House, Penguin, Bantam Books—are notorious for only printing the works of established writers, and the smaller presses aren’t much better. Was it worth the long process of submitting innumerable query letters, sample chapters, copies of my manuscript, and so forth to all these various entities, only to wait months for those inevitable rejection slips?

Fifteen years ago, the aspiring writer had little recourse but to follow this routine; rejection meant simply shelving the manuscript or, just maybe, finding a local printing press to mass produce the book (at great monetary expense). The second course of action would mean paying for the printing of thousands of copies that would have to be stored somewhere, and then peddled out to potential customers book by book. No, the second option also left a lot to be desired.

Fortunately, the last ten years have seen the rise in POD, or “Print-on-Demand” publishers, who not only help small-time, “indie” authors convert their manuscripts into actual books, but also provide the editing, art, and other services expected of a professional distributor. The idea is that, instead of mass producing thousands of books at once, a copy will only be printed when a purchase has been made. This keeps overhead costs extremely low for both the author and publisher, and still means a quality book for the buyer.

Essentially a fantasy for teens (especially for those of the female persuasion), my publisher produced a suitably ethereal cover that captures the mystical vibe of the story.

For example, I chose CreateSpace to be my publisher. A subsidiary of Amazon.com, I worked with a team to convert my story, Miyu’s Wish, into a professionally constructed novel, even employing an editor and cover artist to ensure the book was pristine on every level. Indeed, the writing is polished to the extreme, the interior design looks excellent, and the cover connotes a suitably magical vibe (the story leans towards the fantasy genre).  The book has since gone live on Amazon.com where anyone can easily purchase it—once the order is made, CreateSpace prints out the appropriate number of copies via its POD printer, and the book is then shipped out to the buyer. I receive a decent royalty, Amazon makes its cut, and the customer receives a quality book in a timely matter. Couldn’t be easier.

Of course, POD publishing isn’t for everyone—unless the author is rich, getting word out that his/her book even exists can be a real challenge. But when compared to the alternative of not getting published at all, self-publishing (as some call it) is a valid course to take, with some authors even finding themselves on best-seller lists over the course of time. Most don’t, of course, but at least both the hope and possibility are there.

As for my book, feel free to check it out on Amazon, where both physical and Kindle editions reside. It concerns a hapless guy who, after wishing for a better life, vanishes into the night, never to be seen again. The book then shifts to a girl, named Miyu (pronounced “mew”), who is living an essentially perfect life. But a mysterious boy is invading her dreams, asking her to “return.” Who is he, and what does he really want? What will happen to Miyu if she honors his request?

And I’ll leave it at that—feel free to check out my website at www.miyumoon.com for more info! Also, for any aspiring writer looking for tips or advice, or who simply want to share their own experiences, don’t be afraid to contact me here or on my website. We writers have to stick together.

Incidentally, my book will be FREE tomorrow on 9/12/2013.Yes, if you have a Kindle or tablet with the Kindle app installed, my book can be had and viewed for nothing! So visit Amazon sometime tomorrow to snag a copy!