Launch Postpartum

[Ryan]

After four and a half years, I've finally released my multimedia memoir into the world. I'm calling it Indie published because there was nothing "self" about any of it. Editors, book designers, website dude, ebook and multimedia ebook designer, and musicians were all involved. Again...there is nothing self about self-publishing if you are striving for a professional product but that's another topic.

Lots of new names/faces around. I was really active on this site for a few months back in the beginning of 2010 but a kiddo, book-book-book-book stuff, kiddo, another kiddo on the way, more book-book-book stuff, and remodeling sort of puts a damper on your Forum time.

Anyways, all the links went live about two weeks ago. I expected complete elation but found emptiness. It wasn't a feeling of, "What next?" but just emptiness. I am told it's an artist's postpartum of sorts. Anyone else experience the same thing after launch?

I have since snapped out of the funk by taking a 1500 mile road trip with Big Head, the new dog, in the story, and my seventeen-month old son. We visited my old dog's grave in California, the one on the cover of the book. It was just what I needed to fill the emptiness.

Cheers

Ryan

[Quill]

Cool! Good on you!

I visited your site, and read some of the first chapter on Amazon.

Looks like you've put a lot of work into this project, and it shows. How did you assemble your production team (editors, cover, book, website designers)?

I'll check out some of the videos when I get more time. Interesting idea to key them into the book. Multimedia. I like it.

Good luck with the marketing!

[Ryan]

Thanks for the kind words Quill. Are you from down under? I'm asking because you pulled out the, "Good on you..."

How did you assemble your production team (editors, cover, book, website designers)?

The team sort of just came together through referrals. Portand, Oregon is a giant village with a lot of talent so it's good for that kind of thing. If I had to design the book and ebook and build my site to my vision I wouldn't launch until 2020. I used what little retirement money I had saved from my years of teaching in San Francisco to pay for it all, but I'd rather have a book out in the world than worry about eating in thirty years.

I have credits with contacts here...http://www.withoutrain.com/extras/credits/

Happy to answer any questions. I had a lot of good people answering questions and mentoring me along the way.


Cheers

[washingtonwriter1968]

It is awesome to hear from someone who is actually Published.I went to your site How awesome!

This is just another take on what just happened:
I wonder if what you were experiencing is not really a postpartum depression as much as a good instinct that you seem to have listened to.
I am native American- my grandmother used to say that there are seasons for everything, We lose our balance when were get out of sync with the seasons.
It seems that life is set up for seasons of 1. Beginnings of growth; 2. Bringing something to Fruition; 3. Dwindling Energy; 4. Rest Perhaps after writing this book and then the energy it took to get it published you entered a rest phase. If so it might help to honor that rest phase. Such times can only help you .

Grandma also taught us how you had some years when you should plant your crops on other soil, and lest the ground rest. She said that it" If you keep asking the soil to produce when it needs rest it will only produce less fruit and smaller fruit. However, if you let it rest and feed it fish during the rest season it will always give you nice large fruit and large ears of corn and squash. It seems as if you took this time, and went on a a quest to do just that. I have done that too when I have hit major milestones in my book. I will read other peoples books , maybe only journal my thoughts and feeling and life's happenings for a while. Sometimes too I have come here and checked in on friends, I could find more balance during this time

Anyway I hope my Grandmother's wisdom has helped at least some.

[Ryan]

4. Rest Perhaps after writing this book and then the energy it took to get it published you entered a rest phase.

I like it! Great analogy and easy to forget. If we keep taking from ourselves then soon there will nothing left. Our brains and heart are not an infinite resource. They must be rested, allowed to restore. Nice.

Rest is relative these days with a 17 month old son, a prego wife, a basement remodel in the works, developing the iPad version of my book, and money-making-work as a remodel contractor.

Oh yeah...then there's spreading "the word" about the book. I hate the term, marketing. Makes me feel like I'm pushing toilet bowl cleaner or something.

[Quill]

Nope, Ryan, I am not from Down Under. And thanks for the page showing your team members. It does take a team to produce a book, I dare say, ideally. Going it alone, even with time and talent, would surely be daunting, I imagine.

And yeah, the writer's life can be jam packed, what with a day job and family and all. I find writing, itself, tremendously time consuming. And then there's the promotion (spreading the word) AFTER one has written. Coupled with starting the next book, it just adds another thing to the mix.

I envy those who seem to write easily, and those who enjoy promoting themselves.