From time to time in this space, Balboa Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journeys. These are the words of Sonia Haynes, author of “The Power of Money, How You See Money is How You See Yourself”. For more information about Sonia, check out her website, her book site and her about.me . Download the Balboa Press free publishing guide to receive more information on self-publishing your book with Balboa Press.

It is daunting to spend months and sometimes years toiling over a book manuscript to end up with it on your computer or in a drawer in your desk. We are all afraid of rejection and many of us have picked up our courage and sent our manuscript out to be picked apart and criticized by the powers that be in the publishing industry.

My books spent many years in my computer before I allowed myself to be courageous enough to send one of them out to a publisher. I worried that no one would like what I had written. As I looked out at the other books written on the subjects, I wondered if what I had to say mattered. It is daunting to see that many others shared the same book titles, ideas and stories as I. I have since become aware that we may all see a cloudy sky, but each of us will have a different perspective and tell a different story about the sky.

My first published book, I produced as a chapbook which I printed on my computer and sold for five dollars. That was in nineteen-ninety nine. I felt triumph because getting the pages set properly was pretty challenging. My husband helped me sort that out as he had more patience than I. The next evolution of the book came about four years later when I decided to self-publish a proper book. I did not understand the process and bumbled my way through the book self-publishing process. Still I did not see that my book would be received by a publisher. In the news were many horror stories of authors who had eighty plus rejections to their books. The latest winner of the Governor General’s award for literature is a prime example. The thought of these people getting rejection letter after rejection letter left me stunned like a deer caught in the headlight.

So, I buried the books I wrote in the where-books-go-to-sleep section in the basement of my computer.

Knowing that there are other options to book publishing beyond throwing my books at a traditional publisher gave me some hope. I picked up my courage and sent my book out to be produced and it is now on Amazon and other book sellers. My name is on a book out there for the world to see! I still have several books on my computer, including three children’s books and a cook book. I am no longer a book rejection virgin as I have had several rejections for my cook book and two of my children’s books; although I have not been too aggressive in sending them out, I believe in these books. Now to see which direction to take my publishing journey next time.

Balboa Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books, are invited to do so by sending a message through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BalboaPress, by tweeting us @BalboaPress, or by emailing dghosh@ balboapress.com. We may not be able to use every story, but we will read and consider them. Balboa Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar and punctuation accuracy; as well as for space.