I know a few of you are really waiting for my book to be published.  I am closer than ever to being ready but still have a few things left to do.  So what is taking so long?  Why do I keep procrastinating?  Some of you may be struggling to publish your book as well.  So I have outlined the three major things I lack below along with some potential solutions:

Time
Lack of time is my biggest issue.  I still work a full time job.  I am so tired after work so I only have the weekends.  But on the weekends, I work on my retail website for dog products.  The retail website is becoming a real part time job.  I enjoy it so I don’t want to give it up.

Answer – Make the time by prioritizing.  Make a list of what I know needs to be done and do it one step at a time.  Try not to let myself be overwhelmed.  And stop using fatigue as an excuse – just do it!

Knowledge
Another good excuse is lack of knowledge.  I know what some of my next steps should be, but I am finding pit stops for more decision-making all the time.  Do I look for a literary agent again or do I publish it in e-format online?  Do I have it edited again even though I have done it countless times and paid an amateur editor once?  Do I gain a following on Facebook and other places first or go ahead and build the website then gain a following?  Which e-formats do I want to put my book in and how do I convert them?  Where do I want to sell my book besides on my website?  There are so many things to think about that sometimes I get overwhelmed.

Answer – I will never know the right or wrong way until I try.  If I do something wrong, it is not the end of the world.  It’s not like I will have to scrap the book and write a new one and start over.  Not only that, I don’t live in the dark ages.  Knowledge is all over the place – in books, magazines, and on the internet.  It is just a matter of reading and implementation.

Confidence
While lack of time and knowledge are real issues, I think another problem is that I am afraid.  What if my book isn’t good enough?  I know a good writer could probably make it better.  And I believe if I try hard enough I can make it better.  But I have already edited it, modified it, and changed things many times.  Surely it is done by now.  As an artist, I struggle with this all the time.  When my artwork is finished, I always see something which could be done better.  So I try to fix it.  Eventually I just give up and say, “it’s good enough”.  I’m not sure that is such a good idea with a book.  But perhaps it is good enough and I am just being too hard on myself.  How do I know?

Answer – Trust in the people who have read it and told me it was good.  They were friends, but honest friends who provided more than just a few encouraging words.  Tammy Spain and Shauna Hart have been more than enthusiastic about reading my book and are anxiously awaiting the sequels.  Besides, if the book needs to be changed, they are my books and I have the power to rewrite them any time I wish – published or not.

I have given answers to my own problems, but doing is harder than saying.  Post comments on my blog and give me encouragement.  I need all I can get.  And I promise, I WILL WORK VERY VERY HARD TO GET MY BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2011, so be patient and keep visiting stopping by to check on my progress.  Perhaps my journey and eventual success will help you to publish your book.