The document discusses the process of self-publishing one's writing. It describes the author's initial excitement over completing a manuscript but reluctance to deal with the business and marketing aspects of publishing. Through online research and learning about self-publishing platforms like Amazon, the author gains confidence and assembles a team to help with editing, covers, blurbs and other tasks. Releasing the first book is nerve-wracking but receiving reviews helps motivate the author. The conclusion emphasizes that with persistence and continued writing, self-publishing can become self-perpetuating.

1. Discovering Self-Publishing
The process of writing is the fun bit of course. The bit that wakes
you up with an idea that barely allows a cup of tea. That's why I do
this. So many years of not allowing in the light, letting creativity
fritter itself away in the instant of a pub joke.
You won't remember it. Then, you sit in front of your magnum
opus. It's special. No-one's ever done a story like this before. You go
and have a glass or two and you tell at least one person you are a
writer. It feels good. It sounds like Rockstar. You are someone who
knows stuff and you might just be a little odd, someone who can
wear black, live on a mountain and throw eclectic cocktail parties.
So what then? You sit there looking at it, finding your favourite bits
and chuckling at how funny you are. You wonder if anyone would
find it funny. You remember the hundred or so agents you sent
that short story to years ago and the absolute nonsense that came
back from the only three responders. That felt like a closed shop,
no way in. You don't even qualify to try. Not doing that again.
For the first time in however long, your screen abandons the
manuscript and notes, character profiles and timelines.

2. Amazon, they say. So you look at putting in on Amazon yourself.
Ooh, there are templates and categories and stuff not remotely
close to what you want to be doing.
You have a cup of tea.
You Googlefumble around and ask the simple question: How do I
self-publish and the whole idea soon becomes a very busy scary
zoo and the lions are hungry.
This is marketing, design, giveaways, advertising and stuff. I
recognise the lingo but I don't want it to apply to creativity. This is
the world I left behind in London. I'm an artiste don't ya know. I
don't want this. I just want to sit on my bit of the world and write.
Maybe I'll try something about an alien abandoning a
hermaphroditic lifestyle to seek what us humans have, the sexy
stuff. Maybe not.
You have a cup of tea.
If you're lucky, your Googlefumbling brings you to your next
week's reading.
After that week you've run out of tea, milk, sugar and rum but you
find yourself on another level. It's reality. You can do this. Get your
team together. Editing, covers, blurb, marketing and stuff.

3. Pretty soon, with not much outlay, you have what other people say
is a finished product. Holy smoke, that's my name, I wrote that. It's
not just me that thinks it's awesome. You prepare to press the
button and have the world analyse it and you but still, if editors say
it stands up. You get the tingles. You press the button. Maybe you
check your passport's still valid for those New York Times
bestseller interviews.
And then no-one analyses it, no-one buys it. There is no instant
recognition. That's fine though because you team has told you "It's
far from instant" and they help you shape your attack. You get to
know how Amazon really works and you keep learning.
You've still got stuff to do but its the admin stuff you start the day
with. Fine, all for the greater good. It becomes pretty much self-
perpetuating. Just follow the plan.
You look forward to writing a bit of copy, maybe a few random
blogs. You're still writing. You can still enjoy it.
Then you start getting reviews and, more importantly, you start
finding loads of reviewers who will review it for free.
An Unfortunate Dimension was released December 2018 and
Machine Sense comes out April 2019. It's gradual but my guidance
is showing, I can do this.

4. And thats the only piece of advice I can give. You can do this. You
and your team can do this.
But most importantly, keep writing. The more books you write, the
better it gets. You get better and people see more of what you've
done.
This is just the prologue.