You’ve written a book. You have created characters and a setting for them to interact. You’ve taken your characters through a funny, dramatic, romantic or trying time to a satisfying ending of your story. Now what? 

In my case, I shoved the third draft of my first book away in a drawer and began writing a second novel. For several years they languished, alone and forlorn in a file cabinet drawer. Then one day I retrieved them for a co-worker, Payton Lee, to read. "You have got to published!" she informed me in no uncertain terms. At this point I had to take a real look at the publishing industry. How much involvement did I want others to have in my work? Did I want to have to do some traveling if it was required? Why do I write?

Traveling does not appeal to me because I hold down a full time job, so this would present a problem. Plus my husband, who is retired, has some health concerns so I would not be comfortable leaving him alone. My stories and characters are like friends so I do not know how I would take to editors telling me make changes (I might be shy, but I’m stubborn). The last question, Why do I Write, seemed the most important one to me.

I realized that I write for the sheer enjoyment, the joy in creating characters, settings and obstacles for them to overcome. When you come to that last paragraph, the last sentence of your book, it’s a natural high. Yesss! I did it! After looking at the different publishing houses, I was at a loss as where to begin. And frankly, I wasn’t that anxious to get involved with them. After reading about some of the problems that other authors have encountered with them and the resulting buybacks, I was reluctant to go that route.

Then Payton Lee took me to Barnes and Noble to show me the information they had on Print On Demand publishing by iUniverse. After some more investigation, this looked like what I was looking for. I retained complete control over my work; I could submit my own book covers; the books are listed on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other Internet sellers.

You must promote your books, but all authors must do that regardless of the publishing company. One thing I have learned since choosing to publish POD is that there is a stigma against this type of publishing. I have made it a point to read other POD books and some have been very good, while others were not. But then I have read, or tried to read, many standard published books that were just as bad or worse.

If you don’t try something different you’ll never know what you’ve missed. I have discovered several new authors through POD that are great, but if I hadn’t taken a chance on their writing, I wouldn’t have enjoyed their stories