Why publish?
by Marina Reis
At Word Alive Press, we are passionate about publishing. If you have something to say, we want to help you share it with the world. Publishing can feel like a big leap, intimidating even. There is so much to learn in this ever-changing industry, and the cost can feel scary if you are not sure how to earn back your investment. These are valid stressors that would absolutely make anyone feel overwhelmed. However, as with all important things in life, it's important not to let our hesitation get in the way of our action. If you are feeling hesitant about whether publishing is the right next move after completing a manuscript, read on, and I will share with you five reasons why publishing is the right step for you.
1. Celebrate your God-given gift.
You have been blessed with a talent that not everyone has, and I would go so far as to say that it is your responsibility to share it with your fellow humans. It would be heartbreaking if someone with the potential to be a good dentist, for example, spent his or her life doing something completely unrelated, never reaching their full potential and missing out on so many clients to help with their dental health. The same thing applies to you and your God-given writing talent. Chances are you write because it feels worse not to. You do it as naturally as you scratch an itch. The ease of this practice is a good hint that you should pursue this calling.
2. There will never be a perfect time.
You have to start somewhere. One of the best pieces of advice that I ever picked up from a YouTube short was that "Motivation follows action." We can fall into the trap of waiting for motivation to hit, but it rarely works by miracle. Procrastination is often just a fancy word for the myriad of excuses we tell ourselves when we are trying to put things off for whatever reason. Most of my procrastination comes from my misguided belief that everything I do needs to be perfect. How silly and arrogant! Knowing that perfection is non-essential to writing a good (nay—great!) book, should be enough of a metaphorical kick in the pants to put you on that publishing path. This isn't to say that you shouldn't plan what you can, whether that be finances or a marketing strategy, but don't expect the moment to feel right or "perfect" before you can begin. Trust me, you’ll learn as you go along.
3. People care about what you have to say.
If you have a thought, a subject you are passionate about, or an experience you believe others would benefit from knowing, chances are there is an audience for your book—and probably a bigger one than you think. Word Alive Press authors have written on all sorts of topics: faith, marriage, singleness, identity, gardening, homeschooling, motherhood, addiction, rehabilitation, disabilities, missionary work—and the list goes on. Our fiction catalogue covers a wide breadth as well: we have published everything from crime thrillers to young adult coming-of-age stories to fantasy and science fiction novels. The world is a grand old place, and our ideas and innermost thoughts are not as precious as we think they are—and that is good news when you are part of a species whose deepest desire is to be seen and understood.
4. Professional growth for many careers.
On a practical note, publishing can be a great complement to many careers. Having a published book under your belt can help add further credibility to your years of professional experience. If you are a teacher, public speaker, pastor, journalist, academic, freelance writer, advocate, entrepreneur, scientist, artist, caregiver--just to name a few--having a published book you can showcase to your peers and colleagues may be just what your career needs for advancement. It's great that you can show that you have learned so much from what you do that now you want to share it with others.
5. A dream come true.
If writing is a passion of yours, chances are you have dreamed, even just casually, in between your everyday life of sitting in traffic and scrubbing your underarms in the shower, about publishing. Doing this one thing for yourself will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. Publishing a book, for the right reasons (i.e. not fame or fortune), is a big deal. You contribute to the canon of modern Christian writing and immortalize your thoughts and feelings for posterity.
Have I convinced you yet? I hope so! As I mentioned, there will never be a perfect time. And if you are still feeling anxious or hesitant about taking that publishing step, rest assured that Word Alive Press will help you along the way. We guide you through the publishing process so that, unlike the writing part, publishing will not feel so secluded or even lonely. We have a large and growing catalogue of fantastic authors, and we would love for you to join it.
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Did you enjoy this post? You may also be interested in these other posts on publishing.
And, read more by Marina Reis, here.
About this Contributor:
Marina Reis is a Senior Project Manager who joined Word Alive Press in 2017. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.