It Is Your Work

If anyone ever tells you writing is easy they’re lying to you.  It isn’t easy to write.  As a matter of fact it is probably one of the hardest things you can ever do.  Oh if it was just a matter of sitting down and putting words to paper, yes anyone can do that.  It is when you decide to be a serious writer that things start to get hard.  I’m not talking about mildly irritating, I’m talking mind numbingly, painfully, unbelievably, heartbreakingly hard.
You work to get your story together, and that alone isn’t easy whether it’s a short story or a novel although with a novel depending on the size the longer it gets the harder it gets, you have to start on all the other things involved.
You’ll sit and read, reread, then read it again.  Once you are somewhat happy with it you’ll pass it on to someone to proof.  After that you go for the editing.  Now if you trust your proofer and editor you will go from there to formatting if you’re an indie writer.  Piece of advice here, don’t trust anyone.  Remember this is your baby and you want to make sure that everyone has done right by it.  Also remember no one is perfect any more than you are so read your work again after you get it back from all the people it has had to pass through to get back to you.
Once you have that little darling back into your own two little hands and you have read it yet again and if everything is all right if you’re an indie writer you are ready for the formatting part.  If you’re good at this then you’re looking at about 3 to 4 hours of mind blowing work.  If you’re not good then make sure your fridge and pantry are well stocked before you jump in because it could take a few days.  Sorry.  Of course here you can take the easy way out and hand it over to yet another person to format and you don’t have to worry about that part but you’ll have to pay for it.
OK you now have it formatted what do you do?  You sit with your finger over the upload button trying to get up enough courage to hit that rectangular little box on your screen asking yourself if you’re ready for this.  Anyone that hasn’t done that is one or all of the following.  They are really confident, unbelievably naive, an established well know author, or they are just plain damn crazy.  As for me I’m a nervous wreck through the whole process especially when it was the first book.
Of course somewhere in between writing the darn thing you will hand it over to a few people to read so you can get a take on it.  This isn’t a bad thing but remember not everyone is going to like what you wrote and if they are honest they are going to tell you so. 
For those who offer well-meaning criticism remember this.  Everything is suggestive.  What one person tells you may not and probably will not be the same thing you hear from another.  I may love what I read and will tell you so but someone else might not or might find flaws in your work.  When that happens remind yourself that you have to take it all and weigh it with how you feel about your work.  Are you happy with it?  Do you feel it isn’t right?  You are the one who is important.  This is your work.
Above all, and I hate using this expression, be true to yourself.  Ultimately it is your work and you have to be happy with it.  Don’t feel pressured by anyone to do anything you don’t want or are not ready for.  You have poured your blood, sweat, and tears into this book and in a way it is your world and you rule it.  When I said tears…I meant it.  Remember it is your book and in this you are the lord and master and you are in control. 
Hopefully.