The Nonplus Adventures of a Self-publishing Writer:
The Blessing of Volunteers
I am currently finishing up work on my third novel, Nick Saint. It has passed through several edits, through the hands and minds of BetaReaders, and is now ready for cover art and the last minute touches before publication. Since I am no Steve King or H. Phil Lovecraft, I have no publishers or agents banging down my door trying to get me to sign with them. I’m okay with that while I hone my craft. In fact, one of my betareaders, who also read my second novel, Just Us, gave me one of the best compliments ever. He said, “your writing is maturing.” Of course he then went on to rip apart Nick Saint but, oh well, I asked for it.
The point is, since I have no income from my creative writing to speak of, I have nothing to pay for services so I must rely on the good graces of qualified volunteers. My editor, Janet Simonson, is awesome. She kills the grammar and punctuation mistakes, but also researches things she has a question on, like the use of ellipsis. I trust her completely and couldn’t ask for better.
What I wanted to hit on are some things I’ve learned when using volunteers. These things aren’t “bad” per se, I see them more as a part of the package. In other words, if you use volunteers be prepared for these things.
- Skill- skill is kind of subjective, though I might want it to be objective. In the end, bottom line, like it or not, I want a volunteer to have more skill in the area of concern than me.
- Time- a good volunteer will schedule me somewhere on their weekly time-line, and you should expect that. However, I am aware that they also have a life, and editing my masterpiece or creating your cover art is not their “job” so they may need to push me to the back some weeks. To overcome these ‘life issues’, I allow plenty of time before the deadline.
- Communication- I expect the volunteers I work with to keep me informed of issues that come up, specifically things that will slow down their work. This helps to keep my stress down. And … communication goes two ways, so I make an effort to keep in touch.
- Ending- The harsh reality is that sometimes crap happens and people find themselves in situations they had not counted on. When this happens, I need to be ready to let them go, and make it easy for them to do so. On the other side, I need not continue to deal with a volunteer that consistently neglects the work they’ve accepted. Since the person is a volunteer, this requires words of diplomacy, not war. Let them down gently and understand it just didn’t work out.
- Give- While I may not be able to give my volunteers financial compensation, I always give them kudos. I always include them on my Acknowledgment page in the book, as well as in the Amazon description when I publish. I also include them in any newsletters, social network posts that deal with their work.
In the end, as I learn to joust in the arena of self-publishing, volunteers are important. I try to find people in a similar position as me- just getting into editing, cover design, or audible narration, and offer them the opportunity of experience and exposure. So far its worked and I hope it will work for some time to come.
AD Faircloth, Pensacola, FL, 8/2015
Go to anthonydfaircloth.com and check out my books and short stories you’ll only find there.
He was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher… or, as his wife would have it, an idiot.
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Story Spotlight- Baseball In Pensacola
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Scott, a transplanted native of Pensacola, Florida, is the president of the Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation. He is also the co-author of Three Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story and has been featured in numerous articles surrounding the history of America’s pastime. Scott serves as the international director of the Mordecai Brown School of Baseball, while also mentoring young athletes toward personal excellence and goal achievement. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, as well as a life member of the Old Timers Baseball Association of Chicago, Minor League Baseball Alumni Association and the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America.
Find Baseball In Pensacola and Scott’s other books on Amazon.