It’s wonderful to have the word ‘royalties’ to finally be part of my life. I first saw self-publishing to be a kind of defeat, a huge compromise to my dream of being accepted by a publisher.
Instead, it has become incredibly affirming. Not because money, which is nice. Because people are actually reading my words. The reality of self-publishing is infinitely better than the dream of being published.
The hole is dug and filled in with gravel. As I begin to lay the pavers, I have a feeling of expertise. With that comes trepidation: no matter how skilled I become, there will be challenges, and something may still go wrong.
My confidence grows as I lay more pavers. The only challenge is that they are heavy, and it’s hot!
Finally done. Cutting pavers with a wet saw was a huge challenge, and I can’t say I showed expertise. I had it rented for a day and cut for nine hours. At one point my thumb was cramping.
But it’s done. It has performed remarkably well in rain storms, draining just as I had hoped. Over Labor Day we had people over, and they were universally complementary of my work. Some pointed out the flaws with a grin on the face, but what project doesn’t have flaws? Just like with writing, sometimes you have to stop working on it, let go, and publish.
I wrote yesterday about the link between Work in Progress Writing and Work in Progress Projects. I was thinking about it just now, and it hit me that completing my indoor and outdoor projects was a type of publishing. After all, publishing is bringing a creative work to the public.
There is no choice but to “publish” a project. When a bathroom is done, people are going to use it. But with my writing, I’m guilty of holding on to it, endlessly tweaking, not working hard on trying to get it out to readers.
I wonder if making a kitchen, a bathroom, a patio is somehow linked to my decision to self-publish Tao of Thoreau? That having people walk on and through these places made me want to have my words in front of people, no matter how few or many.
Just think – reading bozbozeman is a little like using my bathroom. Except you can’t flush the toilet.
Mark Bozeman 