Whenever I tell people I’m writing a book, they usually ask me two things:
“What’s your book about?”
“Do you have a publisher?”
Now, I don’t really mind answering the first. That’s not a hard question to answer. It’s the second one that’s tricky. Why? Because I don’t have one. I always have to tell people that I’m in the early stages of writing and I’m not even thinking about publishers at this point. If they aren’t writers, they don’t really understand this. I guess they figure publishers spring out of the ground whenever you want them to. They don’t understand the process and how long it can take.
Basically, some non-writers just don’t get it. When they read a book, some don’t comprehend the long hours writers spent in front of a computer screen, typing away until their fingers hurt. They don’t feel the headaches it may have caused or the strong desire to hit their head against the desk when scenes just aren’t working.
I’m definitely not at a point where I’m even thinking about publishers. I’m pretty sure I’m going the “indie” route because I feel like it could work better for me. With networking like Twitter and facebook, it’s easier to market your own book.
Sometimes writers feel the pressure of being successful like the other writers before them. They feel they have to write the book really fast and get it out there for the public to read. Of course, I would love to be a published author today, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m not about to speed write through a book just because I was feeling the pressure. No way.
So I just hope that you all remain patient as I continue to work on this zombie apocalyptic novel. 
I really hope people like it as much as I enjoy writing it. I can already see a prequel in my head, but that’s for another time…..
I have explained to a few non-writer friends just how tedious the publishing process is. Usually while surrounded by books. It tends to make them look at the books with a new awe. At least for that moment. Whether or not that awe sticks with them is another story.
Yeah, it’s difficult for some of my non-writer friends to really comprehend how hard it is. I’ll tell them about a difficulty I may be having with a story and they complain that it can’t be that hard and that I shouldn’t worry about the publishing aspect because it seems so easy to publish a book. To them, it’s like a breeze. But I don’t see them writing a book so I guess it is what it is lol.
I’m a little further down the garden path than you so when people ask, “Do you have a publisher?” it used to make me defensive. Now, I’m so sold on self-pub that I see it as a choice. I rationally, respond, calmly, not whining or apologizing. What a morph.
I think my friends don’t really see the whole writing process. I guess they think books appear out of thin air. I’m definitely considering the self-pub route. I think writers are more successful with it than ever.. especially with e-books being so popular now.
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