These days I don’t lay my pen down while I think – it’s a computer mouse, which has reminded me of Robert Burns, his wee timorous Mousie and best laid plans. I have the messiest desk and study, with piles of correspondence, letters, poems to submit and paper to recycle, as well as my boxes of resources for the volunteer work I do at schools and libraries. There’s a small space for anything I need for exam marking and moderating… and then there’s the view of the garden, my constant inspiration.
The first thing I need to do is clear the desk and write a list of upcoming submission deadlines that I plan to meet before Christmas. Daily writing is easier as I have the prompts from dVerse and various other websites. The big plan this year is to get my children’s novel published. Despite being long-listed in the Mslexia Children’s Fiction Competition, I haven’t had much joy with agents and publishers, so I have made a New Year’s resolution in advance – I’m going to try self-publishing.
on the horizon
a new year sails into view
blank sails unfurling
Kim M. Russell, 2017
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday: What are your plans?
I am sad to say that Toni is our haibun host for the last time today as she is stepping down from the dVerse team but not leaving dVerse – we will still see her sparkling poetry.
She tells us that she has plans for writing, going back to school and taking her old Ducati out of storage and getting it road ready, which all sounds good to me – I hope she has a whale of a time.
Toni wants us to write about our plans for our own writing in a haibun.
I love your plans! I love the thoughts of publishing, writing daily, the wee mouse at work. All the plans of an excellent writer.
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Thank you, Toni! I just hope they turn from plans to deeds.
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I do as well. I love children’s books! I still read them at my old age.
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I love the thought of you self-publishing… and the same with me… I have learned so much with the process with the books I have been part in… and it’s a joy to hold your own book in your hand.
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Would you please give me some tips?
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I have many tips and pitfalls now… but Createspace gives good guidance.
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It’s not the publishing that’s the difficult part, Kim, it’s the promotion and selling. Be prepared to shell out too.
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I will be soaking up all the advice and stories of experience in preparation for the new year, Jane.
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Just be prepared to work for it 🙂
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Wonderful plans! As to the self-publishing, it certainly is easier than finding an agent or publisher, until it comes to marketing. That’s been the hard part for me with my two poetry books. However, I did sell 6 copies to one person this weekend, more than 3 years after it was published!
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Thank you, Linda. I’m not sure how to do it yet, but you and Bjorn are inspirations. 🙂
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Best of luck with your plans!
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Thank you so much!
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I love your plans! I’ll be very interested to hear how you get on. It’s almost like we need a different site – a practical tips, experiences, support kind of place…You’ve made me look at my desk, which is a shared space, so at the moment it’s covered in pens, pencils, scissors, my advent calender plan, Anne of Green Gables, tissues, a pile of paperwork…where are the tidy up fairies when you need them?
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Thank you, Sarah! I agree about the need for a site for tips and support – even reviewing and discussing experiences, books we’ve published, how to get published, etc. You’ve got Anne of Green Gables on your desk! I haven;’t read that for years. I’m currently re-reading Angela Carter’s The Magic Toyshop and a Joni Mitchell Anthology is waiting in the wings. My fairies are both reclining in the garden – they’ve turned to stone! 🙂
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The haiku at the end is simply brilliant!
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Thank you!
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Great resolution, Kim! Beautiful that your children have a book ready to go- wishing you all the best.
By the way- you have a fan here already- ready to purchase when it comes out😊
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Thank you Viv 🙂 xx
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😊
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Your haiku is brilliant, hopeful, rife with positive winds. Self-publishing seems to be the topic of the day out here on the trail today; Bjorn digs it. I’m too old & cranky to deal with it. But I wish you well. So many dVerse poets have books for us to buy; a self-contained marketplace
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Thank you, Glenn. Maybe we should have a dVerse book club, with reviews and discussion.
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Best wishes with your children’s novel. You sound busy but organized.
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Thank you, Frank. The last couple of weeks feeling poorly is almost over and I’m determined to get back to normal and then give it the extra push!
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I love your plans and the idea of self publishing has also been on my mind.
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Thank you, Jane.
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really like this – I had the same problem – my story short-listed for an important award, but couldn’t get it picked up by a publisher – self published finally
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Thank you, Maureen. Apparently, the novels selected in awards often depend on how many books there are of the same genre and that year a lot of children’s novels were set in WW2.
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An untidy desk is a sign of genius. x
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I must be a super genius then! 🙂
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You know it !
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🙂
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But too much clutter gets in the way – I need to see out of the window! x
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Good luck with your self-publishing plans. It’s something I’ve thought about with my poetry, too, but I’m not certain I want to tackle it.
You do sound very organized. 🙂
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I have to write lists, Merril! 🙂
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I always write lists!
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Great plans, Kim! I’ve flirted with the idea of self-publishing a la CreateSpace. If I discover a pathway forward, I will let you know! 🙂
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Thanks Frank!
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Sounds like you anticipate a very busy year!
Dwight
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🙂
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Great to know that your children have a book ready to publish! I’ve learnt that self-publishing is a great option but when it comes to marketing it, you have to keep aside the writer in you and polish your selling skills 🙂 Good luck with publishing. Loved your haiku!
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Thank you very much! 🙂
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your messy tables shows how busy you are! Writing a children’s books sounds deliciously exciting, my best wishes to you Kim for it’s every success.
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Thank you kindly 😊
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Awesome Poem! Excellent New Year’s goals! 😎😎😎🥀🥀🥀🎉🎉🎉
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Ambitious, but why not? Good luck! (K)
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join with me….
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Put forth so succinctly like a true businessman/scientist. Love the haiku and much luck self-publishing. I suspect the publishers seek young talent from whom they can reap volumes…ergo, self-publishing is there for us. My problem–I don’t like to market myself.
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Ooops. Thought I was reading Bjorn. Sorry about the businessman/scientist bit. But perhaps you are some of both.
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🙂
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