Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!

I’ll take this post to ask the admittedly cliched question: What are we all thankful for?

For me, it’s family, friends a steady income…the usual. Sure. Beyond that and arguably most interestingly, it’s the recognition of all that I have done wrong in terms of the writing and publishing process. Specifically, for the former, that head-hopping is trickier to avoid than initially assumed; and for the latter, and I will extend this lesson as advice for all of you wanting to see more come of your book than a pastime or intermittent form of escapism. If you truly want to make it big as in Rowling or Sanderson, I highly discourage skipping the query process and delving into self-publishing. In fact, and absolutely no offense is meant here toward self-published authors – but self-publication is unlikely to get you much further than a couple hundred books sold per year at best…

Now, if you remain terrified at the prospect of a literary agent and large publisher capitalizing on your sales income, I hear you. But just think of how much more of that income will exist if you can strike a deal for your book with an established publisher that sports a massive following. The possibilities are truly endless.

So, what am I thankful for? This lesson learned. When in doubt but eager to get your book in front of the world – query, network and never stop learning. On the other hand, if you’re content to keep your book for a minute, niche readership, self-publication should work like a charm.

Either way, take a step back to consider what it is you want out of this next project. When making such important decisions, time is on your side. You’ll likely thank yourself later for taking the time to make the right choice.

P.S. To all those who won and even just partook in NaNoWriMo – you rock!!