publishing blog | Twin Flame Blog

I recently set up a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money to publish the next book in the Earth Angel series. Being a completely Indie Author, I have so far funded the publishing of all eight of my books myself, with the help of some beautiful people who want to see me succeed.

I created the campaign because I would love to invite my readers and fans to get involved, and to help me to bring the next book in the series into the world, and to also be able to get stock to do some Mind Body Spirit shows and get the books out there to even more people.

I guess the sensible thing to do, would have been to set a budget for each of my books, for the editing and publishing costs, so that I could see how much I had spent on each one. But I never did that. I am planning on writing a post on my publishing blog about budgeting for publishing a book, because if you approach publishing books as a hobby, you’ll end up just spending loads of money on unnecessary things, and it’ll end up really expensive. If you approach it as a business from the outset, then you are more likely to decide on a budget and stick to it, and also, if you keep better records of everything, it makes everything much easier comes tax return time!

I am so very thankful to everyone who has donated to the campaign so far, your support is very much appreciated. I plan to list all of the donors in the new book, which I haven’t begun editing yet, but do intend to release in March. If you would like to help me with the publishing costs, please know that every little bit helps and that I am very grateful to have your support.

In December I began my Adventure with Astrid, in my attempt to change my haphazard ways and become a more organised person for 2015. The reasons for this were to get my life in order and to make things happen that require some kind of long-term planning. The first step I took was to buy myself a gorgeous planner, who I named Astrid. In my planner I have sections for everything. Addresses (I’m always losing my address book) diary, goals and dreams, to-do list, and notes from books I’m reading and ideas I have.

Astrid has stayed faithfully by my side since I bought her, and since the beginning of the year, I have been filling her up every day with things I want to do, but I also have used her to form some daily habits that I have wanted to have, but never got round to creating.

Some things have been blanked out to protect the innocent. Hehe

Having Astrid by my side has helped me to take part in a 30 Day Blogging Challenge, of which I have done every day for the last 19 days on my author blog, and I have also begun a new blog on my business website, all about Indie Publishing, and I am on day 4 there.

I have started the habit of meditating daily, going for a walk every day, reading a book every week, reading through my Love List every other day and writing one thing I am grateful for every day.

My Sunday walk in the woods

In terms of long-term plans, however, that still hasn’t really happened. I had a session with the Time Doctor, Mike Gardner, and he helped me to realise that I am a creative person, and not a linear-thinking, organised person. So perhaps instead of trying to become linear – I should come up with creative solutions to my problems.

Part of me still very much wants to just go with the flow, and just see what happens along the way. But another part of me really wants to break the cycle of not moving forward in certain areas of my life. I think if things were good financially, then I would feel more justified in going with the flow, because I could afford to. Which might not make a scrap of sense, but it seems to make sense to me.

Anyway, my plan now, is to create creative solutions for the areas of my life I’m not happy with. I think the solutions need to be very visual, colourful, fun and maybe even a bit silly. But I’m not sure yet what they looks like or where they’ll come from.

What I have realised, is that having a structured routine might just not be the right way forward for me. So although I have daily ‘action’ lists, I don’t stick to rigidly to doing each thing at the same time each day, as long as I can tick it off the list by the end of the day, when it happened doesn’t matter. Though I have been trying to fit my walk in before dark!

I consider my adventure to be successful so far, as I feel quite calm and peaceful, which I think is down to the meditation. In all the years I have been reading spiritual self-help books, I have never had the daily practice of meditation. But I can see now, finally, why so many people swear by it! It creates a space in your head, it makes room for growth, for new ideas, for love to envelop you. In fact, I think I may sign off now to meditate for a while.

How are your New Year plans coming along?