COMING FULL CIRCLE A decade ago, this path would have been too cost prohibitive for me to even entertain. A decade ago, this path also carried stigma of "vanity" press and low quality--self-publishing was apparent bailiwick of those whose works were not good enough for a "real" publisher.

Not so anymore. And interestingly if you turn clock back a century or so, self-publishing was norm with most writers--Dickens for example--who published and then peddled their own works. Seems we've come full circle and it's mainly due to advent of high quality digital printing services, powerful software layout and design applications, and reach of World Wide Web. Technology has not only made it possible for authors to design and publish their books more economically, but has also provided a world-wide forum through which they can sell.

DO IT YOURSELF APPROACH Financially, once production costs are covered, an author (who is also publisher) who aggressively markets his or her work and creates a "buzz" can actually turn a profit--not to mention possibility that self-published work might find its way, deliberately or not, into hands of agents and other power brokers in traditional publishing world.

In my case, I was fortunate that I was also able to do all of my own editing, photography, graphic design, layout, pre-press work, and then build a Web site (www.mattmcgovern.com) with a marketing plan to support book. My only "cost"--other than time it took to write book, design it, and develop Web site--was actual printing.

Granted, my total do-it-yourself approach may have taken self-publishing to extreme, and most authors will likely need to outsource editing, book design, and Web design--but cost of producing a well-designed, digitally-printed book, along with a Web site to support it, still remains in a range that makes self-publishing a viable and attractive option.

IT STILL REQUIRES TALENT . . . AND PERSEVERANCE Of course, you still need talent to write book and a strong desire both to tell your story and to sell it, but self-publishing is a reasonable alternative--for a host of reasons--and it is becoming more and more common.

Self publishing no longer carries stigma of substandard work. Self publishing seems to have found its own niche--quality works that can't be categorized to fit neatly on a book store shelf, written and published by authors who believe in their message so strongly that they are willing to invest their own time, money and effort into entire process.

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Copyright (c) 2004 by Matt McGovern--All rights reserved.

His message was clear. All too few of us take luck into account when we plan our careers.

I believe, to a certain extent, we make our own luck. We may plan, we may write, we may persist but we must also learn to let go and follow our intuition. Luck - being in right place at right time - has a way of happening whether we plan for it or not. I think trick is to believe that luck will help you - and, for reasons great and mysterious, it will!

So What's Secret Ingredient, Rob?

Now, don't groan, or mock, or do that skyward look on me as I tell you secret ingredient is love.

Let me explain.

You cannot succeed in a vacuum. Success is relative and - in our world - requires assistance and support of those around us to happen. Therefore, love is crucial factor that facilitates our success.

First, you must love your writing. Only then will you give it attention it deserves and make it best that it can be.

You must love writing, and writings of others, for showing you way and for providing medium of communication that means so much to you.

You must love those around you for support they can give you. If you show those around you hate or anger or bitterness, they will not want you to succeed and will unconsciously (or sometimes deliberately) sabotage your success. Not good.

You must love people you deal with in your professional life - agents, publishers and fellow writers. Treat them with suspicion and resentment and they will not want to work with you and help you. Love and trust your peers and your contacts and you'll be surprised how much more they are willing to assist and promote you.

But most of all, you must love yourself - greatest love of all, as they say. Treat yourself kindly, nurture your talent and support your writing habits.

Start here and now, loving what you do and who you are and practice loving everyone and everything around you...you'll be amazed at difference it makes.

Use love as your secret weapon...and success may be just a whisper away.