Close door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you. Figure out what you have to say. It’s one and only thing you have to offer. -- Barbara Kingsolver

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I ran across this quote and have often thought it true ~ not just with authors, but with graphic and stationery designers, etc.: often, people pleasers; sweet, generous, and precious ~ but missing best.

God dwells in our heart. Thus, our calling involves following passions God has placed there; not making everyone else happy, not meeting other's demands, not fulfilling every request in universe.

If you are tired, in service, you're carrying a weight God did not place there. Leave whatever else for next person, as they are called. Remember, we, also, are called to trust God to do rest.

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Recently, I found a really neat site that was, almost joyously, shouting need to hurry up and write whatever God has given you to share. Though, it brought me to question if you even realize, to what extent, God has given you power to make a difference.

Even so, many have been in your own personal, and sometimes horrendous, tribulation for quite some time. But, I wonder how much you realize that these hard times happen to you, as they are happening to many others, so you'll know where others are, what need is, and what words need be shared.

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Subsidy publishing companies are those that require an author to pay to produce her or his book. These companies are also known as co-publishers, or pejoratively, "the vanity press."

Some of these companies make unreasonable promises about how their services lead to books becoming instant, phenomenal best-sellers, or engage in other unscrupulous business practices. However, legitimate subsidy publishers do exist.

In this article, I'll explain 6 factors that led me to choose subsidy publishing company with which I partnered to publish my children's book, Taneesha's Treasures of Heart.

First, let me say that whether one self-publishes solo or uses a subsidy publisher, expense of paying to publish can be high. Publishing print-on-demand (POD) is a form of subsidy publishing that can greatly reduce this expense. However, this article will cover conventional subsidy publishing in which a certain number of books are printed in anticipation of orders being placed.

If you can afford it, and you do your homework and footwork, partnering with a subsidy publisher can have its advantages. In my case, factors that influenced me to select company I chose were: