Let's E-Publish a BookStep One: Deciding what to PublishByCharles Atkins
Every journey beginswith a step...at some point I'll Google that and find out who said it.  But here's the journey...or at least thegoal.  I've decided to e-publish a book,and to recreate myself...a part of myself?...as a writer of urban fantasy.  To start, I've been very fortunate in mywriting career.  No, I'm  not a best seller, but I've had quite a fewbooks published.  This is a big deal, inthe passing age of publishing with its crushing rejection, where getting anagent and a book deal(s) were hurdles that many authors were never able toclear.
This is all changing,perhaps it already has.  With the radicalshift in the publishing paradigm from 'few can get published, to everyone andtheir granny can get e-published' it's time to rethink my life as an author, whatI want to write and how I'm going to get it to readers.  So, the journey starts.  I may take some short cuts, but I know I'mnot the only one figuring this stuff out.   Here's the plan.   And yes, I find it's good to map thesethings out, like writing an outline for a new novel.  The plan may go to pieces, and the stepstaken can diverge wildly from what was intended.  Still, a map is a nice way to get started.
Step 1.  Decide what I'm going to publish:I've got a few ideas onthis one, but two books that aren't far from being publishable spring tomind.  First is a Faustian tale of ayoung doctor who creates a pill that alleviates all human suffering.  Sadly, it comes at a cost and the devil--yes,Lucifer himself--will have his due.  Theother is a lovely--albeit meandering multi-generational saga where once ageneration a child is born with the ability to heal.  It often doesn't go well for that child asthe book dips in and out of a beautiful fantasy realm based on Gypsy--andother--folklore.  Those are the two frontrunners.  And clearly where I'm takingsome serious short cuts--I've got a couple books ready or near-ready to go.  
Choice A, entitled--GOTO HELL--is essentially ready.  It's withmy agent and has received quite a bit of rejection.  That said, the rejection has been strangelypositive.  One editor wrote back,"if this had been ten years earlier my answer would have beendifferent."   Other comments havebeen similar, no form letters saying thanks but no thanks.  All thoughtful responses about why they'rehesitant to give the green light.  At theend of the day it's because they're not certain the book will make money.  People are nervous and publishing books--atleast the old way with paper and ink--is expensive.  E-publishing--at least in my naive head stateis cheap, just format, post and publicize. For the sake of these blog pieces I'll be meticulous about actual costs.
Choice B--Mymulti-generational sage will require a rewrite. I've written and rewritten this one so many times, I just need to pullmy head around two ways it can go, commit to one and haul my butt through itsmany pages to smooth and tighten--about a month's work...maybe two.
I've a third choice aswell, but this book is not yet written and I just finished a fifty--or so--pageoutline, which needs lots of work.
Clearly, the easiest is to go with Choice A.  Yes, baby has just taken his first step.  I'm going to e-publish GO TO HELL.  Now what?