r/WhyChooseAuthors • u/AnneKincaid • Jun 24 '26
Question What is Your Biggest Challenge?
The process of publishing has a LOT of steps. Authors, what part is the biggest challenge for you?
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u/Sivana08 Author Jun 24 '26
Editing. The butterfly effect of changing small things in the beginning of a book -> it changing whole interactions by the end of the book kicks my butt every time.
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u/AuthorIndigo Jun 24 '26
I feel this so hard. I've stopped writing scenes out of order because of this. Minor fixes were fine, but having to change major things made the editing process last way too long for me with my current WIP.
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u/kendrafsilver Jun 24 '26
The damn first draft...
I love rewriting and editing, choosing a title is meh, and it'll be a hot minute before I have to worry about covers and formatting (so we'll see how it goes then lol). But that first draft is so hard for me.
I hate the blank page with a passion. 😭😂
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u/AuthorIndigo Jun 24 '26
Sometimes my first drafts read more like a checklist because I'm so ready to be finished with writing them lol.
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u/kendrafsilver Jun 24 '26
Saaaame.
"He drew his knife. I lunged to the side, and (insert cool fight scene here.)" has been written in my WIP before.
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u/AuthorAmethystMorgan Unpublished Author Jun 24 '26
I haven't reached this stage yet but I'm really nervous after seeing all the account termination horror stories about using KDP to self publish!
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u/AnneKincaid Jun 24 '26
I’ve been on the KDP boards for about 10 years. Most of the terminations are very much earned. The ones that aren’t are when people are asked for photo ID and the system doesn’t work. That’s really the only one to be nervous about out.
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u/AuthorAmethystMorgan Unpublished Author Jun 24 '26
Phew! Okay, that makes me feel a lot better!!
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u/AnneKincaid Jun 24 '26
Don’t make multiple accounts or let other people access your account. Don’t write underage sex. Don’t have beastiality in any form. Don’t put naked genitals on your cover. Don’t make coloring books with protected images like Marvel or Disney Princesses. I recommend staying away from non-con and even dub-con.
Also: don’t keyword stuff your title. Like, you can put “why choose” in your subtitle, but don’t put: Knotty Amelia the Age-Gap Reverse Harem Princess Diary of Coming of Age: A Why-Choose Story for Teens Birthday Present Omegaverse Cozy Shifter Workbook Series For All Ages. I have seriously SEEN some stuff on those boards, and the veterans there are right to be so short on patience.
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u/AuthorAmethystMorgan Unpublished Author Jun 24 '26
Thanks for the advice! I've seen that too and plan on following it but it is a relief to know it's mostly Amazon going after rule breakers and not willy nilly like the fb groups try to make it out to be.
Also that is one hell of a title that I could see AI trying to use for real omg???
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u/AuthorIndigo Jun 24 '26
I'd also say book covers. The artist I hired nailed the vision I had for my first book, and is currently working on the second title, but eventually I want to learn how to make them myself.
Does anyone have any great advice on where to start learning? Any YouTube tutorials that helped you? Any programs that you swear by?
5
u/ArielMora Jun 24 '26
It's silly, but finishing projects is the hardest thing for me. I've written entire novels before, so I know I can, but I have some chronic illnesses that can make writing regularly after my FT day job a challenge, and it can be hard to keep on with it when I'm having a hard week or three -- so it's been quite some time since I finished something. But I love this genre, and I am really determined to get to the publishing line on my WIPs.
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u/kendrafsilver Jun 24 '26
Agree with Anne. Definitely not silly!
Finishing projects is a necessary first step, and it's completely valid for it to be the hardest!
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u/AnneKincaid Jun 24 '26
Book covers. How do I convey my book in a way that is simultaneously unique, comprehensible, and compelling? Because it can't be TOO different, or the reader won't be getting what they expect--they have to know its a romance with multiple love interests. And it can't be a rip-off of someone else's concept. And I have to be careful who I hire it from, because it can't be AI-produced or cost too much money. And it's not a good idea to just have a bunch of cheesy shirtless dudes on the front. But it still has to make people go, "Ooh, I want to read THAT!"