Maybe we’re a little biased, but we think Columbus Publishing Lab authors are pretty awesome. We recently had a chat with R.K. Blessing, author of Clare R., to talk about his self-publishing experience.

Find Clare R. on Amazon.com here.

Like every author who has finished a manuscript, Blessing had to make a decision. Self-publish, or seek out a traditional publisher? For Blessing, self-publishing made the most sense.

Blessing said he first learned about Columbus Publishing Lab after attending a self-publishing seminar. “It was very informative and really got me thinking about the route of self-publishing. It seemed much more viable, and made the idea of publishing seem that much more possible. In other words, I could make a dream become a reality,” Blessing said.

After doing researching on self-publishing companies, Blessing decided to stop into our office and see if Columbus Publishing Lab would be a good fit for his project. “Being able to meet with a group of people in-person and discuss the hard copy of my work was a no-brainer,” Blessing said.

Blessing knew his novel wasn’t ready to go to print right away, and he was dedicated to improving it before handing it over to his readers. After choosing Columbus Publishing Lab,  he commissioned a developmental edit to ensure he received detailed, professional feedback on his manuscript. Blessing said he was nervous to place his first novel into the hands of an editor. “That book contained a lot of emotion, good and bad… I wanted to write something personal, something folks could relate to. To do this you have to become vulnerable and open up [to your readers], as well as open yourself up to criticism and critique. This is what makes your work better,” Blessing said.

Blessing had an idea for the cover, but was willing to let the cover designer take the reins. Being so close to the story, Blessing said it was nerve-wracking to entrust someone else with his idea. “The cover I thought of initially seemed romantic and dramatic to me, but I knew it was dry. It needed more. When I saw what the designer came up with I laughed. I knew it was perfect. It had the flare to draw people in, and…it also maintained qualities I was hoping to use. I couldn’t have been more pleased,” Blessing said.

As an author who has successfully published his first book, Blessing said he would highly recommend the self-publishing experience to other authors. “Writing is not easy by any means. It takes a lot of work and reworking. The thought of going to a big publisher and having them shut you down is very discouraging. Working with Columbus Publishing Lab allows you room to grow during the writing process,” Blessing said.

Learn more about Columbus Publishing Lab packages and services here. 

Blessing said his favorite part of self-publishing so far has been seeing his writing improve along the way. He also enjoyed watching the different parts of his book come together. “Everything got smoother and smoother, and then CPL sent me an email telling me my book was on its way. Hooray!”

“In the end I had a finished product to be proud of, and one that is available for people to read. Self-publishing allows writers to get past that initial hurdle, and from there, the sky’s the limit.”

Blessing currently has a novel and a children’s book about fly fishing in the works. He plans to self-publish both with Columbus Publishing Lab.

We love working with talented, passionate authors like R.K. Blessing. If you’re interested in self-publishing, we invite you to contact us here. A real, live person is on the other end.