Getting Ready to Self-Publish

A couple of months ago, I finished the novel that I started in 2011 or so. I did so with mixed feelings - pride that I'd blown the dust off it and finally done it, but also some shame that I had let it sit for all this time. When I did finally write "The End", I decided I wasn't going to just lock it away - I'm aware of my mortality and I'm no longer some young hopeful with their life sprawled out ahead of them. I did a flurry of research, learned how to write a pitch, and sent it out to every publisher I could find that was taking unsolicited submissions in my genre (middle school fiction). Knowing how difficult it is to land a contract, I patted myself on the back just for getting it out the door and turned my attention to other things. The other day, as I pulled into the parking lot at work, my phone dinged and my heart almost stopped. I  saw the preview of an email that had just arrived from a publisher with the subject line "Contract offer". The thrill of it all was intoxicating - however! I was also aware of what are called "Vanity Publishers", so with trepidation started looking at online reviews of this publisher. Sadly, although they expressly said in their very friendly and professional letter to me that they are a hybrid publisher and not a vanity publisher. the masses of reviews said otherwise. Word to the wise - if a publisher is asking you to front money in order to be published, run. But for every door that closes, a window opens, right? This experience has put me solidly on the path to self-publishing. First step: building my author platform. Yesterday I created my Facebook author page, and an Instagram author account. I came back to this blog that I abandoned in 2011 and, well, here I am. I'm very excited at the possibilities and will provide updates on my progress!