This past week, i’ve had the joy of tearing out my hair with frustration.
I’m sure you can relate somehow – but EVERYTHING went wrong with something in particular.
I had a short turn around writing deadline this week for another project (more on that another day), so I was already under the pump with a Packed week of work! So, when I had pre-planned the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles eBook release, it was something I’d already arranged, I had ready to go, and all I had to do was upload and GO!
I WAS WRONG!
It came to Friday (release day), and I logged on thinking it would be easy street. Nope. Almost anything that I could have thought of went wrong.
FRIDAY – RELEASE DAY
- I couldn’t use the eBook platform I had planned on, and had to quickly change it to Amazon Kindle (not a biggie, it was already on my list. I can do this – just a minor change)
- I couldn’t upload in the BEAUTIFUL PDF version I had worked HOURS to create. So I had to transfer everything to a Word Document (Hours, and hours, and hours, wasted on formatting, making it look good etc… I’m feeling disappointed but we can still do this!)
- Spent about an hour transferring it into a word doc, and still making it look good – picked nice fonts, tried to make it look snazzy etc. Uploaded it, previewed it, then realised – NONE of my fonts transferred over, and it looked crap! (Definitely frustrated at this point. All the normal fonts are bollocks, I want the pretty ones. Another hour down the tubes…)
- Noticed also, that there was no Table Of Contents for people to find each chapter (great… another thing to change)
- Went back and re-formatted AGAIN – added the TOC, changed all the fonts to an acceptable ‘staple’ font that Amazon would have (Another hour of my life gone, and i’m starting to run late with all the other things I had planned that day)
- Uploaded it AGAIN, and previewed – only to notice that in the transfer, Some of my titles and words which were supposed to be capitalised were NOT! (Wouldn’t annoy some, but for a nit picker like myself, it was excruciating. Screaming out in frustration at this point, and very close to hair pulling)
- Fixed. Uploaded. Proud of how it looks. Pending review. (Wait, what?? It could take a few days!! I hadn’t factored that in.)
- Posted an update to everyone on Social Media that my book was officially delayed. (Waiting until tomorrow – it’s another day!)
SATURDAY… FINGERS CROSSED
- Woke up to see that Hannah Carmichael is LIVE and ready to go. (Fantastic! Yesterday is behind me)
- Went onto Facebook to set up some promotions. Realised that the eBook cover was not in line with advertising policy. Ad account deactivated. (What!!?? How was I supposed to know a crime book cover would make Facebook crap themselves?? All the frustration of yesterday is coming back. NOW is the hair pulling!)
- Put in a review for Facebook to re-activate my account. Book still Live, hardly anyone knows about it however. Found out that it can take from 2 weeks to 6 months to re-activate (NOW the hair pulling is in full swing!)
SUNDAY… LAST CHANCE
- Woke up to a message that the advertising on Facebook is now activated once again. Uploaded the ads. Approved (1, not both). Finally sorted…
Sometimes we plan something out TO THE LETTER, but life, circumstances and other people can de-rail out plans. It’s how we deal with it that matters.
I joked about pulling out my hair, but the truth is, although all of that was frustrating, end of the day? It’s all okay. Set-backs are a part of life, and I’m glad I had them – because now I can learn from the frustration of my writing weekend.
If you want to download the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles eBook – head to the book preview link below! I’d love for you to get lost in the spy journey!
See You in The Adventures!
CG
Christy Grace Scarlet Pen 