My self-publishing heebie-jeebies (and sundry)

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At this point in time ladies and gents, I’m utterly and completely losing my marbles…

Why am I heading down the road to the loony train you ask? Well it’s because of what I’m in the middle of at this point and that would be my first attempt at self-publishing. The really stressful thing is that it isn’t just your regular old self-publishing where it’s all me and a printer and everything is dependent on my pace and all that.

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For those that may not know this, in addition to my efforts at writing fiction and trying to be somewhat literary now and again, I’ve actually got a budding career as a writer of not-all-that-kid-friendly comics. I have to admit though, being part of the nascent Indian comics industry, being amongst the first new-generation of more mature and intelligent (nah!) story-tellers who want to use the medium to do more than just tell the same old silly kids stories or rehash the same old mythological sagas… to be a part of the first ever Comic Conventions in my country and conducting workshops for the field and all that… it’s been exhilarating.

But the focus for today is on my latest endeavour, one which has my nerves somewhat close to shot and has me up nights imagining the worst! It’s really the worst part for me about being a writer – I can deal with someone not liking it once they say so, but until then it’s almost like I’m on automatic.

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This latest project is a first of it’s kind (in India at least) : a wholly creator-owned anthology of tales with a group of creative people contributing and published not through any one publishing house or entity but fully independently produced.

It’s been hectic, harrowing and more than a little frazzling and we still have a bit of ways to go as the deadline for going to press approaches (Jan 31st) and the event itself – the 3rd Annual Indian Comic Convention – starts (Feb 8th).

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I will say this though : come what may, it has been the experience of a lifetime in a lot ways. It has given me a chance to do what it was meant to and flex my creative muscles. It’s brought me just as much joy as it has stress, as I watch each page come in and brainstorm and interact with the amazing creative talents who are working on it with me.

Just as a breakdown, the anthology has been titled “Ground Zero” and I want it to be a creator-friendly place. A place not dependant on stock characters or publishers or mandates but simply on if you are good at what you do and have a story to tell, we’ll try and find you space. It might be 10 pages long or as short as just one page. Doesn’t matter.

Peppered around here are some of the in-development art from all this by some of the fantastic artists who have put up with my nuttiness to make this happen.

If you like what you see, you can check out more at the GROUND ZERO facebook page and I’ll be sharing stuff there and here in the next two weeks as well – artist info and more art, so check it out and I’d love to know what you think.

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Thanks for bearing with me as I vent out some of my neuroses. Cheers.

…oh and in parting, here’s a trailer for the sequel to a movie that was just so much damned fun – it was the Expendables, but with class all over the place and now it’s back! (though sadly sans the awesome Morgan Freeman but we get the still lovely Zeta-Jones so I’m good.)

But seriously, what would be a good title for this movie? “Red 2 : Redder” ? Then the next would be “Reddest” and so on and so forth… hey this is the age of franchise milking so don’t be surprised if it happens!