I did a thing!

Why Is This Taking So Long?

I’ve been asking myself the same question. Writing a book, even one where most of the words are already written for me (thank you, Bible), takes so much more work than you think it would. There’s the layout, formatting, testing fonts, and dealing with things I didn’t even think about at the start. Honestly, I thought I’d be ready to publish months ago.

But then came the problem.

One of the fonts I used looked great in Word, perfect, actually, but when I exported the file to PDF, which the publisher requires, I noticed something strange. On some pages, the left sides of certain letters were cut off, it was noticeable. I researched, I searched, I asked, and… nothing. No fix, no answers or at least none that helped. I got so frustrated that I finally walked away from the project for a while.

Recently, though, I picked it back up. After digging in again, I figured out that the problem was probably the font itself. Which was sad for me, I didn’t want to change it, I really love this font because it’s as close to old-school cursive as I could find. Still, I had to find a solution.

So, I asked ChatGPT for help and got a few insights and suggestions. That led me to download LibreOffice and import my book file there. The layout looked a little different than it did in Word, so I had to re-edit the entire book to make sure everything looked right. Then I exported it to PDF and viola! no more cut-off letters. Woot!

Now, I’m about 90% ready to start publishing and selling my first book, Trace the Word Genesis. I’ve uploaded the files to the publisher, but they’re flagging a few potential issues. I think they’re “maybe” problems rather than real problems, but to be safe, I decided to create a shorter version of the book. It’s exactly the same in every way except it only includes the first three chapters of Genesis.

Why? Because this test run will let me figure out:

• If the paper quality works well for tracing with different pens and pencils

• If the grayscale on the tracing letters is right (not too light, not too dark)

• If the QR codes work properly

• If the layout flows exactly the way I want

This publisher charges by the page, so doing a shortened version saves me money while giving me a chance to make sure everything looks and feels right before committing to the full book.

I ordered two copies of the shortened version, and it’ll take about one to two weeks for them to arrive. I’m excited, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous too. I want this book to be beautiful, functional, and exactly what I envisioned. For now, it’s just a waiting game. I’ll have to keep myself busy and try not to overthink it, which, if you know me, is easier said than done.

My inner perfectionist has definitely been giving me the side-eye through this whole process. That little voice loves to whisper, “You could make this better. You should fix this one thing first.” It’s that same voice that has stopped me from finishing so many projects in the past. I dive headfirst into something I love, the creative juices are flowing, and then the details and the "what if's" bog me down.

I’ve got multiple ideas and even a few “companies” sitting on the verge of being launched, all because of that perfectionist mindset. I get stuck thinking, “It’s not ready. It’s not good enough. You still need to do _____.” And just like that, the brakes slam on.

But over the past few months, a little phrase has been popping up everywhere:
"Just do it. Don’t wait for it to be perfect." I believe this is the work of the Holy Spirit, gently pushing me forward.

So that’s what I’m doing.

By ordering this shortened test copy, I can finally get the book into my hands and see how it really works. Once I’m confident everything is right, I’ll move forward and release the full Genesis book. For those of you who’ve emailed asking when it will be available, thank you. Your encouragement keeps me going, and I promise it’s coming soon.

In the meantime, while I’m testing this sample, I’m planning to make a few videos showing the book in action. I might even do a livestream on Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok. Speaking of TikTok… I just realized I may be able to sell the book directly through their shop. Hmmm… now there’s an idea!