After a lengthy writing journey, my memoir is finally complete, edited, and the cover is done.
Once it’s formatted, also known as typesetting, it’s ready for publishing. The truth is, I finished the book several weeks ago. Now, I’m stumbling around with the idea of either self-publishing or submitting my work to a publisher. I would prefer not to self-publish. I’m not good at self-promotion or writing a bio or writing a story description. Especially under two hundred words.
How do you capture the essence of a sixty-five-thousand-word story with a couple of hundred words? Or how do you write a bio with less than a hundred words? It is a dilemma. A publisher could solve some of those problems, but the chance of enticing a publisher is slim to none. But I have considered giving it a shot. After considerable research, I found a publisher that seems to be a good fit for my memoir—Black Rose Writing. I like some of the books they have promoted. Tomorrow, or maybe next week or the week after, I’ll shoot them a submission letter. Yes, I am stalling, but I can’t rush this now. First, I must write a great description that will interest them in reading my manuscript—one that will captivate them with a hundred words or less! Yikes! They are brutal.
So far, I have made several feeble attempts at writing a decent description. None of them have stood out, not even mediocre. But, finally, one has made the cut. However, that does not mean I will use it. Instead, I’ll let it cook for a few days. Then I’ll reread it. And, as is typical for me, I won’t like it. But, for now, this seems to capture the essence of my story. It’s ten words more than the requested one hundred. I’ve highlighted a few words that I may leave out to get down to one hundred. Or perhaps I’ll leave them.
Rock, Paper, Innocence—A Memoir of Love and Loss. 
Grasping for hope after discovering late-stage cancer, an aging couple struggles for answers. Yet, during their darkest hours and sleepless nights, they find joy and purpose. Hoping to leave more than broken hearts and faded photographs, they decide to share their secrets. Swirling around a lifetime of memories is a medallion, a ring, an emerald cross, and an anonymous letter that will change their lives forever. Afraid of losing the history behind those personal treasures, they write their story beginning with the day they met on the steps at Kimball High School. Through this writing journey, they rediscover their childhood love and laughter while pushing through their fear and sorrow.
A day or two later, the final draft at 100 words:
Grasping for hope after discovering late-stage cancer, a devoted husband struggles for answers. Yet, during their darkest hours and sleepless nights, they find joy and purpose. Hoping to leave more than broken hearts and faded photographs, they decide to share their secrets. Swirling around a lifetime of memories is a medallion, a pearl ring, an emerald cross, and an anonymous letter. Afraid of losing the history behind those treasures, they begin their story with the day they met on the steps at Kimball High School. Through this journey, they rediscover their childhood love while pushing through their fear and sorrow.
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