Posted an creator unboxing (really no, it’s probably not an unboxing) and first impressions (is it a primary impressions?) of my third e-book, I Ching, The Oracle.
Then determined to swing by over right here on my weblog to repost and share some further private ruminations. Listed here are a few of my ideas and reflections after publishing three books.
Holistic Tarot debuted in 2015, then The Tao of Craft got here out in 2016. I didn’t publish one other e-book till 7 years later, 2023.
There’s this unstated strain on writers to crank out books on a reasonably common, repeating foundation. To be clear, nobody calls for it of us; it’s extra of an unstated self-imposed peer strain. You go searching and all of your colleagues are writing a e-book a 12 months.
I usually surprise about myself why, regardless of having so many half-baked e-book manuscripts within the archives, I’m gradual to the end line in the case of publishing books. A 7-year hole between Books 2 and three is a fairly large one.
Books 1 and a couple of
Holistic Tarot (2015) and The Tao of Craft (2016) look like again to again, however they weren’t. I completed writing the manuscript for Holistic Tarot in 2012, then instantly began on The Tao of Craft, which I completed writing in 2015, the 12 months that Holistic Tarot got here out. So when Holistic Tarot was out in shops, contemporary and new to everyone, and that was the e-book I used to be alleged to be selling, my mind was utterly immersed in The Tao of Craft.
My expertise with the publishing course of for each books was fairly good. I actually appreciated the structure of Holistic Tarot, and the e-book design editor stayed true to my preferences. I actually just like the e-book cowl for The Tao of Craft. The primary few choices introduced to me have been bleh, and the writer listened! And the revision to what you see now on the duvet was designed primarily based on my recommendations!
As for the way I selected the subject material for my first two books–
A nonfiction e-book on the best way to tarot was not the subject I assumed I’d ever publish on, not to mention turn into my debut e-book and come to outline my model. As a result of Holistic Tarot was my first e-book, I’m now perpetually generally known as “a tarot particular person,” which I’m, however esoteric Taoist and Buddhist observe is a a lot larger a part of my world than the tarot. So it’s simply actually fascinating to contemplate what one turns into recognized for vs. what is definitely the true defining practices in a single’s private life.
I didn’t select to jot down a e-book on the tarot, or at the very least it didn’t really feel that method; it seems like the subject selected me. Like many, I had this ongoing tarot examine journal. One Thanksgiving week, for shits and giggles, I organized all my notes from that tarot examine journal into e-book format and the primary full draft of Holistic Tarot, initially titled Tarot Analytics, got here to be.
Now that I had completed what amounted to a reasonably chunky e-book, what do I do with it? I submitted it to numerous Thoughts, Physique, Spirit publishers, didn’t hear again from any of them, and acquired able to self-publish beneath a pseudonym, simply to place it on the market for funsies. Proper after I was about carried out with formatting design and readying to self-publish, I acquired a suggestion for publication from North Atlantic Books.
The Tao of Craft occurred as a result of I needed to jot down a primer on esoteric Taoism that may function a “pre-requisite” for studying extra superior Taoist occult observe. If somebody needed to deep-dive into East Asian occult observe, then I’d say, right here, learn this e-book first, then we’ll discuss. Sure, it’s solely on Fu talismans, however the cool factor is, to craft a Fu, it’s good to make the most of all of the naked minimal fundamentals. Therefore I needed to impart introductory data and expertise by means of studying the best way to craft a Fu.
Each of my mother and father have been staying with me all through the time that I used to be writing The Tao of Craft, so I acquired a substantial amount of enter and assist from them, particularly with sourcing the texts I’d be citing and decoding. The older a few of these texts are, the more durable it’s to make sense of what they’re making an attempt to say. Language use, phrase selection, sentence construction, phrase meanings, all of it modifications over the centuries. It’s like parsing via a grimoire (already an obscure topic in and of itself) written in Previous English. Simply since you’re fluent in trendy English doesn’t imply that train goes to be simple. Luckily, my mother is a practitioner and my dad is an educational.
Contemplating how totally different in subject material E book 2 is from E book 1, after each have been launched, I felt like I used to be in an fascinating unsure place. If you publish two books again to again on two diametrically totally different subjects, what are you going to do to your E book 3?
A key cause for the 7-year hole between Books 2 and three is as a result of I used to be stalling. I stalled largely as a result of I didn’t know what my E book 3 needs to be. And intuitively I sensed that it mattered. The choice needed to be very properly thought via and deeply intentional.
Between Books 2 and three
After E book 2, I attempted my hand at ending a novel I had been engaged on for what now seems like perpetually. It’s historic fiction and balancing “entertaining, compelling character growth” with “historic accuracy by means of a ton of analysis” was the important thing problem.
I completed that novel, then determined it was not as properly written as I would love, so trashed the draft and began over. I completed a second draft, and once more it wasn’t nice. However then after two failed full drafts I misplaced steam.
One other bummer factor in regards to the novel is after I first acquired the thought for it in 2012, I didn’t see something prefer it out out there, so it felt “unique.” However at this level, there are actually a number of books virtually precisely like my premise, so if I publish my e-book now, it’s going to appear like I copied. =( So unhappy.
Oh, and the way might I neglect to say, I drew and launched three editions of SKT between Books 2 and three. =)
Deciding on E book 3
Round March of 2022, my writer North Atlantic Books reached out and requested if I had any e-book venture concepts I’ve been engaged on that is perhaps proper for NAB. I took a while to consider it, and realized, properly, I do have this accomplished translations of the I Ching plus a number of researched commentary chapters already written out. I might in all probability flesh that out right into a coherent e-book.
I pitched the thought and so they stated sure! Let’s do it!
Although I had this accomplished I Ching e-book on the again burner for fairly a very long time (and it took me about 10 years to totally full), I assumed I had heard someplace that “Confucius says” that you could’t actually perceive the I Ching till you’re over 40.
So I had been stalling on publishing the I Ching e-book till I used to be over 40. And because it turned out, when NAB reached out a couple of potential third e-book, I used to be over 40. So, in my thoughts, now I might credibly discuss in regards to the I Ching. =)
By the best way, my presumption that “Confucius says” you’ll be able to’t actually perceive the I Ching till you’re over 40 was a mis-remembering of this maxim attributed to him:
子曰：吾十有五而志於學，三十而立，四十而惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而從心所欲，不性質。
In different phrases, Confucius says…
- At age 15, you’re desperate to be taught
- At age 30, you’ve solidified your opinions and factors of view
- At age 40, you’ve attained confidence and readability
- At age 50, you’ve come to know Heaven’s Will
- At age 60, you be taught to hear [alternate translation: you learn to go with the flow]
- At age 70, your individual True Will aligns with Heaven’s Will
This comes from the Analects 論語 of Confucius. It might amuse you to see the minimal Chinese language characters after which the verbosity of my English translation.
You’re going to search out that to be so in I Ching, The Oracle as properly. Look over on the minimalist variety of Chinese language characters from the Oracle. Then look to the left at my English translation. You’re like, wait, there are much more English phrases than there are Chinese language characters… Yeah. As a result of one phrase in Chinese language holds a number of prongs of which means. A strictly literal translation isn’t going to translate the total depth and scope of which means.
However again to what Confucius says. =) What I’ve translated as “Heaven’s Will” for age 50, 天命, is the Mandate of Heaven, for many who recall their Chinese language historical past research again in highschool World Historical past class.
These two phrases maintain so many layers of which means although. To say the time period means future doesn’t do it justice. A Christian would possibly interpret tian ming as “God’s Plan for you.” I like that really.
Juxtaposed with the maxims for ages 15, 30, and 40, earlier than age 50, the implication is you’re asserting your self onto this world. You’re proactively carving out your home, determining who you’re and what you’ll stand and struggle for. However then at age 50, there’s a yielding, however it’s a type of knowledge, to yield. There’s a energy and braveness to the yielding that you just don’t absolutely purchase till age 50.
After which for age 60, 耳順, is translated to “listening and going with the stream.” It implies matured non secular cultivation. However it additionally means actually with the ability to take heed to what somebody is saying to you, going deeper than simply phrase which means and speech. Your coronary heart learns to listen to one other’s coronary heart.
“Listening” additionally means obedience, although a contemporary Westernized society goes to rise up in arms after they hear the phrase “obedience.” If by age 50 you perceive Heaven’s Will, then by age 60 you’ve realized the best way to yield to it. Yielding to Heaven’s Will, in flip, additionally implies that your non secular cultivation has matured.
After which by age 70 you’re absolutely indoctrinated by Heaven’s Will. Kidding.
On its face “七十而從心所欲，不性質” (i.e., age 70, your individual True Will aligns with Heaven’s Will) implies that you’re not a insurgent with out a trigger, not somebody who feels the necessity to break the principles simply to determine who you’re or the place you stand. You could be precisely who you’re and what you wish to be with out compromising who you have been meant to be and what’s meant for you.
I’m curious to see what e-book I come out with after I’m 50!
Wow, what a long-winded tangent. Again to how I made a decision on the I Ching for E book 3.
Many native Chinese language and Taiwanese fluent within the I Ching learn my translations and annotations, and stated they appreciated mine! =) Now, whether or not they have been simply saying that to be good to me is one other problem completely, however their phrases actually gave me the boldness to proceed with publishing this e-book.
I additionally needed to jot down and publish a Taoist grimoire, and so I did. Embedded inside I Ching, The Oracle is a e-book of practicums, and also you’ll even discover a itemizing of all practicums within the entrance pages.
The phrase depend on the MS Phrase doc file I submitted for I Ching, The Oracle was 268,000. For comparability, Holistic Tarot was 175,000 and The Tao of Craft was 156,000 phrases. But for those who have a look at the e-book thickness of I Ching from 2023 and Holistic Tarot from 2015, they give the impression of being to be about the identical! Purpose for that’s the font measurement in I Ching is only a smidge smaller than it was in Holistic Tarot and the paper high quality is barely thinner in I Ching than it was in Holistic Tarot.
I’m very happy with I Ching, The Oracle, and in my coronary heart I’ve religion that my ancestors are happy with what I’ve carried out. I’ve religion that this e-book is one thing Asians and Asian People can be happy with me for.
In lots of methods, this was an endeavor to de-colonize the I Ching.
To offer you a way of the place I’m at with E book 3 in comparison with Books 1 and a couple of, I needed to severely think about and debate whether or not I needed to proceed publishing E book 3 beneath Benebell Wen or whether or not to publish E book 3 beneath my actual authorized title.
Eagerly Awaiting E book OSD (On Sale Date)
E book 3 will lastly be launched later this month on September 26. If you happen to really feel ever so inclined and also you’ve bought a duplicate of E book 3, please go away a evaluate on Amazon and/or Goodreads. This is likely one of the greatest favors you are able to do for authors. Shopper critiques assist a e-book to get found and boosts its rankings.
All proper. Now comes the ready recreation. It may be anxiety-inducing, when the OSD is simply across the bend and shortly the general public will begin to publicly react to your e-book. Will they prefer it? Will they hate it? How will you, the creator, take it when critics poke your shadow? You’d assume after experiencing this for 2 books, the third needs to be simple. Not so. Not so in any respect. =)
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