“Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely,
“and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
— Alice in Wonderland
"Start with the end in mind" is the second habit in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Take time to imagine your finished book—in your hands, handing "thanks for your support" copies to relatives and friends, on the bookshelf of someone you've just met, in your favorite bookstore and library, on an e-reader or tablet, as an audiobook. How does that feel?
Is the cover a photo, an illustration, or does it just contain the title and your name—there in lights. Is the title large enough? What does the title and cover design convey to a potential reader? How will it look on display in a bookstore, or online?
There are many decisions for you to make as you build your book. Knowing where you're headed will save you time and money later on.
Things like self-publishing start out simple; then they get complicated. But you have to start somewhere. Why not get advice and help from an expert? That's why we're here—at publisher@touchwoodpress.com.