For those of us who really want to get our writing published, this is our opportunity.

I have been inspired to start my own publishing imprint focussed specifically on publishing works by people living with OCD and/or Tourette Syndrome. The writing can be about these conditions, or it can be unrelated, but I want to give people like us an opportunity to get our foot in the door and speak out to the world – especially since many of us have such social anxiety, we’re too scared to sell ourselves.

M654731 suggested to me the idea of putting together a book of stories written by tribe members about OCD – it is a fantastic idea that could definitely sell. I have never taken on such a project before, but:

• My parents once founded and ran their own record label, and I remember some of the basics in involved in that

• I have done work experience at Random House and sat in on a marketing meeting

• I was the co-editor for a college literary magazine

• I am a writer myself, and will be contributing a story to the book

• I took a proofreading/editing course – with ADD, I couldn’t pass the course (which is why I won’t be doing the final proofreading of the book), but I know what the process entails, and I also own a directory of freelance proofreaders to give a professional look at the final manuscript

• I WANT to do this!!

I think it would be a great idea to make the book a collection of fiction stories. There are many books out there on case studies, therapeutic suggestions, personal experiences with the condition, etc. but I can’t come up with fiction results. It would be an interesting market gap to tap into, thereby increasing its chances of selling. Also, I find sometimes the easiest way to express my feelings to people is through fiction, because I can get more honest when it’s about ‘someone else’ – and I believe many readers will be more drawn in by fiction than non-fiction, widening the target audience and therefore opening more people’s eyes to what OCD is REALLY like.

I have friends who are artists and could design a cover for the book. I also have ideas for marketing, like putting together the manuscript and then submitting an official proposal to Webtribes and asking if they would like to fund the project in exchange for advertising (and funding would go toward things like the proofreader, possibly a lawyer to negotiate royalties, purchasing the ISBN, etc.), calling up magazines and asking if they would like to do a small promotional feature (I have a friend who works at a magazine here in London, too, who might be able to help), sending copies to newspapers/magazines for review, approaching small local bookshops and seeing if they’d like to stock a few copies, etc. Most importantly, I would be using a Print on Demand service to save money and selling it through Amazon. I have ordered a book explaining the full process of setting up an imprint, purchasing the ISBN, marketing, selling on Amazon, etc. and I plan to go through it all thoroughly and make this project work. It would open a lot of minds, as well as get people’s names out there.

So if you have any fiction written about OCD, or if you would like to write some, and you’re interested in this project, feel free to send me any questions or suggestions you may have, or submit stories to: vrinda.barker@yahoo.co.uk.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer and to get into publishing, but I think I’ve not been really ‘going for it’ enough because I’ve never much wanted to get stuck in big corporate environments where your vision gets moulded to fit business models. I really feel this is the answer I’ve been searching for.