{
  "id": 16824499,
  "title": "So I wrote a book. Now I have to publish it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/so-i-wrote-a-book-now-i-have-to-publish-it",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T00:37:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/opinion/2026/10/28/so-i-wrote-a-book-now-i-have-to-publish-it/240839"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the October 28th report, a columnist found herself in a unique situation: writing a book about her own battle with cancer. The idea may have seemed predictable and mundane, but she decided to go through with it, regardless. The writing process was surprisingly simple, as she dictated her manuscript to her phone using the free Voice Memos app on her iOS device. It took her just one week to complete the dictation, but the physical toll of the endeavor didn't go unnoticed. She found herself bedridden for two weeks after finishing.\n\nThe author praised dictating a book for capturing raw, honest emotions that might have been difficult to express through traditional writing methods. However, she admitted that editing such a manuscript was a daunting task. She discovered errors, such as repeated anecdotes and irrelevant tangents, which had to be cut out. Due to the messy nature of the manuscript, she opted for self-editing instead of hiring professional editorial services.\n\nTo ensure the accuracy of her work, she sent a proof copy to three healthcare professionals, including women who had experienced breast cancer themselves and a long-time friend. She hoped their feedback would help her refine the book, even though she warned them that she expected them to be \"disappointed\" with the final product.\n\nInitially, her goal for the book was modest: to finish, format, and distribute it through Amazon Kindle, Kobo, her Ko-fi website, and a print-on-demand service for physical copies. However, she soon realized that printing a small batch of books wouldn't break the bank, but formatting the book proved to be a challenge she hadn't anticipated. Now, she eagerly awaits her printer's quote, copy suggestions, and her own sanity to return from the intense process that has left her feeling quite \"mad.\" Despite the challenges, she remains excited to share her book with the world in November.",
  "summary": "OCTOBER 28 — Sometimes you have to embrace cliches.A columnist getting cancer writing a book about it? Ah, how pre...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}