Publication - is the auction of the Mind of Man. ~Emily DickinsonIt’s Sunday, early afternoon and two hours away from a social networking hashtag discussion I participate in on Twitter called #writechat (via @WritingSpirit). To maintain suspense and ensure people wait until the designated three o’clock eastern-time hour to start the discussion, the topic is kept top secret until show time. Last week’s topic centered on publishing issues and I disclosed my intention to self-publish my debut novel, not at all prepared for the stream of tweets that would follow.
One Twitter friend/follower in particular challenged me to name the self-published works I read. To be fair, my fingers couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with all the “@” (response to your tweet) messages but I realized how unprepared I was to answer that question, leading the tweeter to conclude that I do not read self-published works. How then, could I be so determined to achieve success through an avenue I, myself, did not support?
After cautioning this tweeter against such large assumptions, I offered to provide him with a list of self-published works I have purchased but the numbers were not the heart of the discussion. I think the point he was trying to make was that self-published works are not widely purchased or read because the quality of both the writing itself and overall aesthetics (cover, binding, etc.) are not comparable to books published by traditional, large publishing houses.
Personally I find that argument difficult to accept. Obtaining a traditional publishing contract has been likened to the same odds as hitting the lottery, so it is hard to believe that the larger numbers of writers unable to share their work through traditional means or those who have opted in favor of publishing their works themselves are not as good as the chosen few.
There were valid arguments presented on both sides but one hit home for me. I have to admit that I have committed myself to the notion of publishing my work through self-publishing but I have not committed myself to supporting this growing and needed industry as a matter of principle. As self-publishing grows so does the onslaught of criticism from traditional publishers, literary agents and all those who seek to maintain the glass ceiling and control the profits. Until we are able to readily roll off a list of self-published works and authors that are analogous to traditionally published works, the distinction will remain.
Now, I seek to rectify this issue. Following last week’s write chat, I asked people to recommend good, self-published works. I plan to read one each month and as objectively as possible review it on this blog to both celebrate self-publishing gains and challenge those committed to helping this avenue grow to step the game up.
Please leave a comment to share your thoughts on self-publishing, recommend a self-published book or share if you a writer going through the publishing process (self and traditional).
Good, informative post.
ReplyDeleteI have considered self-publication. In fact, I was considering my blog as a vehicle with which to assist me in publicizing and selling my book.
I have read that publishing a book with one of the major publishing houses is very difficult. In addition, I have seen it written that the whole process is very political and amounts to being at the right place, at the right time, and being seen by the right person.
However, I was looking the biographies of several hip hop/rap moguls who began by selling their product out of the trunk of their car. They continued until they built such a following that the major record labels had to take notice.
And at that time, they were able to better bargain with the record labels and get more favorable terms because they had already established an audience for their product.
But it took a lot of hustling and that too is a one in a million shot.
Many do not realize that several prominent authors started out as self-published authors. I admire your commitment to support the indie publishing industry.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteMax Reddick, I bought books about publishing and that was the general gist--more about who you know. Since I have no major literary connections and am eager to get my foot in the door, self-publishing appears to be the most logical option. I still don't count out the car trunk option once it's in print. Bottomline is the determination to make it happen.
publishingguru, I have heard examples of this, such as The Celestine Prophecy, which I heard of through word of mouth and read. I think it's really important for us to keep supporting indie publishing and adding examples. In doing so, we break down barriers and demand consideration.
Glad I happened upon this blog, and funny you should mention Celestine Prophecy. In a previous incarnation as a buyer of independent press books for a major West Coast book wholesaler (since defunct, RIP), I *rejected* Celestine Prophecy when it first crossed my desk. My reason? Not that it was self-published--I had bought plenty of self-published books for distribution. It was that (a)I had never heard of the author and (b) the letter he sent with the book didn't indicate any plans to become known. Next thing I knew, one of our sales reps was telling me I'd better reconsider--she was seeing *stacks* of it in the stores she visited. So we signed the book on, and we went on to sell 60,000 copies before a New York house swooped in to publish it.
ReplyDeleteThe moral, I think, is that yes, self-publishing absolutely can work, and word of mouth can work wonders for some exceptional books, but for most books you need to be prepared to hustle--and let everybody know you're hustling. The good news? You'd have to do the same thing if you got a traditional deal!
You hit on a few really valid and, in fact, true points. First, that the publishing industry is, first and foremost, an INDUSTRY (ie. business). In that industry there are those who most certainly wish to maintain profit margins and their post at the wheel - as in every other business.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am currently an Indie author, a decision I made in an informed state.
I'm aware that the work is harder (forget about just promoting and selling our own books; we've got to set and maintain a quality standard. That means excellent writing and editing) but the profit margins are significantly higher, too.
Not only did the Celestine Prophecy begin as a self published work, but so did the Eragon series. And there are well known professional writers who choose to self publish for varied reasons. My friend and respected colleague Richard Dolan chose to self publish after a bad experience with a publishing house whereby he was not informed of all his sales, nor did he receive all his royalties.
I chose to self publish because after having successfully launched and grew two magazines in my state, it never occurred to me to hand the reins over to someone else when it came to my book.
For the right deal, I may just go ga-ga, as most authors would. But for now, I've got my media corporation and I'm not afraid to publish my book under it.
More power to you darling. I bet you're going to be stellar.
- Jo Lynne
www.JoLynneValerie.com
http://jolynnevalerie.blogspot.com/
p.s. If you'd like a copy of my book, let me know - I'll send a pdf right over. Be aware though; it's not short and it's not for the faint of heart. Best wishes. :)
It's often difficult to identify self-published work, because very few are "bragging" about it (but I am).
ReplyDeleteI can say one thing for sure. I hardly read works published by established publishers anymore, because it's one single heap of crap. it lacks variety with a vengeance.
I comb the bookstores for independent writers, though, and i ask for self-published works, persist on doing so, even if they patronizingly call it "vanity projects".
I read independent stuff on the Internet and people read my stories there, and they buy my books.
There is really no need to settle for the inferior stuff released by established publishers.
http://bit.ly/190XgU
Thank you for your comments...
ReplyDeletesheridan mccarthy, I truly appreciated the inside perspective. I expect the journey to be difficult but that seems surmountable, as compared to the nearly impossible feat of getting published traditionally as an unknown author. I believe in my work and am willing to hustle to share my story.
Jo Lynne, Congratulations to you! Your example is one we need to remind us it is possible. You also shed light on an issue I hadn't even considered, the shady side of publishing (withholding royalties). I would love to read your work. DM me on Twitter.
amos keppler, Thank you for sending me the link on Twitter and introducing me to your blog. Your commitment to self-publishing is to be commended. As a community, we can support each other and help self-publishing grow.
Hi GG. I started following you recently - I found you through Moriah Jovan's tweets - but only got time to follow your blog link today.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about building a community and supporting each other is so right on! There are a lot of misconceptions out there about self-publishing, and I'm convinced that the best way to smash them isn't to argue with the naysayers; rather we must continue produce quality work, market intelligently, and spread the word about one another's work.
Most of the books I've read/purchased over the past year have been self-published, and most of those have been excellent. MoJo's novel, "The Proviso," is amazing, as is "Homefront" by Kristen Tsetsi. [self pimping] My own novel, "Waiting For Spring" has gotten some rather good reviews. [/self pimping] And there are SO many others.
Keep your spirits (pun intended) high and keep plugging away. The stigma will fade eventually. I truly believe it.