Hello Readers And Writers!
Well, it seems time to bring up an important topic to all writers: How do you get published in this day and age? Then, how do you get into bookstores, and how do you get sales? Can you make a living as a writer? Good questions!
There is much debate in the industry over what venues work, but the reality is there are so many writers now, and so many models of publishing, the only thing certain is that the old “rock star author” dream is rarer than ever. That said, there are also many more writing jobs than ever–so writing for a living (even if not books) is far more possible.
There is a wonderful, snappy, difficult, vibrant discussion that went on at the Self- Publishing Reveiw website, in which traditionally published authors and self-published authors go at it over many of the details that are important to the discussion. See http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/2009/05/04/guest-post-a-publishing-person-self-publishes/ but be sure to read the MANY comments that form this important discussion. The discussion is even more worthy than the article. Topics like “What is more vain, needing a big publisher to take your book and saying you are published by so-and-so or doing it yourself ‘vanity publisher’ style?” make this a great read for anyone interested in writing books.
As many of you know, I’ve been big publisher published. I’ve also created a publishing company (which is more than self-publishing model alone) for my fiction, another for my book on SIDS, and been a part of other books that have gone mainstream in various ways.
And then there is The Mayden Chronicles which is altogether different in the blog style! I will seek a publisher for this one since the teen market isn’t my normal market. But when? And who? And will it sell? (By the way, the more you comment, the more that is likely because that demonstrates readers and interest! Hint hint!)
Feel free to join the conversation by commenting, and I’ll answer whatever questions I can.
Happy reading and writing! Robin
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I was wondering which was the most satisfying situation for you: traditional publishing, self-publishing or blog publishing? Thanks! RT
Thanks for the question Richard! Well…most satisfying? That is a tough one. It was wonderful to have a major publisher take over my first self-published book (which was really not much more than a manual) and create something wonderful out of it. I wasn’t happy to learn that while they paid a very nice sum for it upfront, they didn’t do any real promotion of it. Well, there was a book tour–but the person arranging it didn’t even know what my topic was. Kind of hard to hear this was the guy selling it to the stores. It didn’t surprise me that it didn’t do well. In the end, the profits from the self-published version made even more money than the advance. But it was great to see how the “big boys” play the game and nice to have that version on the shelf! It also opened many doors for me in other areas of life. Once big-publisher published, you do have a credential that others recognize.
Self-publishing seemed the right route for my fiction, which is not genre and not easy to categorize outside of a genre either. I created my own publishing house (which is to say went pro on all aspects of the process, including incorporation, design, press kits, PR launch, etc…)long before it was easy–you had to order 5,000 copies and warehouse them yourself. I easily spent as much money on that book and the promotion as I made with my published edition. But I was able to design the cover, keep the title I wanted, and know it would never go out of print unless I decided it would. I was also able to sell it to a Spanish and a German publisher without splitting profits or getting permission. There is also great satisfaction in a job well done, and I now have three novels out that have all gotten great reviews.
This blog is an experiment, so I can’t yet say how it will turn out. I’m having fun with it, and it is challenging me even more than my other novels because I’m doing it in public and creating the videos to share the process. That changes the process, so it keeps me on my toes.
In the end, I’d say self-publishing is perfect for most of my fiction. Since I don’t have a big teen audience, I’d like to sell The Mayden Chronicles to a publisher. There is a large teen fiction audience out there, and a mainstream publisher knows how to reach them better than I do. But we will see! I’m staying open.
Thanks for asking! Robin
Oh thank you Robin for your valuable guidance regarding writing,I hope that your mayden chroicles will be one of the best novels!!!
May God help you in writing more and more stuff!!
Thank you Vibhu! Glad to have you here to read!