Grea Alexander's Blog - Posts Tagged "self-publish"
Self-publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
I've self-published to date primary due to the following considerations:
JANET JACKSON ISN’T THE ONLY PERSON WHO WANTS CONTROL
I prefer to have 100% creative control over what I write. Traditional publication requires a lot of compromise in order to suit the tastes of a myriad of people involved at the pre-publication/publication level (all of whom will have their own individual tastes, preferences and/or vision of what your work should be) as well as what those people perceive (or understand based on market research) to be what the market wants/needs at that time.
More daring publication houses may accept works that are outside of that spectrum but that they feel may be the next big thing or that fit a particular audience they already hold or want to acquire. While this may seem like a plus at first, authors like me who genre jump may not do well with them in the long-run.
In either scenario, the end product may, in some cases, be very different from what YOUR artistic vision of what you’d like to put out is. (Which is why creative people sometimes re-release or include separate “unabridged” “director’s cuts” “uncut” versions once they get a foothold in their industry. They want THEIR vision expressed in its fullness).
While I would LOVE to never have to do anything but write for the rest of my life and to have an entire machine of people to take the burden of doing the things I don’t enjoy doing (such as marketing, social media, etc.) off my shoulders, I had a decision to make about how much I was willing to compromise my work in order to achieve financial/mainstream success.
Up to this point, that has apparently been very little. (wink)
Writing is something that is pure for me. It’s something that I love to do with all of my heart and soul and that I do for no other reason than I love to do it. Getting paid for my creativity is bonus for me. Even if I make little to nothing doing it, I will still continue to do it. When you love something that much, it’s EXTREMELY difficult to turn it over to other people.
If you’re someone who doesn’t mind molding your work as others see fit or can hold your tongue until you get a foothold into the industry, Traditional Publishing might be a better fit for you. While some publishers only accept solicited manuscripts, others hold contests or open submission periods. Others still will accept unsolicited work if it’s submitted by a literary agent they work with/respect (though securing a literary agent can be a long, grueling process in and of itself).
FREEDOM…GEORGE MICHAEL WON’T LET YOU DOWN
Being someone who writes what I feel compelled to write when I feel like writing it, I don’t necessarily include themes, characters or subject matter that is designed with an eye towards maximum profitability and mass consumption. (Yes, there are writers out there who do just that). I also tackle a wide range of topics and a wide range of genres/themes. (Ok, so I largely IGNORE genre labels/expectations in order to tell the story I have it in me to tell).
That being said, with Traditional Publishing, there are again those types of constraints/expectations. Whenever a writer as massive as Stephen King feels they have to write under a different name (Richard Bachman) in order to be able to push boundaries and see how much of their success is due to name recognition, that kind of tells you something.
NICKELS AND DIMES AREN’T JUST FOR SLOT MACHINES
Another thing for me is the principle of it. While Traditional Publishing comes with advantages, there are a lot of financial drawbacks.
While TP houses may sometimes offer generous advances and that aforementioned machine of a team, most authors are lucky if they get to retain 10% of the profit from the sales of their works – if it’s published and distributed at all. That’s right. You do 90% of the work for 10% of the profit.
Yes, TP houses invest time, energy and money in creating what they perceive as being the most profitable version of your work, however, as the major force behind the work existing at all, I think that’s a pretty crappy deal.
And that’s IF they actually publish your work. Sometimes TP houses will decide a work is not “ready” and sit on it until either you produce something they feel is more marketable or you become a success (whether with or without their help). Some contracts are multiple book, require a period of exclusivity (wherein whether or not they actually release your work you can not work with anyone else – even on a different work), the relinquishing of various copy/licensing rights (merchandising, film rights, etc.), lack of transferability (for instance, they own that ISBN or cover, etc.) and/or first look obligations (you must give them 1st chance to publish anything else you create for xyz period of time).
Now can these obstacles be overcome with a good literary agent, contract lawyer and author savvy? Of course they can! However, particularly with new authors, TP houses can be especially rigid and unyielding in these requirements…unless you have on your own demonstrated financial viability…. such as already having successfully self-publishing the work yourself.
Personally, I prefer a 100% guarantee that my work will get pushed out into the world (shivering, naked and cold) than a definite maybe….even if not much of anyone reads it. (wink)
For me, it’s kind of like planting your flag on the moon. Sure, aside from a few snap shots and a few intrepid explorers, no one will ever see it again…EVER. Still, YOU know its there (or assume the next people on the moon didn’t tear it down).
Using platforms such as Smashwords, Draft2Digital, KDP, etc. (depending on where/how it’s distributed) self-published authors retain between 60-70% of the profits on ebook sales (as with many indie-capable digital media platforms). It’s another reason why even some established authors, musicians, etc have dumped their traditional publishers, music companies, etc. and switched to self-publishing.
I will say; however, that profit on print books, unless you make your prices astronomical, are shhh…oot with the current free publication, cut of the sales model. If you’re someone who wants to focus on the print book market, you can; however ,overcome that obstacle by buying your books at Author cost (which can be as little as $3-7 per book depending on how big it is) and either consigning or direct selling them yourself.
While I do create print books (primarily for giveaway purposes, libraries and nostalgia (as I personally rather read printed books)) they represent a teeny, tiny portion of my sales.
Still, unless you have the homegrown audience/tons of sales, TP authors will, in many cases, still come out on top of the game. This is mainly because of the reach of TP houses, their connections and their much larger financial resources. And because, at the end of the day, 10% of $1,000 is more than 70% of $100.
CREDIT DECLINED
It’s an uphill battle really – getting visibility and credibility as an Indie author.
Though things have gotten better for indies over the years, as it has gotten easier and easier for independents to get their work out there, the market is being flooded with not only serious writers but damn near everyone who has ever wanted to write a book in their lives. The number of books being released every year is staggering.
Due to the lack of any real oversight of this free market (much of its charm for the likes of me, mind you), there are a lot of people who game the system for the purposes of generating profit. They pump the market with subpar and, let’s face it, just gawd awful work. I’ve heard about everything from re-releasing what is essentially the same work over and over again under different covers with different titles to click to back books (which used to plague KDP select) to paraphrasing/ “reimagining” other’s works that were previously published. This has in turn given indies, including hard-working and truly talented indies, a bad rap in many circles.
There are also many outlets that work with Traditional Publishers that an indie would have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars with to even get considered by, others that won’t consider you at all no matter what you do and others that have such a high bar for consideration that many indies can’t overcome it.
As far as the industry at large (and many libraries, readers and bloggers) is concerned, being published by a TP house lends that work and that author an instant level of credibility and visibility. Their work is taken more seriously (even though I have read TP books that have far more errors than mine and others that just aren’t very interesting) and sells, in part, thanks to the branding that comes innately with their association with that TP house.
NO MR. ROBOTO
There are some aspects of self-publishing I really don’t like to do and therefore do very little of such as a little thing called marketing (AKA the MAJOR thing you absolutely need to do to sell books).
As an indie, you’re responsible for everything from your editing, cover design, blurb, author accounts, social media, customer service, accounting, marketing etc. etc. etc. It can be a bit daunting and overwhelming – especially if you’re someone like me who prefers just to write.
I’m likely the laziest marketer in the history of Independent Authors. For example, I published Amarna I in 2012 and did absolutely NOTHING with it for something like 2 years. When I say nothing, I mean LITERALLY nothing. It was more of a learning how to do it, doing it then planting my flag on my laptop, saying yeah me, then going on with the rest of my life thing. (Which if I’m super honest, is kind a thing with me.)
To date I have a Goodreads page I rarely visit, a Twitter that was largely automated (I created my own tweets but scheduled them to be released automatically rather than live tweeting) and that I rarely add anything to, a Library Thing page I check on like twice a year and my website that I don’t think about unless I have something to add.
Hell, even when I do giveaways, a posting here or a handful of scheduled tweets/live tweets there is generally as deep as I get with it…if I do anything at all. Sometimes I simply set it and forget it.
Do I have periods of a day or two where I hit the marketing/review trail hard? Yes, I do. However, they are few and far between.
Because of my “what not to do” philosophy on marketing, I always joke that my brand is growing more in spite of me than because of me. (laugh)
COST
When you self-publish, you foot the bill for EVERYTHING. While platforms such as Smashwords, Draft2Digital, KDP, etc. allow you to self-publish for FREE (taking only production/delivery costs at the time a sale is made), if you want a professional editor, professional cover design, to release press kits, give away physical ARCs (Advance Reader Copies), run a serious marketing campaign etc., those things aren’t free.
Depending upon how big a reach you’re after, it can be extremely expensive – and with no guarantee that you’ll EVER recoup those expenditures.
That’s one of the benefits of Traditional Publishing, if your book is a total flop, you’re not on the line (financially anyway).
Are there free avenues available to accomplish the tasks above? Absolutely! Just do it yourself! However, these free avenues are extremely time intensive.
As a human being, I’m decidedly impatient. I’d personally rather spend my time writing, traveling, exploring the world around me or in nature.
Are their lower cost paid options? Absolutely! For instance, the current Seamonkey Ink logo was redesigned by a graphic artist in Pakistan via Fiverr for $5.
However, these services can range from largely ineffective to moderately effective for the most part, with a few (with a very high bar of entry) being stand outs. It’s a lot of trial and error, pick and choosing to see which ones you like/which ones work the best in achieving your objectives (all of which takes time).
IN CONCLUSION
For me, at this time, self-publishing works best. I would not; however, rule out the Traditional Publishing route at some time in the future – even just once for practical comparison’s sake.
JANET JACKSON ISN’T THE ONLY PERSON WHO WANTS CONTROL
I prefer to have 100% creative control over what I write. Traditional publication requires a lot of compromise in order to suit the tastes of a myriad of people involved at the pre-publication/publication level (all of whom will have their own individual tastes, preferences and/or vision of what your work should be) as well as what those people perceive (or understand based on market research) to be what the market wants/needs at that time.
More daring publication houses may accept works that are outside of that spectrum but that they feel may be the next big thing or that fit a particular audience they already hold or want to acquire. While this may seem like a plus at first, authors like me who genre jump may not do well with them in the long-run.
In either scenario, the end product may, in some cases, be very different from what YOUR artistic vision of what you’d like to put out is. (Which is why creative people sometimes re-release or include separate “unabridged” “director’s cuts” “uncut” versions once they get a foothold in their industry. They want THEIR vision expressed in its fullness).
While I would LOVE to never have to do anything but write for the rest of my life and to have an entire machine of people to take the burden of doing the things I don’t enjoy doing (such as marketing, social media, etc.) off my shoulders, I had a decision to make about how much I was willing to compromise my work in order to achieve financial/mainstream success.
Up to this point, that has apparently been very little. (wink)
Writing is something that is pure for me. It’s something that I love to do with all of my heart and soul and that I do for no other reason than I love to do it. Getting paid for my creativity is bonus for me. Even if I make little to nothing doing it, I will still continue to do it. When you love something that much, it’s EXTREMELY difficult to turn it over to other people.
If you’re someone who doesn’t mind molding your work as others see fit or can hold your tongue until you get a foothold into the industry, Traditional Publishing might be a better fit for you. While some publishers only accept solicited manuscripts, others hold contests or open submission periods. Others still will accept unsolicited work if it’s submitted by a literary agent they work with/respect (though securing a literary agent can be a long, grueling process in and of itself).
FREEDOM…GEORGE MICHAEL WON’T LET YOU DOWN
Being someone who writes what I feel compelled to write when I feel like writing it, I don’t necessarily include themes, characters or subject matter that is designed with an eye towards maximum profitability and mass consumption. (Yes, there are writers out there who do just that). I also tackle a wide range of topics and a wide range of genres/themes. (Ok, so I largely IGNORE genre labels/expectations in order to tell the story I have it in me to tell).
That being said, with Traditional Publishing, there are again those types of constraints/expectations. Whenever a writer as massive as Stephen King feels they have to write under a different name (Richard Bachman) in order to be able to push boundaries and see how much of their success is due to name recognition, that kind of tells you something.
NICKELS AND DIMES AREN’T JUST FOR SLOT MACHINES
Another thing for me is the principle of it. While Traditional Publishing comes with advantages, there are a lot of financial drawbacks.
While TP houses may sometimes offer generous advances and that aforementioned machine of a team, most authors are lucky if they get to retain 10% of the profit from the sales of their works – if it’s published and distributed at all. That’s right. You do 90% of the work for 10% of the profit.
Yes, TP houses invest time, energy and money in creating what they perceive as being the most profitable version of your work, however, as the major force behind the work existing at all, I think that’s a pretty crappy deal.
And that’s IF they actually publish your work. Sometimes TP houses will decide a work is not “ready” and sit on it until either you produce something they feel is more marketable or you become a success (whether with or without their help). Some contracts are multiple book, require a period of exclusivity (wherein whether or not they actually release your work you can not work with anyone else – even on a different work), the relinquishing of various copy/licensing rights (merchandising, film rights, etc.), lack of transferability (for instance, they own that ISBN or cover, etc.) and/or first look obligations (you must give them 1st chance to publish anything else you create for xyz period of time).
Now can these obstacles be overcome with a good literary agent, contract lawyer and author savvy? Of course they can! However, particularly with new authors, TP houses can be especially rigid and unyielding in these requirements…unless you have on your own demonstrated financial viability…. such as already having successfully self-publishing the work yourself.
Personally, I prefer a 100% guarantee that my work will get pushed out into the world (shivering, naked and cold) than a definite maybe….even if not much of anyone reads it. (wink)
For me, it’s kind of like planting your flag on the moon. Sure, aside from a few snap shots and a few intrepid explorers, no one will ever see it again…EVER. Still, YOU know its there (or assume the next people on the moon didn’t tear it down).
Using platforms such as Smashwords, Draft2Digital, KDP, etc. (depending on where/how it’s distributed) self-published authors retain between 60-70% of the profits on ebook sales (as with many indie-capable digital media platforms). It’s another reason why even some established authors, musicians, etc have dumped their traditional publishers, music companies, etc. and switched to self-publishing.
I will say; however, that profit on print books, unless you make your prices astronomical, are shhh…oot with the current free publication, cut of the sales model. If you’re someone who wants to focus on the print book market, you can; however ,overcome that obstacle by buying your books at Author cost (which can be as little as $3-7 per book depending on how big it is) and either consigning or direct selling them yourself.
While I do create print books (primarily for giveaway purposes, libraries and nostalgia (as I personally rather read printed books)) they represent a teeny, tiny portion of my sales.
Still, unless you have the homegrown audience/tons of sales, TP authors will, in many cases, still come out on top of the game. This is mainly because of the reach of TP houses, their connections and their much larger financial resources. And because, at the end of the day, 10% of $1,000 is more than 70% of $100.
CREDIT DECLINED
It’s an uphill battle really – getting visibility and credibility as an Indie author.
Though things have gotten better for indies over the years, as it has gotten easier and easier for independents to get their work out there, the market is being flooded with not only serious writers but damn near everyone who has ever wanted to write a book in their lives. The number of books being released every year is staggering.
Due to the lack of any real oversight of this free market (much of its charm for the likes of me, mind you), there are a lot of people who game the system for the purposes of generating profit. They pump the market with subpar and, let’s face it, just gawd awful work. I’ve heard about everything from re-releasing what is essentially the same work over and over again under different covers with different titles to click to back books (which used to plague KDP select) to paraphrasing/ “reimagining” other’s works that were previously published. This has in turn given indies, including hard-working and truly talented indies, a bad rap in many circles.
There are also many outlets that work with Traditional Publishers that an indie would have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars with to even get considered by, others that won’t consider you at all no matter what you do and others that have such a high bar for consideration that many indies can’t overcome it.
As far as the industry at large (and many libraries, readers and bloggers) is concerned, being published by a TP house lends that work and that author an instant level of credibility and visibility. Their work is taken more seriously (even though I have read TP books that have far more errors than mine and others that just aren’t very interesting) and sells, in part, thanks to the branding that comes innately with their association with that TP house.
NO MR. ROBOTO
There are some aspects of self-publishing I really don’t like to do and therefore do very little of such as a little thing called marketing (AKA the MAJOR thing you absolutely need to do to sell books).
As an indie, you’re responsible for everything from your editing, cover design, blurb, author accounts, social media, customer service, accounting, marketing etc. etc. etc. It can be a bit daunting and overwhelming – especially if you’re someone like me who prefers just to write.
I’m likely the laziest marketer in the history of Independent Authors. For example, I published Amarna I in 2012 and did absolutely NOTHING with it for something like 2 years. When I say nothing, I mean LITERALLY nothing. It was more of a learning how to do it, doing it then planting my flag on my laptop, saying yeah me, then going on with the rest of my life thing. (Which if I’m super honest, is kind a thing with me.)
To date I have a Goodreads page I rarely visit, a Twitter that was largely automated (I created my own tweets but scheduled them to be released automatically rather than live tweeting) and that I rarely add anything to, a Library Thing page I check on like twice a year and my website that I don’t think about unless I have something to add.
Hell, even when I do giveaways, a posting here or a handful of scheduled tweets/live tweets there is generally as deep as I get with it…if I do anything at all. Sometimes I simply set it and forget it.
Do I have periods of a day or two where I hit the marketing/review trail hard? Yes, I do. However, they are few and far between.
Because of my “what not to do” philosophy on marketing, I always joke that my brand is growing more in spite of me than because of me. (laugh)
COST
When you self-publish, you foot the bill for EVERYTHING. While platforms such as Smashwords, Draft2Digital, KDP, etc. allow you to self-publish for FREE (taking only production/delivery costs at the time a sale is made), if you want a professional editor, professional cover design, to release press kits, give away physical ARCs (Advance Reader Copies), run a serious marketing campaign etc., those things aren’t free.
Depending upon how big a reach you’re after, it can be extremely expensive – and with no guarantee that you’ll EVER recoup those expenditures.
That’s one of the benefits of Traditional Publishing, if your book is a total flop, you’re not on the line (financially anyway).
Are there free avenues available to accomplish the tasks above? Absolutely! Just do it yourself! However, these free avenues are extremely time intensive.
As a human being, I’m decidedly impatient. I’d personally rather spend my time writing, traveling, exploring the world around me or in nature.
Are their lower cost paid options? Absolutely! For instance, the current Seamonkey Ink logo was redesigned by a graphic artist in Pakistan via Fiverr for $5.
However, these services can range from largely ineffective to moderately effective for the most part, with a few (with a very high bar of entry) being stand outs. It’s a lot of trial and error, pick and choosing to see which ones you like/which ones work the best in achieving your objectives (all of which takes time).
IN CONCLUSION
For me, at this time, self-publishing works best. I would not; however, rule out the Traditional Publishing route at some time in the future – even just once for practical comparison’s sake.
