Publishing in the New Economy
[image error]I have heard every possible variation on how best to publish in this new economy. And I'm more confused than ever! I've written a few posts on my publishing dilemma.
Self-Publishing is SOOOThis Year…
To name a few.
And I'm still confused as hell!
PUBLISHING CHOICES
Pros and Cons from one who (admittedly) doesn't know much!
The traditional route
Does it work for mid-level authors anymore? Sure, you get the prestige of being backed by a big house. Maybe you get an advance. But a big advance? #notlikely This article on self-publishing argues that the days of authors making tons of money going the traditional route is over.
PROS: You get to pat yourself on the back for publishing with the big boys and you get the prestige of that recognition. You also, presumably, get their name and resources for marketing.
CONS: You aren't likely going to get a big advance, or even a lot of backing and marketing once you do publish. Your book won't come out for a year or two AFTER you get picked up. You'll have very little control over the marketing and publication of your own book and they will take most of your money.
Small Press
So what about a small press? Do they offer any better options for the ambitious author?
PROS: You get to put a publishing house on your book, giving you slightly more credibility then self-publishing, but less credibility then going traditional. You get more one-on-one attention and some help with marketing. Plus, they cover the publishing costs.
CONS: Some say small presses are dying. That they don't have the juice to properly back a book and end up taking money from your pocket while you still have to put in all the work to market and promote yourself.
Self-Publishing
Many are choosing to self-publish. Even traditional authors are turning down book deals to do it themselves. With Print on Demand (POD) options so easy and inexpensive, this is a great choice for many.
PROS: You get to stay in control of your own book. Marketing, editing, cover. It's all you. You also get to keep a MUCH higher portion of your sales, and you can determine your own publishing launch dates. You want to put out 12 books this year? Go for it!
There's a rise of support for self-published authors as well. I'm a part of the team at the Indie Book Collective where we offer tools and tips to help indie authors make their name out in the world. It's a fun time to be indie!
CONS: You get to stay in control of your own book. Marketing, editing, cover. It's all you. This is a double edged sword. Self-publishing still has something of a stigma, though that's shifting. There are some who don't think self-published books are very professional. #Andsomearent But we've all seen this with books of all publishing option. The key to success as an indie is to go pro in all you do.
Bottom Line: I don't have any answers. I've got two books, Death by Destiny and The Reluctant Familiar, that will be ready to publish by the end of summer and I don't know what option I will choose. Every day I change my mind.
I self-published Bits of You & Pieces of Me knowing it would be a hard sell no matter what route I went. A collection of short stories, poetry and essays that tell the story of a girl in love with love who discovers the demons of a splintered heart when that love turns violent. Not exactly my normal YA fantasy fun! But it was a great experiment and taught me a lot.
Now I'm about to enter the big leagues with books that I am truly excited about. I've been building my platform, promoting, marketing, making friends. I Tweet and Facebook and Goodread…I'm doing all I can to make my splash when my books come out.
But I'm still scared I will make the wrong choice.
We can really never know how our books will do until we just do it! Nike was onto something with that killer slogan.
So my advice? (And since this is my blog, I get to give it!) Just Do It! Go for it. Build yourself up, polish your books to a shine and get them out there. We will all make mistakes on this road, and we will keep learning from ourselves and each other!
What's your take on publishing in the new economy? Inquiring minds want to know!
