SOLSTICE and Indie Publishing: 1 Month Retrospective

So it's been one month since the release of my YA ebook, SOLSTICE. Yay! I've been overwhelmed by all the positive feedback I've received. Thank you so much to everyone who's read SOLSTICE, expressed interest, or in some way supported it. SOLSTICE and I really appreciate it :)

Since the release of SOLSTICE was announced, I've had lots of authors (traditionally pubbed, self-pubbed, pre-pubbed) contact me to ask about my decision to publish independently and to ask how my agency is involved, so I thought it would be worthwhile to take a few minutes and share how my last month has been. And let me preface by saying SOLSTICE is not my first book. I have a middle-grade fantasy trilogy out from a small publisher. So, though small, I have gone the traditional route, too.

First the pros. What good has come out of the independent release of SOLSTICE?

1) Foremost, SOLSTICE is out in the world and people are reading it. With the huge upswing in mythology books, I have to admit that a small part of me died each time I saw a new deal announced or a new book coming out on YA mythology. I came achingly close to selling an earlier version of SOLSTICE a year ago, and when it fell through, it crushed me. But I revised and made SOLSTICE so much better. But it's time was now. Comparable titles for SOLSTICE are ABANDON, STARCROSSED, and THE GODDESS TEST, all of which are releases within the last month—not a year and a half from now. As authors we all know the pain of pouring our soul into something only to see a deal in Publisher's Weekly for something so close to our story it hurts. I no longer have to suffer that pain with SOLSTICE. If I had waited, I'd risk having that mythology craze diminish and having SOLSTICE be an afterthought. Not what I wanted for something I've worked so hard on.

2) With the market shifting digitally so quickly, I've had the huge advantage of learning about this new ebook market. And it's fun. And exciting.

3) The low price of the SOLSTICE ebook makes it accessible to so many teens and readers. Teens hear about SOLSTICE and they are pumped. And when I mention the price point, they get even more excited. I've gone from selling middle grade hardcovers from a small press for $16.95 each to selling a YA ebook for $2.99. Price matters.

4) SOLSTICE is currently an ebook. But since I am working with my agency, I have the opportunity for foreign sales and rights. Not to mention it will be coming out in paper very soon.

5) New speaking opportunities have opened up as a result of taking the ebook route. For example, I'll be featured at our Austin SCBWI Digital ePublishing Symposium this fall, and I'll also be on two panels at this weekends Writer's League of Texas conference.

6) My agent makes me feel like a rock star. Seriously, she has been beyond supportive and excited about the entire process. I love that.

7) I have been blessed with friends who have given me and SOLSTICE amazing support. Like over the top. It seriously makes me tear up when I see how supporting people can be. I love you all!

Okay, with pros, there are always cons. Have there been cons with bringing SOLSTICE out independently as an ebook? Sure.

1) Out with it first…There is a huge stigma associated with self publishing. People may claim they don't have this bias or may come up with reasons for their bias, but many readers allow the traditional publishing industry to tell them what to read and never venture outside of that circle. In my one-month experience, I've seen bias in the form of email responses (and non-responses), condescension, and reluctance to blurb. Am I cool with this? Totally. The stigma exists. But it is changing, and in the future, it will go away.

2) Hitting the library and bookstore market with an ebook is not quite in place yet. Does this mean that library conferences are not useful? No way. Librarians are still amazing advocates and love to read. So I'll continue to do what I can in this market.

3) People who don't read ebooks are reluctant to give ebooks a chance. They claim they love the feel of books in their hands, and I respect this. I used to be this person. I'm not now, and more and more I want to shift to ebooks. Ebooks are convenient to buy. Reading on an ereader is way more comfortable. I'm saving the environment. Sure, I still love owning "real" books, but I think, for me, this is more materialism than anything else.

4) A self-published ebook is not eligible for many awards, state lists, and reviews. There are strict rules in place for this much of the time. So what's a girl to do? Look for other marketing avenues and research what awards and reviews are a possibility. And write the next book.

Also, I want to state something I do not see as a con. In my current arrangement for SOLSTICE, Andrea Brown Literary Agency receives 15% of the royalties. Have they earned this? Heck, yes. SOLSTICE has been edited numerous times and not just by me. I've had the benefit of having some amazing pairs of eyes on it, and they have really helped shape it into a story I am so proud of. Not to mention they've taken care of all the effort of making SOLSTICE a real book. I absolutely could have learned this on my own, but I didn't have to. And I don't regret that one bit.

Based on emails and Twitter DMs and Facebook messages and what I've read on the Verla Kay Blueboards, there are many authors considering this ebook route. There are many that have already done so. Am I happy to be a pioneer in the movement? Absolutely!

Questions? Ask away!