An Interview with Zeta Lordes

Today I am interviewing Zeta Lordes, fellow scifi author, about the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing.
I suppose the first, and most important questions, is: Why have you decided to self-publish?Honestly I’ve always been somewhat of a control freak and have a mile-wide streak of independence. I believe the more people actively participate in their own lives and endeavors, the more likely they are to succeed. Personally I think if just one person buys a book of mine and reads and enjoys it, I’ll have been a success. On the other hand, I don’t want to try to find that one person sending out queries to agents and publishers who might take months or years to get my stories in front of other readers. My aspirations and dreams are my priority, I don’t expect others to make them their priority.
Oh, I certainly understand about the nightmares of querying. I was lucky with my physics works that I found a publisher quickly, and indeed now get commissioned to write pieces, but I couldn't face the process when I stated writing Liberty.What do see as some of the drawbacks and advantages of self-publishing?
The drawbacks are pretty obvious—trying to wear multiple hats and a lot of responsibility beyond just writing a book and query letters. Self promotion, book promotion, costs of editing and covers; though it could be said that much of the promotion aspects will be your responsibility whether you self-publish or traditionally publish.  The advantages are control of your time and work. As well as a much bigger slice of earnings. Traditional publishing can take years to break into (if ever), and it’s questionable what you might learn from the process. Self-publishing puts time on your side. Time to learn and grow your own business. Time to get to know your readers, time to take your writing up to higher levels based on the learning process.

Indeed. Trad publishers often seem to get you to hurry to finish by a deadline and then just sit on it for ages before the next thing happens, which again leads to a major rush on your side.One of the biggest complaints about self-publishing is insufficient editing. What are your plans to edit your final draft?As soon as I complete the first book, I’ll be posting it on the writer’s critique site Scribophile. I’ve been a member for several years and I consider the feedback of many of the writers there on a par with any decent developmental editor. At the very least, if they’re confused (as a reader) then I’ll know there’s a problem area I need to work on. Once I’ve workshopped at Scribophile and feel I’ve done what I can, I will send my manuscript(s) to a professional editor.
I use Scribophile too; it is a great tool for ironing out chapter-level issues. Even after that, and editing and proofreading, I still find I get comments about missing letters or words. Whenever they give an example it tends to be something like me using 'turn round' when they expected 'turn around'.I often advise new authors that they can't please everyone all the time, and just to try to produce something they like and enough others appreciate. If you were to offer other writers advice about self-publishing, what would it be?Remember self-publishing is a business and you need to treat it like that. Don’t be reluctant to spend money (editing, book covers, etc) to further your business and reputation. Asking readers to invest their money in something you’re not willing to invest in is bad business. Self-publishing is an invitation and an offering to potential readers on a one-to-one level. Always do the very best you can—respect your readers, provide a professional looking cover, a strong enticing blurb, and a satisfying read.
I understand you haven’t published yet, what is your schedule for taking that final step?Because I’m writing a Speculative Fiction series set in an extensive universe, I feel strongly I want at least two of the books written before I publish. This not only gives me a quick series follow-up, it helps me insure continuity in my story world. If I need to make changes, they’ll be more evident in the second story. Book one is nearly complete and the other is roughly drafted. I anticipate publishing the first book (The Victrule Factor) in December 2016 and the second book in February 2017. In the meantime, I’ll also be working on the third (and fourth?) one.
Well, I certainly look forward to the release. Let me know when you've got a date, and I'll put a review up here if you'd like.
Zeta Lordes is an author of Science Fiction and Paranormal Fantasy flavored with plenty of suspense and romance. When she’s not writing, she’s often playing with photo projects, including book covers for herself and other author friends. She lives alone in a rambling house littered with three generations of passed down books and three cats—who have their own litter.She’s just started reaching out on social media. You can follow her here:Blog: https://zetalordes.com/ or Zeta On Facebook