I Published My NaNo-Novel: Using Traditional AND Self Publishing to Share Your Work With the World

During January of our “Now What?” Months, we’re talking to Wrimos who’ve published their NaNoWriMo projects and asking them how they got there. Today, Angela Highland, author of Faerie Blood and the

Rebels of Adalonia trilogy , shares how you can use both traditional and self publishing to your advantage–at the same time:

When I had my NaNoWriMo win in 2003, I wasn’t intending to be a self-published author. Indie publishing wasn’t really a thing yet, and neither was the concept of being a hybrid—someone who works both with a publisher, and as an independent. 

Like many writers of my generation–and certainly like many writers today–my goal was simple: I wanted to see my book in print. However, I came to learn that the realities of modern publishing mean that getting your book in print and into the hands of readers is easier said than done.

To this day I credit NaNoWriMo with teaching me two valuable things that helped me along the road to getting published:

1. You have to write every day if you want to actually write a book. 

I can’t maintain the NaNoWriMo pace of 1,667 words, not when I have a technically demanding day job, but I can maintain a smaller daily word count if I apply myself. The trick is applying myself. Whether within the context of NaNoWriMo or outside of it, the long and short of it is, fingers on keyboard. Period.

I’ve managed to write and release five novels, including that 2003 NaNoWriMo winner—my first novel, Faerie Blood. So that fingers on keyboard thing? Works.

2. It’s okay if the words you’re getting into the draft are crap. 

In fact, chances are that they will be. Fixing them is what later drafts are for.

Which is, of course, part of the aforementioned “easier said than done” thing. Now that I’ve worked both with a publisher and on my own, I can tell you that no matter how you want to get that book into the world—whether with a publisher or on your own—yes, you will need to polish it.

If you want to go the traditional route, don’t query your book on December 1st after you cross the finish line on November 30th. No matter how experienced a writer you are, you won’t be ready.

If you want to go the indie route, you can’t just slap it up on Amazon either. Well okay, yes, you could—the technology makes that easy—but you shouldn’t. Not if you want readers to believe you know what you’re doing.

Why’d I wind up doing both? Pure happenstance. Faerie Blood was published in 2009 by a micropress that unfortunately went under in 2011, and so when I got the rights back, I decided to put the book out myself via Kickstarter in 2012. But I had another project in the works at the same time, a project which I was querying around—and which I got the offer for pretty much right as I was launching the Kickstarter.

So, surprise, I got to work on two series at once! Which has kept me super-busy the last few years, particularly with the aforementioned day job. It was only in 2016 that I was finally able to return to NaNoWriMo—because even though I now know I can commit to finishing a novel and getting it out the door, I did miss the madcap creative atmosphere spilling all over the Internet in November.

I hope to do it again in 2017. But to all my fellow writers out there, remember—fingers on keyboard means all year, not just in November. Good luck to all of you with your works!

Angela writes epic fantasy as Angela Highland, and is the author of the Rebels of Adalonia trilogy with Carina Press. As Angela Korra’ti, she writes urban fantasy, and her Free Court of Seattle series is ongoing; Books 1 and 2 are available in print and via all major ebook vendors. She is a 2003 NaNoWriMo winner and multi-year NaNoWriMo participant. Check out her website, blog, Facebook, or follow her on Twitter @annathepiper.