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How do you guys feel with regards to published vs. self published
I'd quite like to be published, because if a publisher finds my work worth publishing, that's worth 1000 review on Amazon. Okay, royalties would take a dive, but promotion would be much more than I could achieve on my own. I would rather have 10% of something than 100% of nothing.
I always wanted a publishing deal, but now that my books are selling well, I'm not so sure I'd want to go down that route anymore. I like being able to write what I want to write when I want to write it. If my books stop selling, my thoughts may well swing the other way.
Fair enough, David :) Thanks for your input :)
I self-publish my short stories, but I also have a few out with third party anthologies. I do like "being published" but it can be a frustrating experience. This time last year I was hyping an upcoming anthology appearance for all it was worth, only for the book to be bumped back a year at the last minute. It should be coming out any day now (in other words it should have come out last week), but I'm still a bit sceptical that it will actually happen. I've got another story that will be two years late by the time it appears, if in fact it ever does.I still submit stuff for these anthologies, but when compared to self-publishing stuff, which can be equally slow but you've got no one to blame but yourself, well... it's frustrating.
My heart lies with the indies:)I read far more indie books than traditional so I like to feel I'm out there with the gang now. I don't think, unless you're a big name, that a publisher will free you from doing your own publicity. Not from what I've heard. I've also heard too many stories of small publishers disappearing into the night with people's royalties.
I think I would like to be traditionally published but not if I lost the ability to choose my own cover or if I was asked to spice it up. Now I am self published in paperback, ebook and audio I feel quite content and as long as I keep selling steadily it suits me. Mind you - I'm retired and don't write for a living. If I did I would want a publisher.
Thanks Andrew, I completely understand what you're saying. A bad experience has just come up to a head for me, (but it ends well - for me, anyway) and I've seen some good stuff and some bad stuff. I completely understand self-pubbing meaning you're in charge and things go your way, and you're completely free of being dependent on another company. Thanks for your answer :)Exactly Kath. I've seen it too. And there's no warning, sometimes they have a good reputation, and it's really sad when this happens to authors :( And yes, small publishers can extend your reach through their readership, but some actually don't advertise at all, so a lot of it still weighs on your shoulders, but you get half the royalties :/ Thanks Kath :)
I had just written a few query letters and then found out about self publish. Selling okay to me now but I'm for more sale. That's the only drawback to me. Having to market my own writing.
Thanks Julie :) Yeah, there are perks and negative points to both :) As long as you do what's best for you, it's the best really :)
I can imagine, S. Advertising is a real burden, but you have to put yourself out there if you want sales (I just write for fun, and can't remember the last time I promoted my story, don't even think I've had any sales since). It is indeed a drawback. Thanks S. :)
I tried for years to spark the interest of the big (and small) publishers before I realized it was never going to happen. My writing style is too far off the mainstream. So I turned to self-publishing, and I love the control I have over my own work, and also the fact that I don't have to wait for a year or two for my book to be released. And yes, unless you're a big name author or celebrity, even with a traditional publisher you're still going to have to do the majority of advertising and promotion yourself. With a traditional publisher you might get your work into a brick and mortar bookstore, but unless it sells well, it won't stay there for long. With self-publishing, your book will stay out there for as long as you keep it out there. No, I don't have huge sale numbers on my books because, hey, I write too far off the mainstream! But, I love to write and there are a few people out there who love what I write and we never would have connected if I hadn't self-published.
Yes, it's a nice aspect from self-pubbing. You can actually interact with the author. As a reader, I love being able to know who's behind the story I read. It just adds to the experience :)
It would be nice being able to get into bookshops - that's the one downside to being self published. And also the connections that come from sharing the same publisher / agent / editor etc - being self-published can feel very isolated sometimes. And there are doors that only seem to open if you have a publisher: awards, conventions, publishers lists etc.But I enjoy the freedom to set my own goals/prices/product, and reap all of the rewards. Not that I'm very good at the first, or getting a lot of the second.
I suppose sharing the same publisher or agent as a well known author means you could get one of those really impressive quotes to place on the cover.Something along the lines of: "Best book I've ever read" insert author of choice.
Yes, Tim, I see what you mean. It's nice to see your baby on the shelves, because e-books don't give the same feel when purchased by readers, and if physical books are ordered through a POD website, you don't actually get to see them either :/
David wrote: "I suppose sharing the same publisher or agent as a well known author means you could get one of those really impressive quotes to place on the cover.Something along the lines of: "Best book I've ..."
You can stick a quote from me on your covers any time you like, Darren.
I just met a lady who tells me that her life's ambition is to be "properly published". No idea why that is attractive. As an indie author, the idea of having a committee of editors tell me what re-writes to do drives me bonkers.Plus going the agent/publisher route leaves writers with precious little cash once all the costs have been taken off.
Unless you are Clive Cussler or Dan Brown, where is the value in going the publisher route?
Scott wrote: "I just met a lady who tells me that her life's ambition is to be "properly published"...."Being 'improperly published' must surely be more fun?
I didn't know there were ways of being "properly" published, however, I do know that there are "proper" publishers and "improper" ones.Let's just hope that this lady does not fall into the wrong arms :/
It's like a friend of mine (a both indie and published writer) received a rejection letter from a publishing house because "they only accept submissions from professional writers."
Pffff...
A professional writer would probably think twice about writing books to be honest!
I posted this in the worn thread (silly me!)I was talking to a business contact last night at a dinner, and he told me that he'd been talking to one of the big 5 publishers. On the subject of Indies, the rep had supposedly said that they would only be interested in taking someone on if they already had around a quarter of a million loyal followers across Twitter and Facebook.
To which my friend replied, "but surely if they already have 250000 followers, the last thing they need is a publisher - they can sell shed-loads on their own."
And the publisher's reply: "Exactly."
Like Bankers, offer to lend you an umbrella but only if it isn't raining
Tim wrote: "I posted this in the worn thread (silly me!)I was talking to a business contact last night at a dinner, and he told me that he'd been talking to one of the big 5 publishers. On the subject of Ind..."
I'm failing to see the publisher's logic here... maybe I need another coffee...
Jim wrote: "Like Bankers, offer to lend you an umbrella but only if it isn't raining"Oh, I refreshed and saw your post, Jim (sorry, left the page open for a while as I was replying to another message) - I understand now :) There's no logic.
L.F. wrote: "I tried for years to spark the interest of the big (and small) publishers before I realized it was never going to happen. My writing style is too far off the mainstream. So I turned to self-publi..."Goodness, reading this thread has really perked me up. Thanks, guys for all the views. For years I've yearned to be recognised by a publisher or agent, but now I'm not so sure if it is a good thing. I like having complete control of my novels and having some say in the design of the cover etc. Of course, I'd love more sales, since marketing is the bugbear in all this. Goodreads is a great help and I so enjoy talking to my readers. Long live indie authors, eh!
I spent a fruitless year in the 1990s trying to interest literary agents in my first novel. Only one replied with more than the standard “doesn’t meet our requirements” letter. That one explained that they took on 4-5 new authors per year and received 100 manuscripts per week. (Or was it 1000 per month? I forget.) In other words, try the lottery instead.Talking of which, did people catch lit agent Andrew Wylie’s generous-spirited comparison of Amazon to Isis and description of self-publishing as “the aesthetic equivalent of telling everyone who sings in the shower they deserve to be in La Scala”?
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014...
Not that he has a vested interest, of course. I’d not until then thought of that which Jeffrey Archer and Dan Brown spewed out as the literary equivalent of Che gelida manina. You live and learn.
SP is in any case more like busking than singing in the shower. If you’re reasonably good and have picked a good spot, you should at least earn some beer money. If only I knew how to play some tune other than Fog on the Tyne.
I managed to get some promo stuff - bookmarks, a couple of posters etc - into front of house for the production I'm stage managing this week. But all it's got me so far is abuse about "how crap SP books are" because clearly "they're not good enough to get a real publisher"Grrrrr.
Tim wrote: "...because clearly "they're not good enough to get a real publisher"On being told about my first book coming out, a friend, following a brief mental struggle, said: "Yeah, I guess self-publishing is becoming respectable now". It was a valiant effort, but it didn't fill me with an inner glow.
Tim wrote: "I managed to get some promo stuff - bookmarks, a couple of posters etc - into front of house for the production I'm stage managing this week. But all it's got me so far is abuse about "how crap SP books are" because clearly "they're not good enough to get a real publisher"Grrrrr.
..."
That is a common response by certain people isn't it?
I used to make all the birthday cards and christmas cards that I gave to friends and relatives, but a certain person (partner of a relative) remarked that I was obviously a cheapskate because I couldn't afford to buy proper cards. Anyone who makes cards will tell you that the time spent on making the cards not to mention all the materials and gadgets make it anything but a cheap hobby. However for that person I made the effort and bought a box of cards in the sale at Poundworld (50p for the box) and that is what they get now. One per year will last until my relative sees sense and gets rid ;)
Some people will always go for the established/brand name whether or not the product is as good as the hype.
Nah..best to focus on the positive rather than on the negative :)
S. wrote: "Nah..best to focus on the positive rather than on the negative :)"None of my sales are eligible for refund any more...
Tim wrote: "S. wrote: "Nah..best to focus on the positive rather than on the negative :)"None of my sales are eligible for refund any more..."
me to
Me three! After eventually logging on to my KDP page after several months, I found out that I hadn't had any sales in that many months! I know I only have myself to blame, really, since I don't promote. Guess I'm the evidence that not promoting definitely WILL hold you back :D
You reminded me to go and look. Waddayaknow! I sold a copy of Justice 4.1 yesterday!Not sure whether I've been promoting or not!
I was going to do some promoting earlier this year, but then my wife broke her ankle and needed caring. I blame my low sales on her, naturally.
I don't know, by the time I went on you were only allowed to promote on the MOA pages and frankly I've not bothered for months
I have no idea what works nowadays, as far as forums and groups are concerned. It seems promoting (or excessive promoting by some anyway) has kind of killed it.
My feelings are that the perception that 'Self published books are crap' is principally in the heads of the consumers, who have indeed found many SP crap books on Amazon. And each year after Nano, will find I lot more I suspect...So now that I've parted with my publisher (on amicable terms, unlike the other publisher I had who absconded with all the authors' royalties) I've simply set up my own label to give an image. Selling to consumers is mostly about image, after all. The retailers know, but don't seem to care as long as they sell books at the right margin.
In fact I'm just off now to a bookshop to discuss an order.
Jim wrote: "I don't know, by the time I went on you were only allowed to promote on the MOA pages and frankly I've not bothered for months"Whats an MOA page? Thats new to me.
Amazon had a forum, Meet Our Authorshttp://www.amazon.co.uk/forum/meet%20...
It's still there but is no longer advertised at the bottom of the pages about individual books and I'd guess that 99% of people never see them
Once a useful way of promoting, now I very much doubt it
Not been there since I began writing - a year ago. :(
Warning - long post ahead.When I first started writing as a commercial venture back in 2009, the only self-publishing I knew about was vanity publishing and I couldn't afford that. I hoped to get an agent and attract a publisher.
I joined a writing forum and followed various blogs including that of author Nicola Morgan - Write to be Published (Warning - don't go there unless you can handle snark).
One day I followed a link from her to a post on the blog of a New York Agent. Her premise: If you think you are ready to be published, then I'm here to tell you that you're not. Why not? Because your work is crap. How do I know this? Because my desk is filled with crap. I have piles of crap by the side of it and everyday the postman delivers more crap.
And on, and on for an extremely long post full of vitriol and bile, and comments about only telling me this for my own good ( yeah, right) and not to waste my time.
The more I read, the more depressed I became, and when I had finished I came off the internet and switched off the computer.
The dream had died.
The dream of being a published author earning money from my writing was dead, along with the hope of pulling us out of the cycle of debt and poverty that my husband's 3rd redundancy had left us in.
For three days I felt so low that I barely bothered to get out of bed and when I did, I went for long miserable walks by myself, still thinking of the stories in my head and wishing they would leave me alone.
If I switched on the computer, in was only to play interminable games of Free Cell. I never even opened my writing folder. What was the point? It was crap, right?
After 3 days of this I went back to the writing forum to say goodbye. To tell them I was giving up and thank them for the help they'd given me.
And that's when serendipity hit me such a resounding blow that, 4 years later, I am still reeling from it.
I came across a link to David Gaughran's blog - How to Self-publish, and Why You Should. The rest as they say is history.
Maybe my work IS crap - but a lot of people seem to like it and say nice things about it.
Long story short? I'm a very happy indie published author and don't want to be otherwise. Two months ago, for the first time ever (and not to be repeated in the foreseeable future, I suspect) I earned dollar royalties that just scraped into 4 figures.
So, yay for indie publishing. Go indies!
Wow thats wonderful Lynda! Well done :)
A long post and a good one Lynda. It needs sayingI've been writing a long time, decorating fish and chips wrapping paper, firelighters and cat-litter box liners.
And I decided to write some books.
Am I any good? Who knows
I know I'm not one of the greats. There are people out there whose work I read in awe.
There are people on this group whose work I have a very high regard for.
But yes, I'm OK, some people like it, and I suppose I can sort of tell a story.
Admittedly in my case the four figure royalty cheques happen if you include the zeros after the decimal point, but if I wanted to die rich, I'd rob banks, sell drugs, or enter parliament.
The only person entitled to tell you whether you can write or not is the person who has just paid for your book :-)
Over the past few months, I've been seeing that the publishing world, and more specifically the micro-press world, because I'll spare us the whole Big5/Amazon blast, is not always rosy, but then neither is the self-pubbed world, with its fair share of drama.
If you've been published, how did you feel about the whole thing? Are there positives and negatives?
If you self-publish, do you sometimes wish you were published? May I ask why? May I ask why not?
Do you think that when self-publishing, it's worth having your own "label?" I know some authors do. Are there any perks to it?
I'm just trying to see things from other points of view :) Thanks in advance for your replies.