Today I want to talk about publishers. Having just attended the RWA national conference, I had a chance to interact with representatives from a variety of publishers, both traditional print and e-only publishers. The sessions spotlighting each publisher were very informative and interesting, and I feel I learned a lot. However, now that I've had some time to digest all the information, I find I still have a lot of questions.
I have a manuscript ready to shop around, but I'm still not quite sure where to send it. I do know what my career goals are, but I don't know which route to take to achieve them. Strive for traditional publication? Go for e-publication? Self-publish? So many options... Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to have a choice, but it would be great to have some kind of sign or assurance that I'm making the right decision. Maybe I'll dig my crystal ball out of storage in the hopes of predicting the future of publishing...
What about you? Have you decided how you want to publish your work? What factors influenced your choice?
When I first started traditional publishing was the major game in town. The Wild Rose Press was just getting started and there were other e-publishers too, but it seemed they were mostly erotic pubs and that wasn't my focus.
ReplyDeleteTraditional publishing seemed out of my league and not of much interest to me. I just liked writing and learning about writing and hanging out with other writers, so I plugged along learning my craft.
Now there is a plethora of options and I'm in a better position in my life to really apply myself to this writing gig. I'm still not interested in traditional print publishers, so I'm thankful there are so many other options out there now and that e-publishers are going strong. I did finally decide on a publisher and targeted line based on a few things: cover designs, quality of the pub, and word count. I'm still feeling a little unsure about my writing--is it up-to-snuff. But then I read other books and say, my stuff is at least that good. :)
I don't know if I'm ready/good enough for self pubbing yet, but I do have one story I'm thinking of self-pubbing at some point.
Hi Jen,
DeleteYou're right--we are lucky to have so many options available. If you do self-pub, I hope you'll share your adventures!
I think I would veer towards traditional, because I don't think I could cope with the marketing aspects of self publishing. Plus, I don't know enough about it, so the thought scares me a little.
ReplyDeleteHi Ravena,
DeleteYes, self-publishing does seem like a black box at times. I've heard both horror stories and glowing testimonials, and I imagine the actual experience falls somewhere in the middle :)
Hi, fellow Texan. Great post. This is something that plagues me, too. I started out leaning toward self-publishing, but now I'm not sure. I may go indie or traditional.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on your long-term goals--basically whether this is a hobby/income suplement or a career. You give up things and gain others depending on what you choose.
My 2c? If you think you want traditional, try that first. you can always go indie- or self- if you change your mind.
IWSG #179 (At least for today.)
Hi Melissa,
DeleteVery true--that's one of the best things about self-publishing. It's always an option...
PS- If you want to learn how to turn off word verification (aka Captcha) for comments, there are instructions for that on my blog. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Lara! I'm a new follower via the IWSG. Well, it is nice to have so many choices, but for me, once I decided I really did want to publish, I chose the traditional route. I can honestly say it was for the validation that comes with traditional publishing. Now, that's not to say I went completely traditional, because I did not. I queried for an agent for a number of months, but then I decided to submit to a small press, and when they offered me a contract, I decided to forgo the agent thing for a while. So while I will be traditionally published, it's not by one of the Big 6. But then I have more control this way and I won't have to wait as long either. As for querying for an agent, it should be much easier once I am traditionally published. And as for how to find the right agents to query, get yourself a copy of the current Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino. Read through it and cross reference with agents on AgentQuery.com to get the perfect list of agents to query for your genre. It's work, but it's worth it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, Nancy! Congrats on your publishing deal--I hope you'll let us know when your book comes out!
DeleteHello new follower via IWSG. It is hard with so many choices to decide to know what to do. I think it depends on your personality and also, where your strengths are. For example I couldn't market myself successfully enough to self publish, but if you are good at marketing, then it's more of a plus toward that. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI have one big piece of advice. Do your research! Don't be afraid to ask questions. Look at how many returning authors are publishing through the company. If it is an agent, as for a list and contact their people. If it self-publishing, figure out what you want to do to market your work. IMHO. :)
ReplyDeleteMy preference is traditional publishing.
ReplyDeleteFor me, self publishing doesn't seem like a good option with the amount of money that needs to be invested. (Hire and editor before submitting your work, a graphic artist for the book cover.) I'm sure some people would argue that those are not necessary, but it seems the more successful self published authors had the cash to do those things and they advise having this done.
Sigh, it should say, "Hire an editor..."
DeleteAnyways, I should add I have nothing against self publishing, but from what I've learned it seems the biggest risk comes from self-publishing.
I don't think self-publishing is for everyone and I'd advise people to really look into the positives and negatives before going that route.
Hi Miss Knight,
DeleteGood advice, to be sure. That's part of what scares me about self-publishing--I have no idea how to create a compelling cover, and I know I would let tiny mistakes slip through the cracks in terms of grammar and editing. Lots to consider...
I agree - the number of available options are endless! I think what people above have said choosing self-publishing is good if you have a knack for marketing.
ReplyDeleteIf you do decide to for traditional your first choice would be if you want an agent or want to submit directly to publishers. If you decide to submit directly that will cut your choices a little since a lot of houses don't accept unsolicited submissions. That doesn't mean the remaining choices are bad! A lot of smaller presses accept unsolicited submissions and they are great. The plus of a smaller press is you are much more involved in the process. I'm interning at a small publisher so can attest to that ;)
There really is no wrong way, you just need to find the one that is right for you!
Hi Katharina,
DeleteThat's one of the things I really like about the current marketplace--there's room for everyone!
When I look back at my early stuff I'm grateful that I wasn't tempted by self-publishing. I think it's a great way to go, but I'm too rash, I need a keeper.
ReplyDeleteVery true--it's important to have several pairs of eyes looking over something before it's published, and it's very easy to skip that step before self-pubbing...
DeleteIt's difficult... so far I'm sticking to the traditional route because I want the validation that comes with it. But if this keeps up for a few more years... I don't know. Self-publishing is such a viable option nowadays. I love the idea of having control over every step!
ReplyDeleteThe control thing is a big reason why self-publishing is so tempting, but I still want the validation and distribution provided by traditional publishing... Maybe in time I'll change my mind--who knows?
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