You are self-publishing? Why? Isn’t your writing good enough to be picked up?
There is still a common misconception about why people choose to self-publish. The general belief being your work isn’t good enough for traditional publishers. This is perhaps what your next door neighbour thinks, or the lady at the shops or even your own family.
But for thousands of Indie’s out there, it has nothing to do with being a substandard writer.
More and more writers are choosing to go Indie as a first choice, and each has their own reasons unique to their lifestyle and career goals.
Before deciding which publishing path suits your needs and expectations do your research.
Doing publishing Research
As a writer, I read extensively, especially things about writing: books, magazines, blogs, twitter it’s a sort of writerly compulsion.
I also listen to author interviews on ABC radio, RN Radio and podcasts.
I primarily listen to two podcasts: So You Want to be a Writer from the Australian Writers Centre and The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn.
The former covers a broad spectrum of writing from features, to copy, to novels but primarily in the sphere of traditional publishing. The later is all things Indie.
Other sources I used to make an informed publishing decision are: author websites, The Perth Writer’s Festival, Publisher websites and Indie publishing platforms such as KDP and Kobo.
The sum of the matter, all things having been heard is that for my genre, my expectation, intentions and the writing lifestyle I want to build, Indie publishing best meets my needs at this time, for this project.
In this and future posts, I will be covering the main reasons for this decision.
Reason #1 for self-publishing: stress
I thought this an apt but more tasteful illustration than a chicken with it’s head cut off.
This is the first circumstance that led me to consider self-publishing. The amount of time, effort and stress it took to research and submit to publishers or agents was overwhelming.
Sure it’s easy to say, “Stop griping and toughen up, it’s just part of the business.”
I don’t gripe.
I know it’s part of the business.
That is why, in 2009, I decided I just wasn’t cut out to be a writer, not a published one anyway, and stopped submitting.
why it causes Stress
To people who can skim articles and read quickly, to those with a background in research or journalism, to those who have been formally trained in a BA or MFA program this is probably not a big deal.
But for a person who is dyslexic, who also struggles with depression and anxiety and an auto-immune disease, researching publishers and agents is incredibly time-consuming, tedious, confusing and head-bangingly frustrating.
For the uninitiated here is the 9 step process to traditional publishing:
Step 1: Finish your manuscript
Step 2: Find a list of potential publishers: you can use free or paid subscriber on-line sources or buy a physical book (something like the yellow pages for publishers) or you can go scour the library/bookstore for books in your genre and check who publishes them.
Step 3: Check the website for each publisher of interest answering these questions:
- What are their submission guidelines? (outside of magazines pretty much no one in the US takes unsolicited manuscripts. In Australia submissions are generally limited to specific days or months)
- What do they publish?
- How many books a year?
- Of those books how many if any are from unsolicited manuscripts? (this means the slush pile, manuscripts they did not specifically ask to see)
Step 4: For each publisher that looks promising, you now need to check their recent catalogue and their backlist and come up with convincing reasons why this company should publish your book. Where does it fit in their catalogue? Have they already published three picture books about wombats or do they already have a series about a lady detective set in 1860?
Step 5: If none of your ideal publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts go back to start. Follow the method above, only this time in search of a literary agent, before proceeding to step 6.
Step 6: You finally have a short list, in order of preference, your dream publishers: Now you must sell your book to the publisher in a letter no longer than one page that summarises these points:
- The story (What is it’s hook?)
- Why should they publish it?
- Where does it fit in the market?
- Any pertinent information about you (publishing credits, awards etc)
All this information must be written in so compelling and concise a manner that the sub-editor can’t wait to read more. To this letter attach your manuscript (the whole thing for picture books, an excerpt for longer works as per submission guidelines)
Step 7: You press send (or you stick the stamp and put it in the nearest postbox) then you wait. While you wait you write more stories, you do author business, build your platform. You wait some more and then just keep waiting.
Step 8: After 3-6 months the rejection arrives, though some publishers don’t even send rejections their guidelines say that if you don’t hear back within 6 months assume they are not interested.
Step 9: Repeat.
side effects of the 9 step process
For a healthy person without dyslexic complications, this is not such a big deal. But I found it impossible to both write AND successfully research for submission.
I became grumpy, short-tempered and occasionally pulled out my hair and screamed like a banshee. The gatekeepers of the publishing world loomed in nightmarish proportions over my shoulder until my writing ground to a halt.
It wasn’t the rejection. I had some very nice rejection letters.
It was about the time and frustration it took to acquire those few precious rejections.
how do you want to spend your time?
- I would rather use my limited time and energy to write stories than submission letters.
- I’d rather be researching my novel than publishers and agents.
- I’d rather be editing and honing my craft than my pitch.
- I’d rather pitch to readers than editors/agents.
Before Amazon, before Kobo and Create Space and Draft to Digital and Smashwords there really wasn’t much choice. These nine steps were the only way to publication.
Now there is a choice.
I finished Helen’s Summer and turned it into a series for the purpose of self-publish.
I never submitted it to publishers because Indie publishing was my first choice.
Why not have a read and decide for yourself if it is “good enough”.
Click below to read Helen’s Summer
- On Kindle or Kindle App
- On Kobo or Kobo App
- In Paperback
- Or to give greater support to Indie authors buy directly from Createspace
How about you?
I’d love to hear which road to publication you have or want to follow and why!
Leave a comment or connect on twitter @SeahAmber.
Amber Seah 