Self-Publishing Lesson #2: So, You Know What You've Got - Now, What Do You Want To Do With It?

CONGRATULATIONS!

You've finished your manuscript! You have something to publish!

Take a moment to revel in the joys of having a complete product in your hands, because in many cases, all the work you've put into your products is far less challenging than selling it will be. Take a moment to let that percolate, dear readers.

Take another moment. Maybe double-check your "What Do I Have?" list - make sure that if someone asks what you've written, you have an answer you're at least moderately comfortable with. Like, I've written a book of poetry, or, I write post-apocalyptic science fiction!

If you can't do that yet, put some time into it - research, talk to other authors, join online communities, READ some books within the genre you're aiming for (this is definitely a better first step, but sometimes what we've intended is different from the final product! There's no shame in revisiting your intentions and saying, Whoops! I've actually written a memoir!).

There. So, what have you got?

...

How'd that question hit ya? Good?

OK!

Moving on.

You have a book. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT?

While I was writing my first book - and long before that - I knew traditional publishing was the way to go for me.

But, guess what?

It wasn't.

If this venture has taught me anything, it's that I know nothing. And what I think I know is more complex than I ever imagined. Mountains of rejections and a healthy pile of bad decisions is a testament to my stubborn methodology, which is to learn the hard way. It was necessary for me, but it doesn't have to be for you.

Let's talk about traditional publishing. I'm sure you've heard it's an over-saturated market. You've probably also heard that getting an agent is as difficult as getting a publisher, these days. Harder, even, because many publishing houses won't even accept a query without having invited your agent to submit.

But I knew I had good stuff, so I was determined! I tried so hard, y'all, and I learned the right way to craft a query letter while I failed. I entered contests, sent my manuscripts, or parts of them, to countless contacts. I learned to write magical blurbs for my books, slowly learned to sell what I had, and even made some inroads with publishing opportunities, which I ultimately turned down.

Yep. After learning all that, the final lesson was this: traditional publishing was not for me.

Past-tense, because I'm always evaluating my opportunities. But let me finish.

Let's talk a little about self-publishing, or what I thought self-publishing was, then. I was scared! It all seemed an insurmountable barrier of tasks in planning and organization. This is NOT my forte. I write! I love to write, I love to learn how to write better, write kinder, write with the reader at the forefront of my mind.

Selling is another ballgame altogether. And without an agent or publisher, you are responsible for all tasks associated with selling your book, from formatting to editing to cover design, to print and delivery, to managing the entire promotional aspects, launch events, accounting, etc. etc. etc. Sure, you can delegate some of that, but you're still responsible for the delegation, the review, the hiring and paying, and the final product.

*Phew!*

And lemme tell ya, no matter how fast you can write (I'm pretty fast), all that stuff tends to take over at least some of the time you would've used for writing.

But I've still chosen it. Why?

- Because I'm stupid impatient, and doing it all yourself, even if you're meticulous about detail, is faster than having others do it for you.

- Because I'm particular. There's something daunting to me about letting someone else get their fingers into my art. That's my soul you're fiddling with, there! Which means that, although I have a professional editor, I chose her carefully. She's excellent because she pays very close attention to maintaining my voice throughout my work, no matter what. If she thinks a section needs to be reworked or deleted, she gives me insight, but she doesn't rewrite it. I love that. Some might not! But if you publish independently, you have control over who is doing what for you, how they're doing it, and when.

- Because I have a business background. It's a very practical degree, as are the skills that I've built while working in the jobs it got me. I know now that it's purpose isn't to find me a job so I can work for someone else; instead, I need to use what I learned to run my own business. It's not making me money yet - the initial investment when you're publishing on your own is...significant. I'm not going to lie. But I have faith this is the right path for me.

- Because in my situation, it works better for me. I have a chronic pain disease, and house-bound much of the time, which means I have time to devote to a writing career. It's the only career I have. I'm also a mom of four boy and a stepmom of two girls (yep, that's six kids ages four to twenty, folks), a wife, and need to take special care of myself. Even then, I am able to check in with my work often. And if you read the first point, you'll understand when I say that waiting for someone else to get shit done for me would be maddening right now. That said, once I'm established, I'm sure I'll want to hand the admin stuff (at least!) over to someone else, be it an agent, a publisher, or an assistant or team I hire to work directly for me. I have aspirations, kids.

- I don't need perfection. I need, first and foremost, compelling stories that are written well. I need characters people can relate to, intriguing plots and pleasurable reading experiences for everyone who is kind enough to open my books. I need one-on-one connections with my readers so I can manage feedback. I need an outlet that'll sell my books and distribute them, because I am not taking that on. I need fast. I need fans. I need someone who is willing to focus entirely on building me and my products up. And the only person I trust to do that right now is ME.

- Finally (and I'd be willing to talk about all of this further in-depth if anyone would like), I give you the ultimate determining factor in my situation: I was dismayed repeatedly when talking to publishers. The number of "partner" publishing houses and "vanity" publishers is staggering. Some of them work hard for your money, completing much of the tasks I've listed above at a fair price, and that's adequately valuable for many! But the other end of the spectrum sees money-hungry companies taking advantage of desperate creators, charging exorbitant fees and providing very little services (unless you cough up more $$). Don't get me wrong; there are still plenty of reputable publishing houses that do all of the things I grew up thinking they did: the advances, the marketing, the editing, the design and formatting. And then there are many companies that float somewhere in between those extremes,  offering some services if they like your book, but counting on you, the author, to do the majority of publicity and even some of the selling.

Remember: even stand-up businesses with author's needs in mind are businesses, and in today's world, it's getting harder and harder to partner with authors who will make them money with their craft. Did you know that before a publisher or even an agent takes you on these days, they want you to have a substantial following on social media? Even some marketing opportunities (expensive ones!) will reject your book if it doesn't have enough reviews.

Which brings me to my final word on this bit, for today: whether you're publishing traditionally or independently, you need to have a product that looks as good as the big publishers are kicking out, and BETTER than other independent writers in your genre. People are wary of buying from independents! You need to show them you're worth the risk.  How? Have an excellent product, first of all. There's absolutely NO WAY around that, and like I've already said, there's no shame in going back a step to revisit and revise. Is your book the best it can be? If you're squirming, you have work to do. After you're certain you've got the product, you need to start getting it out there. I'll get into that next time, when we talk about putting your feelers out and gaining followers.

:)

xo