I often run question and answer columns in my Sharing with Writers newsletter. Here is a question from Anygel that seems to come up frequently. I thought I'd publish it for subscribers to this blog, too. (-:
Question:
Ayngel posted a question on my blog recently. She said she had decided to self publish but wondered what her chances are for publishing traditionally later if she does that.
Answer:
Ayngel, your fate is in your own hands. Write a great book. Sell a lot of them. Build a great platform. And you'll have a very good chance of publishing with traditional publishers later.
The step that most first-time authors miss with self publishing their own book is craft, believe it or not. Read up on it. The second is editing. Read up on it. I suggest my The Frugal Editor. And the third is not promoting so you can sell lots of book and show that you can be a full partner in marketing your book.
Forgetting that last step is as big a booboo if you publish traditionally as it is if you go the do-it-yourself route. I suggest The Frugal Book Promoter>, but there are dozens of others that can help you. In fact read more than one book on promotion. More than two.
And keep working and asking questions.
One last thing. Depending on your titles and the genre you write in, you may decide that doing it on your own is the best way to go. That dream of a traditional publisher may not be the best one for your book. There is a model for publishing every title. A way that fits the personality and expectations of every author. Don't get locked into a dream that may not serve you well. On the other hand, don't let fear force you to dismiss a model that is right for your book.
CHJ
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
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I can agree with this blog. Publishing traditionally might not be every writers dream. Of course, self publishing takes a lot of work too. I think most people expect a self-published book to fail. I have published in traditional, e-published, self-published...and I like the self-published route the best for myself. I love designing my own covers. I love having complete control over my baby. I love being able to put as much time as I want into promoting. This works for me because it was never my dream to publish with a traditional publishing house. Most of my family will never understand that, but it's okay as long as I do.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for any writers out there brave enough to follow their own dreams.