It’s the first
Wednesday of the month, time for
I’ve been participating in the IWSG for a year now, and, in
that time, I think most of my posts have been complaints about one thing
or another, usually about how discouraged I was feeling. Yes, I know, that’s kind of what it’s for,
but, besides being a place to vent insecurities, it’s also a place to support
those writers who need it. I just always
seemed to be on the receiving end. But
not today.
Today, I’m here to tell you, you CAN do it. I’m living proof. And if I
can do it, so can you. For whatever
reason, writers are incredibly insecure.
All we want is for others to read our words, and, for most of us, that
means we want to publish those words, get them out into the world for all to
see and, hopefully, love. But with the
industry in total upheaval, it seems quite daunting. There are dues to pay, rules to follow, a
platform to build, and a craft to learn and perfect. And to make it even
harder, we have to get past those pesky gatekeepers, because…well, that’s the
way it’s always been done. Right?
As my dear friend and fellow author, Jennifer Hillier once told me, there
are many paths to publication. Some of
you have chosen the self-pub route. I
commend you on that move. Contrary to
what some might think, it’s not the
easiest way, at least not if you want to actually sell your book to readers.
It takes endless hours of hard work to promote a book on your own. I know I could never do it myself. And it’s not just about not having the marketing expertise either. I simply don’t have the drive. Even if I hadn’t sold my novel, I know I never
would have self-pubbed because it’s just so blasted difficult. Kudos to those of you fearless enough to take
on that brave new world.
If you’re more like me and, for whatever reason, only
consider traditional publishing, take heart.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pursue the traditional path. With the explosion of ebooks, and with traditional
publishers—namely the Big 6—not really knowing how to forecast, let alone deal
with what the future might bring, many small presses have popped up.
These independent publishers are focused and built on the very
foundation of ebooks, as well as the old standards. They’re start-ups with marketing and business
plans developed around this new formula, with the ability to change with an
industry in flux. They aren’t dinosaurs
trying to survive what they see as a world apocalypse. And while the Big 6 and all their
subsidiaries and imprints throw 99% of their marketing budgets behind 1% of their authors,
the indies are not only willing to cast their money and reputation behind new
talent, they thrive on it
Most of these establishments understand that the old
blueprint is not the only way to find this new talent. They don’t rely solely on literary
agents. They know writers don’t always
choose to seek representation, and that even if a writer hasn’t been able to
land an agent, that doesn’t mean their work is not worthy of publication. It just means many agents overlook talent
while pandering to the T-Rex.
I spent a few months seeking the Holy Grail, and while I
only tapped the top of the well and had planned on digging deeper, I didn’t
limit myself. In addition to sixty or so
agents, I chose to query one small press, which resulted in a deal. Yeah, sure, I would love the validation that
goes along with representation, but ultimately, publication was what I
sought. And I got that. Without an agent. It is
possible. In fact, I have several
friends who’ve done the same recently. I
stand behind it so fiercely, I convinced another friend who seemed dead set
against it to finally submit to my publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing. Why the hell not? His book is every bit good enough.
So to all of you who feel ground under the heel of Godzilla
and his minions, fear not. Embrace
change and snuggle deep into the bosom of revolution. It’s your time. You just need the ability and desire to break
free from dogma of conformity. The
publishing industry is headed that way regardless. Why not tag along for the ride?
________
This is my last IWSG post before my debut novel, The Mistaken,
launches on the 18th. After
that, I might be seeking consolation for utter and total failure. But I sure hope not!
BTW, if you were here on Monday, you know I’m out of town at
my first writer’s conference. Because of
this, I probably won’t have time to make the rounds until I get back. But thank you so very much for stopping
by. It’s the support of friends like you
that has enabled me to make my dreams come true.
