For the past year, blogging has been in the trunk rather than the backseat. I needed more time to write, more time to cook dinner, do the whole domestic thing. In addition to writing and revising, I've also spent a lot of time stalking and querying agents. You all know how time consuming this can be. Actually, I think it takes over your whole life. I don't understand why we can't just make appointments for mani/pedi dates with agents to discuss our stories. Talk about the perfect time for a pitch slam. I could get way more accomplished than this late night blinding scan of Publishers Marketplace, agent blogs, lame emailing, and website stalking. Just tell me how many YA books you've sold in the last 12 months, hand over the Sonic Bloom ( blush-worthy pink) for my tootsies. And, if you're not gonna eat your cucumbers, hand them over the second I sign your contract. Who wants cucumber juice on their contract, right?
Wouldn't that be dreamy?
Through it all, I've kept my mind open during the whole process. I've thought about what I would do if every agent on the planet sent me a form rejection. Worry not. I do not intend to dress up in my grandmother's housecoat, strap on a pair of stillettos, or take a nose dive off the city bridge during a hail storm. The thought hasn't even crossed my mind. I hate high heels. And heights. And my grandmother's housecoat. God rest her soul.
There are other options. Self pubbing is one of them. There's a lot of pros. A lot cons. A lot of fear. But the more I look into it, the more I see there are really pros and cons either way. I would love to hear about experiences you've had with self publishing. What made you decide that it was right for you? Do tell.
Great to hear from you again, TC! And I think we can all relate to life getting away from us. :)
ReplyDeleteRe the whole self-pub Vs traditional thing, ask yourself this: Is the story--and your writing--ready?
More than any debate between indie Vs traditional, the important thing is your frame of mind about where you're at in your writing journey. Either option is a massive commitment and will put your confidence through the meat grinder. There are great highs, too, but you need to believe you've done something worthwhile down to your bones when those negative reviews roll in (and they always do).
But trust me, when the story--and you--are ready, you'll know. You'll be confident that readers are going to find it and enjoy it, whether you're putting it out there or a publisher is going to do it for you. You'll proudly put your name on it. That's what made me know the time was right for me. I was no longer uncertain about the writing and the story. I believed in myself as a writer. (Which totally sounds dumb, but that was a hard place for me to get to.)
Sounds like you've put some serious time into your writing, and that you're getting close to what I'm talking about. So the next step would be to really look at what it would take to give your story a fighting chance as an independently published work.
Can you get an awesome cover? Can you get the editing required to make it blindingly shiny? Are you willing to invest the time into learning about publishing on your own through Amazon, Smashwords, etc.?
If the answer to those things is "yes, I think I can, and I'd jump through most any hoop to see my book be available to readers" then my usual response is "what are you waiting for?" :)
I can understand your frustration with the agent route but their are many alternatives besides self-publishing. Countless small publishers will accept unagented submissions. WiDo is one of them.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it. Ugh, believe me, I do. I don't have any advice on self-publishing. I didn't take the route. But I can tell you it took me three years of querying two books, and rewriting them way more than I care to think about, before I signed with my agent. And I'd gotten to the point of thinking I'd self-publish. I even made promises, "If I don't get an agent by..." But when those dates passed and I still didn't feel comfortable self-publishing, I knew my gut was telling me to hold out for a little while longer.
ReplyDeleteMy agent has mentioned self-publishing to me and I am not ready to go that route just yet. I think I can stand to suffer a little bit more. But I understand why you feel the way you feel and if self-publishing is something you wish to pursue, then go for it. You are the only one who can decide what options best suits you.
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