Friday Fun is a group post from the writers of the NHWN blog. Each week, we’ll pose and answer a different, get-to-know-us question. We hope you’ll join in by providing your answer in the comments.
QUESTION: It’s the million-dollar question – would you rather get that traditional publishing deal, go the entrepreneurial route with independent publishing, or come up with a hybrid arrangement? Explain your preference.
Diane MacKinnon: I’m in my 40′s, so I grew up imagining myself a published author with one of the big publishing companies, with an editor assigned to me and a big marketing budget! Well, that dream’s gone, but I still think it would be fun to have a publishing company want to publish my book. Having said that, I don’t think self-publishing has as much stigma as it used to. It depends what you are looking for. I can see the benefits of both. A lot of my coaching friends have self-published and they are very happy with with money they are making and the credibility they have gained from becoming authors. I think I’d still go with a traditional publisher if I ever finish the novel I’m working on (I’ll finish it, just not in the very near future.) I love that many authors are now publishing their own work and that publishers are then asking to represent them after the fact. I think a more equal playing field between publishers and authors is a very good thing!
Wendy Thomas: If we’re talking about hopes then I’d have to go with a big publishing house. It’s the same dream of an actress who wants to see her name in lights. If we’re going with reality, however, I think it’s more likely that I would go with an indie press. They seem to have a bit more marketing skills (hitting the specific audience) than the bigger houses do. To date, I have not looked into an indie press, but if and when the day comes, you better believe that I will put a lot of research into it. While there are some incredibly upstanding and reputable independent publishing houses out there, there are still far too many whose goal it is to part you from your money.
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Deborah Lee Luskin: My first novel was published by an independent micro-publisher with considerable success – including helping me have a choice of agents for my second book, which I’m hoping will come out with a mainstream house. If I were publishing non-fiction to a niche audience, I would definitely go indie by setting up my own imprint. Breaking into the market for literary fiction is harder. I learned a lot about both publishing and marketing with Into the Wilderness – and I took it as far as I could without an even greater investment in time, money and energy. In the end, I was glad to receive critical success with reviews and a prize and to sell 2,000 copies. It’s still available as an eBook, and I hope it will become available in soft cover again. The rights have reverted back to me, and I think about bringing it out myself, but right now I’m engaged in writing a new book, and I don’t want to break my momentum.
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Lisa J. Jackson: All of the above! For my novels I’m hoping for a traditional publisher, for romantic novellas I’ve gone with an e-publisher but now have my rights back and will be self-publishing, and for business non-fiction I’ll look into indies to see what’s out there. I’m open to whichever avenues seem to fit my needs best at the time. To land with one of the Big Houses for my mystery novels would be spectacular, but I know a lot of successful novelists with smaller houses, so I’m open to that, too. As long as I’m writing and publishing to reach my audience, it’s all good.
Julie Hennrikus: Boy, is this a good question. I have a book I have been working on for a long time. And I may go the independent route with that at one point. But I also aspire to a traditional, mass market paperback deal. (Remember that I write mysteries.) There are so many opportunities for writers these days–the important thing is to make a deal with a reputable company, to know you will have to help (or do) marketing for you book, and that the business is a tough one. And learn from others, as much as possible.
Susan Nye: Definitely the traditional route. Many people distrust the taste and skills of publishers. They point to the twelve or thirteen publishers who turned A.J. Rowlings down. However, one didn’t. Publishers understand the market better than my family and friends who love my work. Not because it’s any good (even if it is) but because they love me. An editor will ensure that my book meets a certain standard of both interest and quality. He or she will then work with me to help make it the best it can be. Once published, the publisher has the knowledge, staff and network to provide marketing support and sales infrastructure. And yes, I know brand new authors need to do much of their own marketing but I don’t underestimate the connections a publisher has with the press, blogosphere, book wholesalers and retailers.
my first visit to this blog! wonderful to read your views about book deals.
I have self published all six of my novels. I researched both routes and I was surprised to figure out that I could do a lot of what the traditional publisher could. I have been approached by two large publishing houses. They said that it was their desire to publish my books under their publishing name, but they would need a couple of thousand dollars up front. I actually laughed and said ok what are you doing for me with all that money up front? When they got through with the list I realized that I have done exactly the same things for the marketing of my books for a lot less. So I turned them down and they still call once a month to see if I’ve changed my mind. Funny!
I do plan to put out one of my next books with a indie publisher that has offered me a plan to where they only take a part of the royalties. It’s going to be an experiment. We’ll see how it goes.
For me as a first-time novelist, I’m going the independent route to be safe by publishing them online to be sold on a tablet device or smartphone. To get a publisher to publish my stuff, I’m a bit worried that I might have to pay some fees.
I plan on self-publishing my own novels. I’m on number 4, which is the prequel to the prequel. I want to get my books out there before I’m dead and I don’t see the mainstream publishers as the way to go.
I like what John Locke did – of course he was very fortunate to keep his e-rights and sign his print … finding an agent is hard – but it’s not impossible. If you are steadfast and have talent it’s doable. But no is generally the first answer – or rather, thanks but this isn’t for me I wish you all the luck in your publishing endeavors … blah, blah, blah. Anyway, who doesn’t want to sign with one of the majors complete with a six-figure signing bonus and three-book deal? Alas, I went Indie for my first book – and my second is in the hands of an agent as I write this – I learned a lot but bottom line is I’d rather be the writer and have the experts on the “other side” do the other side stuff
From everything I’ve read I plan to go indie. I will get it properly edited though. I don’t see the point of jumping through all those hoops only to lose control and be paid a fraction of what you do indie and still have to do your own marketing, which is the bit I least want to do.
I’m in the process of setting up my own publishing house which will be first used to publish my own stuff (I don’t want any other writers to suffer through my learning curves), and eventually I will consider submissions from other writers. Interestingly, the idea that’s percolating for my second novel (I’m still in the early stages of writing my first) isn’t a good fit for my own publishing house, so I’ll have to try to find another indie to publish it. What a strange place, to have to reject my own work!
Of course I would love to have an established Publishing house pick up my work…We all have something to say, some of us are self appointed writers,authors hehe (myself included). I wonder if I can even write sometimes? A great artist hates his work, picks it a part and then closes his eyes and lets it go somehow, like an actor cannot stand the sight of their own work We cringe and are uncomfortable with “Oh its awesome” comments thinking “I could have done better”…Humility and self loathing make for a good writer or artist, we abuse ourselves more than any rejection letter or critique could. We are happy someone read the damn thing… If only these big publishing houses could give us a chance…I self published…hmmm…need to bring out the juicy stuff now my editor toned my stuff waaay down…so I lost some of ME in translation…dont let em steal YOU from your own work! we all suffer here on this planet BTW…thats what makes a good story!
PS the comment above was writiten by this gal TRESSALEE…I had to sign in to my wrdprss…Thanks for letting me ramble…
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I don’t know yet. I’m still waffling but it’s too early in the game to decide anyway! I’m watching carefully to all the back-and-forth about it and taking notes along the way. My initial impression is there is no perfect way to go and all have advantages and disadvantages. Choosing the most appropriate avenue to advance the work is the goal.
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