It's interesting as I look back over the past year. I know a lot more than I did a year ago and so much more than I did two years ago.
Last July, on my personal blog, I was considering the pros and cons of self-publication. With the industry in flux right now, it really is an amazing time. A year ago, when I wrote that post, a writer friend and mentor, Donna Hosie was adamantly opposed to self-publication.
But over the last year, after turning down offers of representation from agents who wanted to change her stories too much, Donna decided she would give it a try. Her debut novel Searching for Arthur came out on Friday. She told me she feels incredibly powerful in deciding her destiny as a write. The support she's received from friends, coworkers, and online acquaintances has been astounding and humbling.
I'm excited for her even as I work through the revise and resubmit information I received from a publisher. Until I received the R&R, my intention had been to self-pub later this year. I haven't abandoned that goal, but I confess to clinging to a desire to have at least one book traditionally published.
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Because there are still places/groups that will not allow the only self-published to participate/become members.
I don't want to deny myself that option.
Does that make me a coward, surrendering to someone else's power to validate me? I hope not.
Where are you on the traditional/self-publishing issue?
2 comments:
I'm probably going to self-publish my current WIP (on Lulu.com and Smashwords for the ebook), but I hope to also have something published by a traditional publisher by-and-by, just to prove that my writing is up-to-snuff and that readers need not fear purchasing my self-published work.
I think that self-publishing is great for authors with an unusual niche that the big publishers aren't interested in. While the traditional publisher are great for works in line with what they are bringing out now, since what they publish is quality-checked or at least spell-checked. We hope.
I have sought out traditional publishing for a few reasons. One I also want to be in that "club" you speak of. Second I can't afford the edits, the formatting and all the marketing to self publish. I need someone to back me up. I'm willing to work to get it out there and make it successful but i need somone to provide me the books for a signing, or get some distribution out there for me.
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