Thursday 11 April 2013

Publishers or self-publishing? That is the question.

From the moment I realised that I didn't want this book to stay on my laptop, entertaining only me and a few others, I have been pondering the best way to get my work out there. All of the websites have advised me  to get a following, to assess whether there is actually a market for what i'm trying to do. With these words I mind, I created this blog, my own facebook page (www.facebook.com/lostglory1987) and my own twitter account @Glorylost. It doesn't seem to be doing badly so far. Both my facebook and twitter following seems to be growing day by day, and some great people I know have shared my links to help spread the word.However the likes and follows are starting to slow now, so I feel like I'm getting to a crossroads.

The book is nearly finished (about another 5 chapters left now) and hopefully the final word count will end up about 65,000. I am planning to get a focus group of my target audience together to give me some honest and critical feedback, and I have a potential person to design my book cover for me. Once it is finished, I can also start doing some thorough and brutal editing. My lack of typing ability is making me particularly aware of typing errors, and with it being an extended work, I am eager to check things like character development/continuity/plot holes.

But even once that's done (and it will take a good few weeks once I'm back at work), where do I go from there? If I send it to a publisher, I risk the following: they will reject it outright and I will feel disheartened or it will disappear into a publishing black hole and I never see it again. But... in the unlikely event, an agent picks it up, it will also give me physical copies of my book, and support/advertising and all the things a writer needs to stand a chance. If I chicken out of that option, and self-publish, the advantages are clear to see. I will collect a 70% royalty share (if anything sells) and it is a way to get exposure so that a publisher can then pick you up. Writers such as Amanda Hocking have done it and made thousands, and more importantly, have established a writing career.

I feel like I have to try and get the book out there somehow, but at the moment, with the threat of my 'real job' looming, I need to work out the best route for me...


Please keep following and reading. Every like and follow means a lot to me.

Stace

2 comments:

  1. Hey Stace, thanks for following me! I'm following back! :)

    I'm in the same boat you're in, except I'm not even done with my first draft. There is a group of writers I joined about a year ago that I've found to be really helpful - the Insecure Writers Support Group. You don't have to be insecure to join, lol. I've made friends with a lot of other writers, some published, some not yet published. Here's the link if you're interested: IWSG

    Are you on Goodreads? That's a really awesome place for writers and readers alike. I've made so many new friends from there just like I have from the IWSG, and it's awesome to be able to interact with authors - people who have been and are where we want to go.

    All of your concerns are completely understandable and are all things I've thought of myself, too. I think the best thing for us is to just take it one day at a time. I know it's easier said than done, lol, but I'm working on it. :D

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  2. Thanks for the advice Jennifer. I am following the blog now, and I will have a look to see what other people are saying. I definitely am insecure! I'm an English teacher 9-5 (so to speak) so this writing things has hit me out of left field a little!

    I have a Goodreads account. Is there a way to promote blogs and unpublished work on there? Must look at it in more detail.

    Just keep swimming as Dory would say ;-)

    Thanks again. Stace x

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