We're delighted today to have a guest post from author Diana Kimpton, well-known to many for running, with her husband Steve, the website ContactAnAuthor. She's recently started up a new website about self-publishing, and here she tells us why.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make. I knew I already had two publishers eager to see my first novel for older readers. I knew that if I went with one of them, I’d be likely to get a good advance and good sales.
But I also knew that the world of publishing was changing fast. Self publishing was now a viable option - I’d already tried it with two backlist titles so I knew what was involved. And I also knew that There Must Be Horses was the best book I had ever written. Did I want to hand it over to someone else or did I want to stay in control?
In the end, I decided to do it my way, and I published There Must Be Horses myself in October 2012. The ebook came first, closely followed by a print-on-demand print version and a few months later by a short print run organised and distributed by Troubador because I’d discovered that I hated handling orders.
Almost two years on, I’m convinced I made the right decision. I probably would have sold more copies initially with a traditional publishing deal, but I make more per book so I don’t mind. Despite being self-published, the book has been reviewed in PONY magazine and The School Librarian, and it’s still selling steadily, often featuring in the best selling list for its genre. (It’s topped it once or twice.)
Of course, there was no advance and I had to pay all the up-front costs myself. But these were much lower than I’d expected – £650 for the ebook and POD edition, plus about the same for the print run – and I’d covered all those costs by January of this year so all the money I receive from the book now is pure profit. Plus I still hold all the rights to the book so what happens to it in the future is entirely up to me.
Would I do it again? Now’s a good time to ask that as I’ve just had the latest in my Pony-Mad Princess series, published traditionally. On the plus side for the traditional route, the advance for Princess Ellie’s Perfect Plan was very welcome. I’ve enjoyed working with a very pleasant bunch of people and the final book looks good. On the minus side, I’ve had to give up the rights to my book for many years to come. I’ve missed the fun and satisfaction of self-publishing and, right now, I’m missing the instant access to sales figures that I get when I use Kindle Direct Publishing and Createspace.
That's why I’ve decided to stick with self-publishing for the foreseeable future. As I work on the final rewrites for The Green Sheep, I know that the book should be in the hands of readers before the year is over. The cover is already underway thanks to a brilliant bit of drawing by illustrator Jonathan Allen and I’m already working on a marketing plan. There’s only one thing I’m going to change. I published There Must Be Horses under my own name because I didn’t want to hide the fact that I was self-publishing. But that looks odd when written in a magazine review so The Green Sheep and the books that follow it will be published under my own imprint – Kubby Bridge Books.
I’ve been asked so many questions about self-publishing that I’ve started helpwithpublishing.com: a website with a growing list of articles as well as a database of freelance editors, designers and illustrators who are willing to work directly with authors.
Come to Bed, Red!
By Jonathan Allen
Double Digit productions
Kindle Edition
File Size: 6845 KB
For ages 4-8
Available now
Each year I like to review one independently published title. In an era where even review journals like Kirkus have a section dedicated to self-published titles, it’s always a good idea to give some credit to the folks out there who do well on their own. Finding something to review, however, can be tricky. For every hidden gem there are mountains of schlock to sift through. Recently I decided to cheat. I went with an author/illustrator I already knew. Years ago Jonathan Allen, a British fellow, came out with one of the best little storytime readalouds ever to cross the pond. I’m Not Cute! followed the adventures of a Baby Owl intent on proclaiming to the world that he was “a huge and scary hunting machine”. Recently Allen decided to go the digital route, publishing the new bedtime fare title Come to Bed, Red! on Kindle. The book utilizes Allen’s customary fluffy protagonist fare with that hint of snark that always keeps things interesting.
Bedtime has come at last and Red Panda’s mama is calling her little one inside. Unfortunately, every time she tells him to come he explains that he’s just about to break his record in pinecone tossing, or just about to balance a stick on his nose for his longest time yet, OR just about shake off the last two leaves on the branch. When Red’s cries of “Just a minute” prove to be too much for his mother in he comes at long last. Then it’s time for a story, but every time Red tries to get his mother to come into the bedroom and tell him one she’s doing something else. When she finally does trot in, Red comes to the realization that while some things are worth waiting for, others should be done ASAP. A nice Author’s Note at the end explains a little bit about red pandas and how Mr. Allen got the idea for the book.
Allen’s protagonists like to proclaim things. The aforementioned Baby Owl, for example, is never happier than when he can say that which he is not. That’s probably why his titles say things like, I’m Not Sleepy! and I’m Not Santa! Other characters exist in titles that protest, Don’t Copy Me! and a very forthright Banana! (kind of a non sequitur, that one). Come to Bed, Red! is no exception and its hero is just as obstreperous. Kids reluctant to call it a day will find a kinsman in Red Panda. Now, of course, the slight danger here is that some kids will go on and learn the phrase “In a minute” from
Although it’s been a while since we had a
Fantastic Fiction for Kids post I’m thrilled this week to be able to bring you another post in the series all about brilliant picture books which share a common theme, which this week is
independence.
Today’s contributor is
Stephanie Burgis. Stephanie was born in the US but has ended up in Wales via Vienna, Pittsburgh, and Yorkshire. She’s a full-time writer, having published almost thirty short stories for adults. Her first published novel,
A Most Improper Magick came out yesterday in the UK! Many congratulations to you, Stephanie! Stephanie’s husband is also an author, and he and Stephanie have a young son, who I’m sure gets read to a
great deal what with 2 writers as parents!
Now, without further ado, let me hand you over to Stephanie:
One of my [Stephanie's] favourite parts of parenting so far has been getting to discover great new books together with my son. Even before he was born, I’d started collecting some of my old favourites from my own childhood, but for this post I wanted to talk about three books we discovered together and both love. The linking theme is independence: all three of these books feature characters going out into the wide world without their parents, dealing with strange adults and facing the unknown, just like every little kid eventually has to do.
I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen
Baby Owl ventures out into the woods at night, carrying his stuffed owl with him. He’s not scared…or at least, he won’t admit he is, despite all the interfering adults who keep on startling him by popping up out of the darkness to worry about his feelings.
My son and I laugh and laugh when we read this book. The writing is sharp and funny, the pictures are hilarious, and I love that at the end, when Papa Owl whispers: “It’s okay to be a little bit scared of the dark,” feisty Baby Owl immediately says to his stuffed owl: “He means you, Owly.” Baby Owl is not about to learn any silly moral lessons himself…but his story is wonderfully reassuring, as well as funny, for little kids to read. (And as a parent, I’m intensely grateful for picture books that make me laugh on the hundredth re-read!)
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Nice list!