Self-publishing used to be a dirty word that made you look like an amateur if you were crazy enough to mention it around people in the know. These days, it's coming up in more conversations, and even authors who have had relative success with traditional publishing houses in the past are finding greater financial success by self-publishing their newer works.
So what does it mean when publishing houses like Harlequin start offering self-publishing services? Does your book get more respect if Amazon publishes it for you instead of Lulu? Here are three recent articles from Publisher's Weekly on recent developments for authors and publishers.
What's your take on the future of publishing?
Agents Weigh the Growth of Alternative Publishing Options
This article talks about J.A. Konrath's publishing deal with Amazon and the new publishing arm of Waxman Literary, Diversion Books. Now your agent can be your e-publisher as well...hmmm...
Midlist Author Tries Hybrid Self-Publishing
When I read this article, it didn't seem like "hybrid self-publishing" to me. When you consider the fact that even if you're published by Random House, you're still going to have to shoulder a lot of the publicity yourself, this doesn't seem like such a bad option.
Barnes & Noble to Offer Digital Self-Publishing
I guess Amazon must be making money from authors self-publishing on the Kindle if B&N has decided to enter the market as well...
Author Sara Bennett Wealer is having a banner year. Not only did she sell her book to HarperTeen, but she just HAD A BABY! Yep, just two days ago she gave birth to a little girl, her second child.
The bio Sara wrote for the Tenners site is very amusing, and I recommend going straight there, if only to see how elegantly she can segue from “I love ballet” to “I write a lot about poop” with only two sentences in between. I simply cannot do it justice here! Go, go! (Then please come back....)
Here’s Sara’s deal report from Publisher’s Marketplace:
Sara Bennett Wealer's debut RIVAL, in which two high school seniors compete for a prestigious singing scholarship, set against a backdrop of the events that turned them from best friends to rivals, to Erica Sussman at Harper Teen, by Holly Root at Waxman Literary Agency (world).
Hi Sara! Can you please tell us how you met your agent?
The traditional way. I queried, then sent a partial, then a full. Holly loved my book (which actually *wasn't* RIVAL - I'd sent her a newer manuscript that came thisclose to selling, and that I'm planning to revise). I loved how enthusiastic and professional she was, and she's been a dream to work with.
Can you tell us how your book deal happened? It happened within hours and was heralded by an airplane flying over my house, tugging a banner that said, "Please let us publish your novel!" :-)
Actually, unlike some of my agency mates whom you've already interviewed (*cough* Rachel Hawkins *cough*) it took awhile. Erica Sussman, who now is my editor at Harper, told us that she loved RIVAL but felt it needed some tweaks before she could take it through the various approval committees. She shared her suggestions, and I agreed that they would make the book stronger, so I agreed to a revision. When I was finished, Erica took the book to acquisitions. They loved it, too, but felt there were a couple more things that needed to be done in order to get a final sign-off from those farther up the food chain. So I revised once more, and it paid off. Harper made an offer in October. I feel so fortunate to have had a champion in Erica. Her thoughts on the story really helped me take it to that all-important next level!
What was the inspiration for RIVAL and how long did it take you to write?
I worked on RIVAL off and on over a period of about six years. During that time, I wrote two other novels as well, one that will never see the light of day and the one I mentioned earlier, which I currently am revising.
RIVAL was inspired by my experience as a singer in a competitive high school music program. There was only one high school in my hometown, which also had a major university, and that meant you had a high concentration of very talented, very driven people. Being in the top choruses meant lots of rehearsals and lots of traveling, which created quite a pressure cooker when it came to relationships. There were rivalries galore and I had my fair share, though "grown up" me wishes I'd focused more on being friends than on who sang better or who got the lead in the musical. The memory of what that atmosphere was like inspired me to write RIVAL (though, of course, nothing that happens in the book actually happened in real life).
I also wanted to write a book that kids who are interested and/or active in the arts could identify with and enjoy, though RIVAL isn't just about music! There's a romance, Homecoming drama, scheming BFFs--and if you aren't into singing, just substitute cheerleading or your favorite competitive sport. In high school, rivals pretty much can be found around every corner.
What's your publication date and where in the process are you now?
I'm waiting on a concrete publication date. I just turned in my formal revisions and am awaiting feedback from my editor. I imagine copyedits will be coming next and then... well, I'm dying to see a cover!!
So will you be singing opera on YouTube to promote your book?
Probably not! My voice isn't what it used to be, though I still like to sing when I can find time. I do plan to create a spot on my website where visitors can explore the various singers, musicals, etc. that I mention in the book. And I've got some marketing ideas that could include real teen singers showing off their skills. They would be MUCH more fun to watch than I ever would.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on two projects. The first is a re-write of the novel I mentioned earlier. The second is a totally new project that I'm super-excited about, though I always feel funky giving out details of a work in progress. Let's just say it deals with a whole 'nother kind of rivalry, and it may or may not have an element of the paranormal.
Do you have any words of wisdom for writers trying to get published?
Be obsessive, but objective. By obsessive, I mean that you have to be willing to sit your butt down every day and write, whether you feel inspired or not. You have to be willing to keep submitting and working, no matter how many times you get told "no," until finally you get a "yes." I tell my friends it's like beating your head against a wall. You get to a point where the next blow could be the one that breaks it all down, and you sort of have to say, "I either get brain damage, or I bust this sucker, but either way I am not quitting!"
At the same time, you have to be objective about your work. Find good critique partners and listen to what they say. Be willing to rip your stuff apart and start over. Educate yourself about how the publishing business works and behave professionally as you look for an agent and publisher. Don't fall into the trap of blaming others for the fact that you haven't made it yet. It's not that nobody appreciates your talent or that the market only wants the next Twilight or that agents are evil, etc. Many, many times, the problem is that your work is not ready for prime time, which can be difficult for people to hear. When it is ready, then things will start to happen. They still won't be easy (I don't think anything in this business is ever easy), but when you see that wall start to come down, you'll know it was due to your own hard work, and that is an incredible feeling!
Where can we find you on the web?
You can find my website at http://www.sarabennettwealer.com/ (There's a lovely "coming soon" message there now, but I plan to go totally live within the next month or so--even planning on doing a cool giveaway. Yay!) I'm also on Facebook and on Twitter and I blog at LiveJournal.
Thanks Sara! Hearty congratulations on your amazing creations, both literary and human!
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My agent and I talked about self-pubbing with reference to my NF books - and I am still very happy I have gone the traditional route. I am not saying I will never self pub...but I like the things a pub house has to offer still.
Thoughtful post! I'm seeing this trend as well, where legitimate authors are seeing it as a way to take back control. JA Konrath has started a revolution I think. Thanks for these links.
I don't know! What is going to happen? I still wish for the traditional route, yet who knows if that will happen? Or if it's really that good?
Thanks for the great links. Going to read them now...
I don't know what to think about self publishing. I think it depends on how much money an author has to put into it - not including marketing. Most self pubbed kidlit I see has poor cover art and bad editing. But I haven't seen many, so I'm no expert.
Thank you for this post! As you know, I'm going to self-publish my novella, and I'm pretty nervous to do so, but it is exciting as well.
The thing with already established authors self-publishing is that of course they get great sales AND get the book exactly the way they want it because they are already established. I won't have that edge, sadly, but my goal in self-publishing my book isn't to make money. I have my own reasons for self-publishing it, and it's comforting to know that I'm CHOOSING to self-publish, not FALLING BACK on it because I couldn't get it traditionally published. That's a big difference, I think.
I'm going to go read those articles, thank you!
I blogged something similar today. I think this is an exciting time in publishing. I hope to jump on the train very soon.
Interesting! There's so much more out there than we think. Thanks for stopping by my blog :)
I blogged about the difference between true self-publishing and subsidy publishing on Tuesday, because there IS a big difference.
The internet is changing the industry. EBooks are changing the industry. True self-publishers and small presses thrive because they can adapt faster than the big boys.
Christine: How interesting that your agent approached the subject! Things are changing all around I think.
KarenG: JA Konrath likes to shake things up, no doubt! It'll be interesting to see where it all leads.
Lydia: I'm still going for the traditional route as well, but I think it's interesting to keep an eye on what's working for other people too.
Laura: Money is important to factor in as well. But I'm starting to see some self-pubbed works that have better covers than certain publishers are known for. Again, money (and graphic design talent!) make a huge difference there.
Michelle: You have the talent to make a stunning cover for your novella. And I'll be one of the people buying a copy :)
Mary: I read your post. Great minds think alike :)
Jessica: There certainly are more options to publishing these days.
Diane: I think you're right that subsidy publishing has added to the confusion about self-publishing. But with traditional publishers jumping into the fray, it seems as though the lines between publishers and self-publishers are getting blurrier every day.
I don't think it's frowned upon like it used to be but it still is a far cry from traditional methods. To each his own. I am really intruiged with what JA Konrath did!
I've personally never read anything self-published that I thought was good. It seems like people don't have other people edit their work, and the whole thing seems ego-driven. Sorry! That's just been my experience.
Regardless of what happens, I think we'll still need some sort of filter--imagine trying to pick a book out of the millions that are available! I think things may shift out a bit, but we'll still need good editors and agents for quality control.
sf
I agree with SF, I think that we need gatekeepers to filter through all those manuscripts. Personally I read a lot of traditionally published books that I don't enjoy, I can't imagine what the landscape would look like without agents and editors. I'm guessing we'd get stuck reading a lot of stuff that probably shouldn't have been published in the first place. That said, I've read and LOVED books that were published by smaller presses and never got the marketing/PR that they deserved, so I'm sure there are some manuscripts slipping through the cracks.
This is such an interesting discussion!
I'm getting published the traditional way, and that's how I've always wanted it. I think my manuscript will shine thanks to my agent and editor's input. I think it's essential to work with a team of experienced, knowledgeable people.
Sometimes I find myself longing for the good old days.
T.Anne: JA Konrath is a rebel! I think he's trying to spark a revolution :)
SF: I've actually never read a self-published book, but I have read books by authors who were discovered after self-publishing (Bruce Hale & Christopher Paolini to name just two) so I know there are gems out there!
LiLa: I couldn't agree more!
Medeia: I agree that working with a team helps make your book the best it can be.
Beth: Me too!!