[stylist] Self-publishing

Mon Dec 31 23:45:54 UTC 2012

Bridgit,
Here are some thoughts about self-publishing. First, if I were your age, I
would have given finding an agent/publisher more of a try, but time looks
different from this side of 60. I would always recommend that authors try to
get an agent for the simple reason that it is a wonderful way to learn about
the industry. You also might get lucky. I tried it for about 4 months before
I became overwhelmed with the perception that I was wasting my time. 

Unless you really have an in with the industry, unpublished authors need an
agent to get anywhere with large and medium-sized publishers. First, you
need to research which ones are either scam artists or just don't have the
connections and history to get you to the publisher you want. Then, you send
everything out that each of their submission guidelines requires -- this is
almost never the same twice, so you need different types of query letters,
different length synopses and so on. Then, if you get someone interested in
you, it's back and forth till that contract is signed. Then, you wait. Maybe
they find a publisher within 6 months to a year or whatever. Then, you're
back and forth with that contract. Then, their people will edit the book, so
that takes time, and the changes may or may not be something you can live
with. Eventually, they publish the book and place it in whatever retail
markets they work with. 

Now, you get busy and set up book signings, workshops, any kind of public
appearance you can think of to get the book out there. Then, you also have
to work within whatever deadline the publisher has for the book to sell x
number of copies. If it doesn't sell that many in 6 months or a year, you're
on your own. Retail stores have deals with publishers (including
self-published authors) in which the publisher/author agrees to take (well,
buy) back the unsold books after a certain length of time.

Since self-publishing is relatively new, there are a lot of professors and
other professionals who don't like or recommend it, especially those who are
older and grew up without these new options. Nonetheless, it continues to
make inroads into the bottom line of the major companies, and they continue
to have to adjust their thinking to it. For instance, the publisher used to
set up at least some of your promotional appearances, which is unheard of
nowadays for first-time writers, and they used to give a new book longer
before dropping it and claiming it as a tax write-off. 

The reality is that self-publishing has it's pros and cons. You bear the
entire cost and responsibility for the initial publication. This has come
down considerably, however, since the dawn of print on demand and e-book
publishing. Also, there are certain awards that you can't apply for unless
you're with a publisher that has more than one signed author. 

However, with self-publishing, you get more of a return per book, because
your expenses after the initial cost are limited to what percentage you
agree to pay your distributors. Also, there are more and more awards which
include self-published authors. 

Also, the tendency with self-published authors is to not get thorough copy
editing done. My sighted husband says that this is getting worse within the
major publishing houses as well; he's finding more mistakes nowadays. As
many mistakes as my friends found in my books and as many as I found myself,
even after multiple readings, I'm reasonably certain that it isn't possible
to get it perfect, but it's crucial to give it due diligence. Hiring copy
editors is a thorny problem in itself. Agents are generally willing to do
only the most cursory of editing; they want it as good as you, using all of
your resources, can make it before you hand it over. One of the scams out
there is that an agent loves your book and suggests that you hire so and so
to edit it for a large fee. Sometimes, these are people who are working
together under cover of separate business names. 

Some of the print on demand services offer copy editing in their various
packages, but I haven't used it yet, so I can't comment on whether they're
any good. I might purchase a package that has a round of copy editing in it,
so I might be able to comment more thoroughly later on. Regardless, I'm sure
that I would never advise anyone to rely on that.

I didn't hire anyone, but I had professors and other education and writing
professionals including a friend who is a former newspaper writer who has a
bit of a talent for it, who I convinced to read it. Many of them gave me
excellent feedback, and not just on spelling and word usage. Hopefully, you
have friends and family who are willing to give you their real opinions and
thoughts without worrying about hurting your feelings. The worst thing you
can hear from someone who reads your book prior to publication is "it was
good." 

Every reader is different, and though you aren't going to take every
suggestion, it's important to get some clue as how the book is being
perceived by others. One reader told me that I used the characters' names
too much, which led me into a much clearer consciousness of why and when I
use dialog tags. Several people mentioned that they would have liked more of
a description of how my legally blind character sees. I was initially
following the tactic I use in my article writing -- not mentioning blindness
up front till I have the reader interested in something else. I had taken
this to extremes , with very little mention of her vision except as it
related to things like using a guide dog or reading Braille or audio books.
Nonetheless, I listened to my readers and added just a few short passages.
I'm glad I did. An optometrist who is one of 45 worldwide to have earned the
highest level of certification in low vision care, agreed to read the book.
She singled out the first of these passages as the best description of the
realities of low vision she had ever read. Also, she ended up writing a
preface for educators in which she talks about learning, through a little
incident regarding one of my blind character's classmates, how vital Braille
was compared to audio learning. That one tip from a couple of friends has
led to a door-opener that I couldn't have anticipated in my wildest
imagination.

BTW, Congratulations on your new baby! I remember all of the flack you were
getting about whether or not you should even try to get pregnant in the
first place. Kudos!
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Pollpeter
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2012 8:39 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] Self-publishing

I've been interested in self-publishing for years, but I go back and forth
on it. My professors at university were not fans of self publishing, and
they all, both in the English and fine arts department, strongly discouraged
it. But I have heard so much about it and know many people who have done it,
so I wonder what the draw is other than you can publish a book whenever you
feel like it without going through other people. I currently have little
time to write because of my new baby, but I want to investigate all options
available. It's interesting to hear these perspectives.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy,
we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world."
C. S. Lewis

Message: 9
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2012 14:38:38 -0600
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: Writer's Division Mailing List <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] BookShare and libraries
Message-ID: <50DF54CE.9070208 at neb.rr.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Donna,

I appreciate your thoughts.  I understand wanting to get your book out to as
many people as possible and being comfortable with sacrificing payment in
order to do that.

I guess I'm not quite in that same place.  Yes, I'd like people to read my
book, that's a huge reason I wrote it.  I'm not willing to sacrifice the
potential to earn something from the sale of the book though.

I'm supportive of programs like libraries and BookShare.  I use both NLS

and my local library, although I have not used BookShare.  I think they are
an important resource to all people.  However I do also purchase books.  I
have purchased many ebooks, many more audio books and when I can't find a
book in any other format I will purchase the print and scan

it.  I think the main factor for me is whether or not I am willing to wait
for the library to get the book I want.  For example the final Wheel of Time
volume is coming out on the 8th.  I expect the library will make it
available, they have all the other books in the series.  
However I want to read it along with the other fans when it is first
released.  I intend to purchase the Audible book.  I see it as a way to
support my favorite authors and to get the books I want when they are
released.

I am aware of the issues with the Kindle hand held book reader.  However

it is possible to read Kindle books on a nonKindle device.  There is a free
ap for the Apple i devices which allows a person to play Kindle books on an
iPad, iPhone or other similar device.  I don't think that I'm excluding
blind people from reading by making my book available through Kindle,
especially since it will also be available in other formats.

You are correct that most self published authors make nothing from their

books.  I don't see that as a reason to give up before I've even tried
though.  I'd also venture a guess that most authors that go the traditional
publisher route also fail.  Most people who submit manuscripts for
publication will get nowhere.  That doesn't stop them from continueing to
try.  I think self publishing is the same way.  You have to keep trying and
trying and trying until it works.  I think many writers fail to make money
from their books because they give up too soon.

And I have to say thank you again.  Your comments helped me more than I
realized to clarify my own thoughts on this topic.  I thought I was a lot
more undecided, but reading back through what I wrote, I think I've sorted
out where I'm at with this issue and how I want to proceed.

Julie

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