[stylist] Self-publishing

Tue Jan 1 17:07:03 UTC 2013

Donna, Thanks for the wonderful information. You were so thorough that it
makes one rethink the world of self-publishing with an informed mind. I
wonder if you or anyone else has counsel on particular companies or not.
Would love to hear more. Eve

On Mon, Dec 31, 2012 at 3:45 PM, Donna Hill <penatwork at epix.net> wrote:

> 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 Unless you really have an in with the industry, unpublished authors need an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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