People are still repeating that party line? The Harper-Collins lawsuit proved that self-pub is just as good as trad-pub. They admitted that most books sell less than 1000 copies and the majority of those sell less than 100. There are no marketing departments, no big advances, no way of even selling books except Barnes and Noble. The few big advances are paid only to tried and true moneymaker authors, who, by the way, handle all their own marketing and fanbase building themselves (see Brandon Sanderson). The new author might as well learn to do it all themselves. And honestly, publishing a fanfic on fanfiction for net is harder to do that publishing on Amazon or Draft2Digital.
I've commercially published a three book series with Putnam/Berkley. I commercially published a novel with Thomas Dunne. But... it became harder and harder to publish. My last commercially published book was in 2004. Since then I wrote six more. To get my first book published (after I had written it) took about four years. from my search for an agent, till the book appeared in book stores. My other book, published with Thomas Dunne, took about 12 years to find a publisher. Things are much worse now. Now, if you include the time for finding an agent, then the agent finding a house, it can take two, five, or more years. You occasionally read about someone finding a publisher after ten years. If you're 29, waiting ten years for your book to find a home is awful, but doable. If you're 76, like I am, it's bullshit. It's ridiculous. It's also cruel, I believe.
There are a lot of reasons certain writers seem to go straight in the house, and others barred entry, told 'I'm sorry, but your project does not sound like a fit for me at this time, and so I will have to pass. Thank you for considering me and best of luck with your future queries.'
BTW, I've received dozens of the above. And the other 125 agents/agencies I've queried don't even reply. I've also spent about $250.00 in 'entry fees' over the last year entering my book in 'publishing contests: ''Danzc, Sarabande Books, New American Press, The Letter Review Prize, Black Lawrence Press, Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize Contest, Steel Toe Books, C&R Press, Autumn House Press, The Masters Review, Red Hen Press, and others. If you win, they publish your book and you get a $1500.00 advance on average. I haven't won, although I garnered one 'longlisted' and one 'shortlisted.' I've been on a campaign for the last 15 months to find an agent, or a publishing house, for my latest book. So, at some point, deciding to self-publish is the only way forward. Is that giving up? I don't think so. But it's all that there is for some writers who, by virtue of their race, sexuality, political views, etc., are anathema to Big Publishing.
Why did you spend so much time trying to publish commercially, some will ask. Well, any book that is 'self-published' is considered second tier, not good enough, or just garbage, by Big Literati. Any book self-published, will not be reviewed by the six remaining book reviewers. It will not appear in any book club brochure. It will literally take years, maybe five or more, just to get a decent following. It will eventually wind up on Amazon in slot number 6, 783, 287.
Am I sad? No. I'm pissed. But I will never give up. Let Big Publishing continue to seek out and publish woke bullshit. Let them slowly go out of business.
I wish I could be encouraging and uplifting in my analysis but that would be a lie.
I self publish my books and I never seriously considered going the trad way, simply because I like the creative freedom of being able to do what I want with my story. I’ve had no regrets so far!
People are still repeating that party line? The Harper-Collins lawsuit proved that self-pub is just as good as trad-pub. They admitted that most books sell less than 1000 copies and the majority of those sell less than 100. There are no marketing departments, no big advances, no way of even selling books except Barnes and Noble. The few big advances are paid only to tried and true moneymaker authors, who, by the way, handle all their own marketing and fanbase building themselves (see Brandon Sanderson). The new author might as well learn to do it all themselves. And honestly, publishing a fanfic on fanfiction for net is harder to do that publishing on Amazon or Draft2Digital.
I've commercially published a three book series with Putnam/Berkley. I commercially published a novel with Thomas Dunne. But... it became harder and harder to publish. My last commercially published book was in 2004. Since then I wrote six more. To get my first book published (after I had written it) took about four years. from my search for an agent, till the book appeared in book stores. My other book, published with Thomas Dunne, took about 12 years to find a publisher. Things are much worse now. Now, if you include the time for finding an agent, then the agent finding a house, it can take two, five, or more years. You occasionally read about someone finding a publisher after ten years. If you're 29, waiting ten years for your book to find a home is awful, but doable. If you're 76, like I am, it's bullshit. It's ridiculous. It's also cruel, I believe.
There are a lot of reasons certain writers seem to go straight in the house, and others barred entry, told 'I'm sorry, but your project does not sound like a fit for me at this time, and so I will have to pass. Thank you for considering me and best of luck with your future queries.'
BTW, I've received dozens of the above. And the other 125 agents/agencies I've queried don't even reply. I've also spent about $250.00 in 'entry fees' over the last year entering my book in 'publishing contests: ''Danzc, Sarabande Books, New American Press, The Letter Review Prize, Black Lawrence Press, Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize Contest, Steel Toe Books, C&R Press, Autumn House Press, The Masters Review, Red Hen Press, and others. If you win, they publish your book and you get a $1500.00 advance on average. I haven't won, although I garnered one 'longlisted' and one 'shortlisted.' I've been on a campaign for the last 15 months to find an agent, or a publishing house, for my latest book. So, at some point, deciding to self-publish is the only way forward. Is that giving up? I don't think so. But it's all that there is for some writers who, by virtue of their race, sexuality, political views, etc., are anathema to Big Publishing.
Why did you spend so much time trying to publish commercially, some will ask. Well, any book that is 'self-published' is considered second tier, not good enough, or just garbage, by Big Literati. Any book self-published, will not be reviewed by the six remaining book reviewers. It will not appear in any book club brochure. It will literally take years, maybe five or more, just to get a decent following. It will eventually wind up on Amazon in slot number 6, 783, 287.
Am I sad? No. I'm pissed. But I will never give up. Let Big Publishing continue to seek out and publish woke bullshit. Let them slowly go out of business.
I wish I could be encouraging and uplifting in my analysis but that would be a lie.
I self publish my books and I never seriously considered going the trad way, simply because I like the creative freedom of being able to do what I want with my story. I’ve had no regrets so far!