Why I chose to Self-Publish
One of the reasons I chose to self publish can pretty much be summed up in Jackie Barbosa’s post about the realities of NY publishing
What it comes down to, is I have a very low tolerance for shitty working conditions. There is a limited amount of crap/shit I will tolerate if I’m not being paid REALLY well. Even then, there is a limit. I don’t need the pressure, insanity, crap that comes with the odds on the above-linked post.
I understand for many authors this doesn’t matter and they’ll keep on keeping on and NY is what they want, and I say great and good luck. (sincerely) But the fact is to very briefly paraphrase Barbosa’s great post:
1. Your chance of landing an agent is about 1% for any given project you submit (with about 200 chances, maybe with all the diff agents out there, but still 1% each time.)
THEN…
2. You have a 25% chance or lower of selling that project (that is agented) to a NY publishing house.
THEN…
3. You have about a 2-3% chance of getting a second contract (though see the article, no one is “totally” sure how this works out, but the bottom line is… most debut authors don’t get a second book deal.)
THEN…
4. Assuming you cross all those hurdles only 15% of pubbed authors make enough money not to have a day job, another 5% earn enough to be the sole breadwinner for their families. And the average income for a published author is: $10,000 a year.
So simple recap: This is a lottery. You are free to play it, but now you understand why I do not. I know you gotta play to win, but anyone who builds a large enough platform and strong enough sales on their own has that shot for the “big league” sales/contracts too. NY publishers smell money in the water like sharks smell blood. So I don’t trouble myself with worrying about it.
You also get “validated” through any form of traditional publishing because someone official vetted you and said you were good enough. For a lot of writers this is important, and because I respect when others can respect “my” personal goals, I can respect it if that is one of yours. It’s just too high a price to pay for validation from a small circle of people “for me.”
I applaud any writer who makes it through all of these hurdles, but still, for me: DOES NOT WANT! (Imagine kitty picture here)
Even if I was interested and I was one of the “lucky ones,” chances are good that it would take at least 5 years before my first book would be in print and I could be finding readers. (starting from step 1) I can do a lot platform building in five years.
Self publishing in 5 years I can have several podcasts if I so choose, as well as a few freebies to promote my work, print and e-format releases of 5 different books while every single one of those books stays in print. i.e. i’m not running endlessly on a treadmill I can’t gain traction on. When I have 10 books published, I have 10 books in print, earning me money in their various formats and distribution channels. Unlike many trad pubbed authors who unless they reach critical acclaim by that point will have a good portion of those books “out of print” and no longer earning them money, except in E, where the royalty rates are pitiful in NY publishing anyway.
In order to make the average $10,000 a year I would have to sell: 2,283 print copies (without factoring in any e-sales. With e-sales I may be able to subtract some of this number.) I think it is possible for a well-written, well-designed, well-edited book, put into several channels of distribution and formats to sell 2,283 copies in a year.
Maybe I won’t get it in my first year, but even if I didn’t get it til my fifth year (a scenario I find highly unlikely personally), I would STILL be ahead of alternate-reality-me on the other publishing track just getting their first book in print. And by year 5 remember I’ve got 5 books in print.
If I ever get to the point where I sell 5,000 print copies a year (without factoring in any e-sales), I’m making a teacher’s salary for my area of the country.
So that is part of why I chose to self-publish.
Other reasons are creative freedom and control of my work, less pressure to perform at the risk of losing a writing career, working at my own pace, the fact that I love publishing and creating my own project start to finish, and the indie community in general.
>>>2. You have a 25% chance or lower of selling that project (that is agented) to a NY publishing house.
It is soooo *not* nearly anywhere near like 25%. Just do the math on that: an agent sells one out of four things submitted? A publishers buys one out of every four things submitted? Hardly!
And even if an editor likes it, the marketeers can kill its chances of being picked up.
Writers who direct publish have something akin to the magic of compound interest on their sides: more books out in more places in less time.
Hey Mike,
I was going based on the above-linked post, and the author of the article admitted 25% was generous. I was passing that generosity along. Which is why I said 25% or LESS. I’m pretty sure it’s more likely the “or less.”
Exactly on the compound interest thing. The loudest argument against self pubbing is: “But so much of it sucks” followed by: “but how will you sale it without major bookstore distribution?”
The first argument is within an author’s power to an extent. There are plenty of cheap ways to test market and get a read on how “the public” responds to your work, like I did putting KEPT out there. Good crit partners, finding editing help, getting a cover artist, learning interior layout. Just basically learning about the business.
It’s highly time-consuming, especially the way I’m doing it, and I understand anyone just not “wanting” to self-publish because of the work necessary to put out a good book, but…
each author has some level of control over the quality of the book they put out assuming a basic level of talent/skill can be established.
And the internet affords many distribution options.
It’s a crap shoot alright, and it’s going to get worse as the publishers add in more clauses regarding e-sales and stitch up every last conceivable way a writer might profit from their work. The balance is shifting and I think there will be a big move towards self-publishing as the stigma (which is very real) and the uncertainty recede.
Your figures make sense and there is only so many times you can say to yourself – “what if – I get an agent/a book deal/an editor who understands”. Food for thought indeed.
*”but how will you SELL it”
I always mix up sale and sell but I don’t have an editor for my blog posts.
thank you WoH, I’ve missed seeing your higlet-y face over here!
I think the whining about self-pubbing is going to get louder and more filled with invective before it gets quieter. But that’s A-okay with me, the louder the fight against it gets, the better for my personal sales odds. (because most of the really GREAT writers won’t be doing it yet, since validation as a real writer doing the “right” things will be too important to them.)
And while I still don’t know if I ever want to try NY in the future, this by no means takes me “out of the race” in that world either. If I built up a good readership and have great sales, publishers would come to me. If I didn’t, well why would I want a NY pub if I didn’t know for sure I could move a healthy number of books?
It’s a risk for me too just like the NY pub. I’m risking lower profit per book, no second contract, and tying up my rights for however long.
DOES NOT WANT.
This is a great post. I run into many unpublished authors who think once they get that first contract, they can quit their jobs and let the money roll in.
The more I study up on how traditional publishing works, the more I’m glad I self-publish. I agree with you that if someone else wants to go the traditional route, that is fine. I wish them luck. But as for me, I love self-publishing too much.
Me too, Ruth Ann.
I just find it really funny how people (usually unpublished writers) who rant against Self pubbing so often bring money into the argument. That’s a fairly weak point to argue from.
Basically the odds for me as a self pubbed author and the odds for them as a yet to be pubbed author on the trad train, to make good money with fiction are about the same. (actually I think my odds are a little better but I certainly don’t think my odds are worse.)
Yeah, their odds increase “slightly” if they get a NY contract and continue to get NY contracts, but they have to actually DO that first. You can’t argue as an aspiring NY pub author from a hypothetical while I’m acting out an actuality as a self pubber. It doesn’t compute. (It’s very much a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush scenario. They’re counting on birds in the bush which may never materialize in the first place.)
Even then the odds are really good a savvy self pubber can make as much money as them.
To me this is like inmates on death row arguing which method of the death penalty is better. You’re both on death row, dude.
The goal posts constantly shift. They want to discuss how rare it is for an author who sells well enough self publishing to gain a NY contract, but what they neglect to realize is that the few who DO gain a NY contract that way tend to have a much BETTER first contract than those who didn’t successfully self pub first.
So they are comparing the odds of a self pubbing author getting a good contract and making good money with someone who is just trad pubbed period, and that’s not a fair comparison.
If we break down the money, the odds of just about anyone getting a first contract as good as someone who successfully self pubbed are about even.
The odds may be slightly better that someone seeking trad publishing would get a contract than someone self publishing would get a contract. But the person on the trad pubbing train getting a contract probably isn’t getting a great first contract and probably won’t get a second one.
Meanwhile that not great first contract (which is likely to be around $5,000)… a decent self pubbing author who doesn’t get picked up or noticed by NY may have made that exact same amount, maybe even at the same odds.
They’re comparing apples and oranges then pointing and laughing. It’s just goofy uninformed logic. IMO.
Bravo!!!! Wonderful post!!! Good, good thoughts.
Hi Carol, thanks! And thanks for visiting!
My thoughts exactly! And it’s pretty much the same scenario in Australia. I’ve self-published, and I plan to continue doing so!
Hey BB! Thanks for adding your thoughts!
Great post. I’ve been investigating self-publishing for a while for all of the reasons you outlined, plus more!
I am a children’s author and I love to write books that are what I term therapeutic picture books – the kind that a kid in crisis might need. The reality is they’re not terribly commercial according to big publishers. I’m hoping to partner with some major charities and organisations, donate some of the proceeds to them and get them to help me get the word out about my books. The problem is that self-publishing picture books is soooo ridiculously expensive due to the full-colour illustrations and quality of paper etc.
Distribution is the main issue for me (like most self-publishers I suppose). So, I’m going to spend the next few years developing my platform and getting to know people in the know. I might only end up being relatively small, but I can write what I’m passionate about which is worth the trade off if you ask me.
Hey Karen, sounds interesting, but yeah picture books you’re right, they’re a challenge.
This individual is a very successful self publisher of children’s picture books, so you might talk to her: http://www.bestfairybooks.com/
You might also look to directly market to psychologists, social workers, pediatric units of hospitals and any other places you can think of that would have a need for such books. Larger churches might be a marketing option too.
Though it’s not “terribly commercial” a niche this focused gives you a lot of very specific marketing wiggle room which could help you ultimately succeed with your goals.
Zoe, I agree with the whole niche concept. It might actually mean that distribution is less complicated for me than if I was writing general fiction. And I can’t shake the feeling that this avenue is indeed my calling. Guess I’d better keep on researching exactly how I’m going to get this thing off the ground and where I’m going to get the money from!!
Hey Karen,
I had the same feeling, that this was exactly how I was supposed to do things.
first of all Zoe, “hi”
second of all…what is that in your photo that comes up with your comments?
It looks like the top of a …nevermind…it’s probably a cake decorating device of some kind.
I’m going to enjoy poking around in your words. I followed you home from the newbie’s guide after you commented that we share a love of printed books. (joe rocks!)
I haven’t researched self publishing AT ALL…but I’ve been having a crash course in small house publishing this last week…I had a publisher query ME because of my blog…things are lining up…but don’t know exactly how it will sort itself out.
I do have a question about erotica/romance and how close to the line you can get in mainstream fiction. I would think that there would be a little more wiggle room in self publishing…is that true?
come see me anytime…I’ll be back to see you.
Karen
why the heck did I get a cartoon frog to come up with my comment instead of my lovely photo of a frog?…that’s just WRONG lol maybe it will change back once I’m moderated.
feel free to delete this one, I just got a kick out of it.
hahaha it’s a rose. I need to change my little icon thingie because it does look bizarre lol. For a second I thought you were talking about my twitter account.
I think regular publishing already “crosses the line” with romance and erotica, lol. Though with epublishing it tends to cross it more. Or get close to it or whatever the line is.
I certainly don’t consider myself a prude but I don’t tend to write super graphic sex either, and if that’s what readers are looking for then they would probably like another autho better.
LOL I like the frog. My friend Edie comes up as an angry looking bug which is hilarious because Edie is the last person I would consider angry.
I can see the rose now. That’s a nice rose, doesn’t look like anything but a rose now……….
I don’t mix violence with sex..I’ve seen a lot of graphic sex mixed that way in the bookstores. That’s not my cup of tea. I like committed or caring couples to explore one another in a healthy way. I have some mild scenes…then less mild…then woa..cold shower time in my most recent wip…so I was wondering how to find out what would be acceptable to mainstream publishers. I guess it’ll be trial and error. I’ve had five readers so far and they all loved it.
Hey Karen,
If you’re looking to go into more traditional publication, different romance lines/publishers tend to have different requirements for sex. Some publish more sweet sex, some more graphic, etc.
I really can’t imagine writing sex that way, for me personally (to fit into a line/publisher’s list.) And readers are VERY specific about what they like.
In paranormal romance more graphic sex is usually the norm, i.e. sex that goes on for pages. But I don’t write sex like that. So I’ve had some readers who don’t like the way I write sex because it’s not graphic enough for their tastes.
Then I’ve had readers who thought it was too graphic and there was too much sex.
Then I’ve had readers who loved it and thought it was hot and perfect.
It’s the absolute most frustrating thing. I wrote about reader subjectivity today for my post. And it was a lot about sex.
I’d say write it how you write it, and if it’s the only “problem” in your writing from an editor/agent’s point of view trying to sell it, then they can let you know what you need to change about it and you can decide then if you want to make those changes.
As for me, I won’t write sex in a way that conforms to anyone else’s agenda but my own. Which is why I’ll probably never be commercially published. But that’s okay with me.
Thanks Zoe,
that’s what I’m talking about there is such a range out there all the way from they kissed…pan away to a fluttering window curtain…then it’s morning…to some that is sooo sick and twisted…i.e.the torture porn stuff…Joe Konrath had an EPIC discussion on that one day in March while on tour for AFRAID. (neither is my taste)
And apparently if you’re undead, you can be as kinky as you want..lol
I don’t read the kind of romance with half naked folks on the cover.(not a problem with the subject matter, it’s more a matter of .. hey this book is leaking hokiness all over my shoes…oh wait I have to abandon disbelief at the front cover? oh then I’ll go read about space pirates instead)
eek, that’s not what YOU write is it…cause I’m sure that YOUR stuff is stellar.
I love Janet Evanovich, love Carolyn Haines…they have grown up attitudes regarding sex, but their MC’s are also grown women, as is mine.
I think it really depends on the target audience as you said.
thanks for your input. I’ll go check out the subjective posting.
Karen
LOLOLOL @ “If you’re undead you can be as kinky as you want” which is the problem… in paranormals it’s expected by a lot of readers that the sex will be graphic and not “sweet” or more subdued, or whatever. Many want graphic play-by-play. But, yeah.
I think even if I was looking for a trad publisher I’d have a hard time hooking up with one writing sex the way I do. Though I don’t think it’s *that* tame.
I think there is a difference in tame sex and non-detailed sex.
If I’m not putting in a ton of details in the rest of my fiction and my style is a little more sparse, it makes literally no sense for the sex to deviate from that style just because it’s sex. Then the sex overshadows the book/story and if I wanted to do that I would be writing erotica under this name.
To me that’s the difference between erotica and romance… erotica the sex IS the plot (which isn’t a bad thing, I am an erotica fan), in romance the relationship between the characters is the plot. There may or may not be sex depending on where the couple is and their relationship and it may or may not be described in technicolor surround sound.
LOL well you can download KEPT free (go to the top of the page where it says free ebook) and let me know what you think.
You make a good point about covers… though I class what I write as paranormal romance, I think I’m going to want a cover that looks a little more like an urban fantasy and less over-sexed, that way hopefully I’ll find more of the right readers for what I’m doing.
I say… good for you! You’re writing, you’re publishing, and getting your books into the hands of readers. In the end, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Congrats on your success. Keep it up.
Care to do an interview with me on my blog? Email me and we’ll chat.
http://loriamay.blogspot.com
Thanks, Lori! I’ll email you.