How many of you would consider self publishing over publishing? And what do you think would be the main problem you may have to tackle?
How many of you would consider self publishing over publishing? And what do you think would be the main problem you may have to tackle?
I've done both. I have to say they're as difficult as one another, though to be fair it's early days with the publisher. Editing and promotion...absolutely right - they're hard work. Especially the latter, which is an ongoing job. Forever.
It's possible, but only just possible, that if you get a deal with one of the big 5 your work will be edited and promoted, but don't bank on it. Their budgets are limited and they're going to spend most of it on authors who sell big numbers. That means you'll be fighting for a share of what they've allocated for newbies.
I'm with a small press, which is, I suspect, the way more and more writers will go as the market contracts. That means I self-edited (again), provided the cover picture (I didn't have to, they just liked it) and gave them as many press and media contact details as I could.
I've a rough idea of how the Kindle version is doing (www.novelrank.com, if anyone's interested in a sales-checker for Amazon) but no idea on how the paperback's performing at the mo, which I would have if I was controlling the whole thing myself.
I don't mean to sound negative - I was delighted to get a publishing deal. But from my experience it's not necessarily the panacea to all ills we hope for: something that'll give you more time to write. A bit more, maybe, but you'll still be blogging and posting and spreading the word any way you can. Much of the time in the twilight, too, if not complete darkness, as it seems publishers don't spend a lot of time communicating with their authors.
Just my experience so far. Nothing like as bad as Damien's self-pub nightmare, but no cigar, either :)
Interesting answers guys! Marketing was my first thought when thinking about issues with self publishing, and as you said Damien, all of these things are dealt with for you by the publisher.
It's a toss up between going at it alone and learning a bit more about it each time, or taking a chance and giving your creation to a publisher and letting them do it
Absolutely right with you on that Damien ... we all think our work is great because we work really hard at it.