I had decided I was going to become an independent publisher, but I was going to do it properly. I was going to get a copy-editor, a designer and typesetter, the works. When I added it up and worked out my margins, they were skinny to say the least. When I mentioned it to a friend she said 'Run by me again why you're not going to a publisher.' I mumbled something about creative control but my argument crumbled very quickly. The irony being, I'm not writing literary fiction or anything else that can be a hard sell. It's mainstream, summer reading, commercial fiction. So should I give up my dream of being my own publisher? Should I trust that someone out there will get what I'm trying to do with this series and start looking for them?
Hi Victoria,
It's debates like this which make this site so valuable. From my perspective, I accepted at the outset of the process that outsiders looking in at my work would bring new perspectives and, hopefully, improvements.
The comments I've had since 'Grosse Fugue' was published have reinforced that. It's still not perfect and, of course, never could be. But the one thing I've learned in a relatively short time is that we can get too hung up on the debate about physical production and ignore at our peril the need to get the message out there.
Of course, self-publishing has its downsides. Adrian and others are absolutely right about the need for a forensic, professional edit. I like to think that if I'd gone down that route then I would have made that necessary investment. Getting the right person is paramount. And putting in the hard yards of rewriting - yes, even the whole ending - is essential if you respect the advice.
But, at the same time, we have to think about how we raise our books, and ourselves, above the parapet and, at the risk of getting shot at, talk about our work. You said, I think, that yours is not literary fiction but something more commercial, more mainstream. In some ways, that makes it harder to stand out. I would urge you before you start investing cash, time and soul to think about how you would tell people about your book. And I'm not just talking about local booksellers and chums. How will you make it stand out from the rest?
It's the hardest thing in a crowded marketplace and one that absorbs the most amount of energy and time.
All the best.
Hi Victoria,
I have also put some work online (youwriteon.com) and received a mixed back of critiques. Some of it useful, some of it not so useful.
In the end I took the useful parts and thought long and hard about them and worked out what to discard and what to take on board.
I think that's the thing about critique - it can hurt, and it can seem simply to daunting to look at a work you have put so much effort into and which someone is now suggesting needs changing.
What I noticed about your comments was that you actually did take something very positive from your online experience.
The readers confirmed to you that something was wrong with the POV in your story and while they may not have been experienced enough to offer any useful advice, their comments did spur you on to make the changes necessary and to improve your work.
Would you have been as motivated to do this had you not had this feedback?
I think comments on work at a relatively early stage can be useful and can save you a lot of time and effort. If you are going in the wrong direction then hearing this at an early stage is probably a lot easier than hearing it 100,000 word in.
I recall you mentioned the risk and expense that you would have to incur if you went down the independent publishing route ($10k or thereabouts).
That seems like a HUGE sum to risk. A good online forum that offers proper critique and feedback could be a great way to test the market before venturing forth and investing more than just blood sweat and tears.
I have only ever allowed people to comment on my work online as it happens. I think family and friends are not the best people for this. They are too emotionally involved with you and will sometimes (if not always) hold back on the truth for fear of hurting you. After all, they live with you every day and know full well how much time, love and effort has gone into getting those words on the page.
Other writers however can look at the craft of a piece and judge it accordingly. On the authonomy website there seems to be a community of readers as well as writers, so people come at a piece from may angles, which could prove to be invaluable in terms of feedback.
Sending things out into the world as an independent publisher could prove to be just as daunting an experience as placing some work online, I reckon. So perhaps starting out at that level could be a way to test the water, not just for your book, but also for yourself, to see how you feel about squaring up to public opinion.
Why not post a few sample pages here on the website and ask for considered feedback - beyond the usual "gee that was great" comments I mean. Some of the feedback I have read here has been extremely well considered and insightful and I am sure folks would be more than happy to help you. If necessary they could even e-mail you the feedback, if you prefer that it is not discussed out in the open....
Okay, I am rambling on here when I should actually be writing myself ;-)
Good luck with it all. You have clearly put a lot of effort into your work so that alone gets a thumbs up from me.
I put the first few pages of my novel on a website once before. It got torn to shreds. The experience was a useful one and I believe my book is all the better for it, but I would never do it again. Most of the problem stemmed from well-meaning people giving advice that just shouldn't be taken. I had a very serious POV issue and while almost all spotted it immediately, not all were well-versed enough to tell me how to put it right. I went away, bought lots of books on POV and corrected my MS, but the idea I might actually have taken their advice still haunts me.
This experience has really put me off posting my work for comment. You'll notice the only piece I have on here is an excerpt I never intend to publish, except possibly on my website as extra content. My tutor said she never even shows her husband anything she's written before she sends it off to her editor. I think this is a really wise move. The X Factor approach has the definite flaw of showing your work before it is really ready to be seen.
If Admin is reading this, I would like to add this is why I appreciate and use this site so frequently. People do share and I occasionally read, but there is no pressure to do that and even the most green of writers can ask any question and be answered by a very supportive bunch indeed. Thank you W & A.