How have those who have published stories or books, published them?

[The Dark One]

Just read Malik's blog post from above.

Now it makes sense. Congratulations - inspiring stuff.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Momentum is a Bear. I’m taking a different route than some, in part because I had a small business that thrived Thursday-Sunday... no Cons for me! Plus, most major cons are nowhere near me. I basically skipped the whole trad route entirely... oh, I plotted it all out and then said I’ll give ithree top agents and Tor a chance, they say no, I go Indie. That’s pretty much paying lip service to Trad, LOL.

My intent is to get the first series released, THEN go do all the handshaking and social whatnots. Or at least close to release. I’ll be heading to Norwescon to visit Malik over Easter to get my toes wet in the Cons universe, see what’s what. I might, Might have Whispers of Ghosts ready by then, or at least preorder. But, certainly by the time I head for Ohio or New Zealand.

Anyhow, my theory was it’s easier to sell a whole product with a track record than to make a cold sell. With a contest win, good pro reviews, plus one editor’s pick review at Booklife (Publisher’s Weekly) the marketing gets easier and easier. Every little step in credibility. So, with a complete series in hand, and street cred, it’s time to push beyond.

Big question for you, do the pubs still own the rights to your previous works? Are they in limbo? How much advantage can you put them to? It seems an enviable jump off point if the cards are right.

Just read Malik's blog post from above.

Now it makes sense. Congratulations - inspiring stuff.

 

[oenanthe]

The advantage is that you get more than a couple of months to build momentum. With traditional publishing, your book has a limited shelf life. The publisher only really looks at how much you sell in the first weeks or month. For them the 30 day cliff is real.

I don't know where you're getting your information from. I published a book in June 2018 that is still on store bookshelves today, and still gets marketing and promotion from the publisher.

 

[The Dark One]

I don't know where you're getting your information from. I published a book in June 2018 that is still on store bookshelves today, and still gets marketing and promotion from the publisher.

Which just means the book has done well. It's not a usual thing - certainly not in my country, where publishing is on its knees.

One of my books stayed on the airport shelves for 9 months - which is 8 months longer than usual. Trads will keep putting in while the punters are buying but it's almost like they are two steps behind - only reinvesting after the market has already given a thumbs up.

To answer Demesnedenoir's question: both my little publishers have died so I own all the rights to my back list. All my focus is on the next two releases and making my plan. I do at least have quite a few people hassling me for the next book so that should mean plenty of early take up, however I go.

 

[Chessie2]

I just wanted to add that I saw Malik's first book at my local library.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I just wanted to add that I saw Malik's first book at my local library.

Woo hoo!

 

[The Dark One]

Very happy to say my latest book has been accepted by a small sci-fi publisher in Oz, but won't be out until 2021...which is both exciting and depressing.

My other finished book though (which is probably the best thing I've done) I'll probably do myself. My latest trick is to try and talk a trad publisher into distributing for me. If that doesn't work I'll be trying to emulate Malik's style.

 

[J.W. Golan]

Very happy to say my latest book has been accepted by a small sci-fi publisher in Oz.

Congratulations.

I still find it depressing, however, that the small publishing houses you had previously worked with went belly-up. Like passing a boarded up store in the shopping center.

It seems to be a trend in certain genres, where other than the Big Five, no one can really make a good business case for being a traditional publisher anymore. The ones who still hang on are not exceptionally healthy.

As authors, that makes the indie route sometimes the only viable route. There’s good and bad to that, but I still hate seeing the boarded up storefront.

 

[The Dark One]

Thanks JW, it depresses the crap out of me. Even more depressing was the only proper independent distributor (in Australia) going out of business.

I have two books coming out over the next 12 months. One is with the small publisher mentioned above (who've been in business nearly a decade) but the other - I'm going to have a go at indie. It sux that there's no independent physical distributor here, but I'll do a small print run to sell at a launch and get back my stake, and the rest can go to the online distributor who handles my backlist.

First step is to completely redo my website, which is an embarrassment, and then do some analysis (and maybe pay some money) to plan my marketing campaign. The book is (at least) very topical so fingers crossed it can generate some interest. I am not entirely unknown in Oz so, it might take off a bit.

I'm also working hard on the sequel to my sci-fi book so when it comes out next year, I'll have the sequel ready to go quickly to cash in on any momentum the first book achieves.