psychotick
Auror
Hi Myth,
"The safe and smart thing to do is to start with self publishing."
I was thinking about this for a while, trying to work out whether I agree with it or not - and I think I don't. I do think self publishing is the better course for newbie authors in general. And it's probably smarter for those who are smarter and willing to do the hard yards. But it's not safer.
My advice would generally still be to try and go through agents initially as a newbie. And that's not because I don't think that they and publishers aren't going to try and screw you - they likely will. I just think that if you can get a deal it is the best first leg up in the business. (And I say that as an indie.) But my thought is also that you need to set a limit on this. Pick a number - maybe 20, maybe 50, agents and publishers to submit to, and then be hard nosed about what comes back. Set a time period instead if that's easier. Now if you get good feedback from them or even a contract, you're on cloud nine. Then you can worry about contracts and the rest.
If you don't it's time to go indie. This isn't a statement that indie is second class much as others would like you to believe. It's just a statement that you haven't won the lottery in essence.
Now going indie, suddenly you have an enormous amount of new stuff to worry about. And this is why I think trade is better if you can get it initially. And to start with, you do need a cover designer. You do need an editor. You can try to get away without them, but the likelihood is that your book will just sink to the bottom of the pile of newly released books and drag you down with it. That's where the "safe" part goes horribly wrong.
Can a good indie book rescue you, earn you a great trade contract in due course? Yes. But can a poor one kill you? Yes as well. And too many are poor. Especially first attempts. A lot of writers simply do not understand the steep learning curve involved in self publishing. A lot are not willing to put the time and effort into it. Or the cash.
So my thought is that indie publishing is not necessarily safer or smarter. But for most of us it will be the necessary first step. The only real chance we have. The steps you take after it should all be better. But no matter which road you take, you have to be willing to invest everything in them.
Cheers, Greg.
"The safe and smart thing to do is to start with self publishing."
I was thinking about this for a while, trying to work out whether I agree with it or not - and I think I don't. I do think self publishing is the better course for newbie authors in general. And it's probably smarter for those who are smarter and willing to do the hard yards. But it's not safer.
My advice would generally still be to try and go through agents initially as a newbie. And that's not because I don't think that they and publishers aren't going to try and screw you - they likely will. I just think that if you can get a deal it is the best first leg up in the business. (And I say that as an indie.) But my thought is also that you need to set a limit on this. Pick a number - maybe 20, maybe 50, agents and publishers to submit to, and then be hard nosed about what comes back. Set a time period instead if that's easier. Now if you get good feedback from them or even a contract, you're on cloud nine. Then you can worry about contracts and the rest.
If you don't it's time to go indie. This isn't a statement that indie is second class much as others would like you to believe. It's just a statement that you haven't won the lottery in essence.
Now going indie, suddenly you have an enormous amount of new stuff to worry about. And this is why I think trade is better if you can get it initially. And to start with, you do need a cover designer. You do need an editor. You can try to get away without them, but the likelihood is that your book will just sink to the bottom of the pile of newly released books and drag you down with it. That's where the "safe" part goes horribly wrong.
Can a good indie book rescue you, earn you a great trade contract in due course? Yes. But can a poor one kill you? Yes as well. And too many are poor. Especially first attempts. A lot of writers simply do not understand the steep learning curve involved in self publishing. A lot are not willing to put the time and effort into it. Or the cash.
So my thought is that indie publishing is not necessarily safer or smarter. But for most of us it will be the necessary first step. The only real chance we have. The steps you take after it should all be better. But no matter which road you take, you have to be willing to invest everything in them.
Cheers, Greg.