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NaNoWriMo 2018

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Agreed. I used to be trad or bust, but the creative control of being an indie is wonderful. I don't have to worry about things like our long-running series being canceled or having stupid covers. It is a whole lot of work, but trad these days does most of that work, too, so I see it as fair.

That being said, unless you're very confident in your editing skills, I do recommend hiring a good editor. There are different kinds, for different price points, but a good editor is worth their weight in gold. We do our own editing, but we also were trained at an arts school, so we have a foot up.
 
Agreed. I used to be trad or bust, but the creative control of being an indie is wonderful. I don't have to worry about things like our long-running series being canceled or having stupid covers. It is a whole lot of work, but trad these days does most of that work, too, so I see it as fair.

That being said, unless you're very confident in your editing skills, I do recommend hiring a good editor. There are different kinds, for different price points, but a good editor is worth their weight in gold. We do our own editing, but we also were trained at an arts school, so we have a foot up.

Thanks for the advice.

By the by, I don't suppose you know of my small, independent fantasy publishing companies? My mum and I talked to a publisher of non-fiction who recommended that self publishing be a last resort, and urged us to find one of the above. So far, not much luck.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
If you've got your heart set on trad, the first thing I would do is buy a copy of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market (or check your library and see if they have any current copies). https://www.amazon.com/Novel-Short-Story-Writers-Market/dp/1440354375/ They are the biggest, most comprehensive and up-to-date source for publishers and agents in the States. You also may want to investigate agents.

And always, always, before you submit to a small press publisher, search Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors (currently revamping) for listings of publishers and agents to avoid.
 
Is it the same in Canada? I know next to nothing about how publishing and agents works. >.<

Back on the topic of NaNo, my things to do pre-November list is growing shorter, but today that was somewhat negated by the ridiculous amount of work I'll need to do in December to reconnect my first series to my latest series.
 

Chessie2

Staff
Article Team
Thanks for the advice.

By the by, I don't suppose you know of my small, independent fantasy publishing companies? My mum and I talked to a publisher of non-fiction who recommended that self publishing be a last resort, and urged us to find one of the above. So far, not much luck.
Of course a publisher would say something of this sort. You, as an indie author, are competition to these guys. And honestly, a non fiction publisher knows nothing about what is required to sell and author successful fiction books. It's comparing apples to oranges, Crystal. If you want to know how to succeed in self-publishing then you have to talk to the authors who do this day in and day out, and there are a lot of us here.

This is the digital world where publishers are losing prestige. As an indie author you reach out directly to your readers and receive higher royalties. If it's esteem you want, validation, and you think that only a traditional publisher will give you that then keep at it, I suppose. You'll likely be waiting a long time to become published traditionally. Trust me I tried that for many, many years. If you're serious about publishing your work then there's no reason to look down on indies. But to each their own.
 
Oh, I see. *fidgets awkwardly*
That does seem awfully common, now that I think about it. As if there's some sort of weird hierarchy, with publishers at the top and writers at the bottom.
 

Chessie2

Staff
Article Team
Speaking of NaNoWriMo, I signed up to do the local write-in on Nov. 1st. Not certain if there are others, I hope there will be since Wenatchee Valley is reasonably sized, but it'd be a great way of meeting fellow writers here. Anyway, I'm excited to be doing NaNo this year because local write-ins were always the funnest part of it for me.
 

jedellion

Dreamer
I'm all set and ready to go. Although I'm torn between two ideas, one os more of a nanorebel than a wrimo... trying to decide which I can achieve more in given the time.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
If anyone wants to add me as a Writing Buddy on the NaNoWriMo site, I'm there as A. E. Lowan. Just go to the Search page, search my name, and click it when it comes up. Then click Add Buddy on the upper right hand corner.
 

Ireth

Myth Weaver
I'm jumping back in this year! Have my project decided on, but no outline yet. I'm Ireth Telrunya on the NaNoWriMo site if people want to add me!
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
I am participating this year, but as I am writing a choose your own adventure type of game instead of a traditional book, I don't think I'll register for nanowrimo's site. Good luck everyone, and I'll just have to bother folks on this website instead ;)
 

Chessie2

Staff
Article Team
We can keep track of our word counts here, too. It's nice having a place to check in and see how everyone is doing/sharing encouragement.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
I'll be joining the word count thread once we get started.

I have a question for the veterans among you though: Do you have any schedule you work with when writing this much?
 
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