Are you a published author?

I'm sure this has been brought up somewhere, but I thought I would ask for fear of being the only wanna be author in this group.

So are you a published or self published author?

Naz

I think the vast majority of people here are unpublished.

As for me, I've published in magazines and journals, but not fiction, which is what I am currently working on.

I have published both ways. My first book was published with a traditional small press. Unfortunately, the publisher went out of business, forcing me to self-publish. I am now again with another small traditional publisher with two books.

I have a number of small press and ebook publications in both fiction and nonfiction (writing-related) books. I'm still looking for the 'big sale' but I've done alright.

Oh, and the only self-published work I have at the moment is a nonfiction book for NaNo people, okayed by Chris Baty -- NaNo for the New and the Insane. A thousand or more people download it each year and many of them enjoy it.

I've had about half a dozen short stories published - see here - and I have an agent who is attempting to sell a space opera trilogy.

Not published or at least not in anything but newsletters. Never been paid for anything.

I have sold a non-fiction article, and two short stories. As far as I know, one of those shorts was never actually published, but I got my check, and it was for 11 cents per word, so I figure I've got no cause for complaint. :)

Career author, seventeen novels/3 more under contract, one short story collection/30 short stories, all traditionally published.

Last time I posted a suggestion to this group concerning a good how to book, the response suggested that this sort of knowledge was not welcomed here - in effect, real writers wouldn't work professionally.

I do write for the love of it - I do make a living by it. Knowledge is better than ignorance, therefore, for the chance that particular experience was an anomaly - here's another try.

Janny, there's actually a thread in this group in which several people have recommended books on writing - which makes the response to your suggestion somewhat puzzling...

ian -

It doesn't puzzle me. In the past, when I've talked about getting an agent, etc, I've gotten a sort of weird reaction from some people here that I haven't gotten elsewhere that indicated to me that they look down on traditional publication routes. It doesn't particularly bother me--I know what I want and why and how I want it--but it did strike me as odd. I don't know where Janny ran into her issues, but suggesting "how to" books about traditional publication routes could easily raise the ire of some folks.

Ah. I was flamed by the self-publishing evangelists on another thread.

If you admit that you think traditional publishing is a good idea, some people here will treat you as if you are an imbecile. If you admit that you are considering self-publishing, some people here will treat you as if you are an imbecile.

Whatever you do, don't confess to thinking they both have their strengths and weaknesses -- then all the nuttier elements will be after you, and you'll get no peace at all. ;)

Personally I welcome the input of anyone else who can manage to speak sensibly, remain on topic, and not get drawn into endless boring philosophical/religious debates about whose way of writing/publishing is better.

If they have experiences to share, so much the better.

>12 iansales: Nothing personal, Ian. And in the spirit of amity, I'll overlook the "evangelist" provocation.

I was using the term as it's used in the IT industry - i.e., "champion" - rather than referencing those creepy blokes with the teabag tans and bouffant hair you see on US television who seem more concerned with parting you from your money than they do saving your souls...

I'm not certain why people think this has to be an either/or situation when it comes to publishing. Unless you only write one thing in your life, you are likely to have the opportunity to try to reach traditional publication and to see if other, new opportunities suit you. The world of publishing is changing. We can all see if, but we can't see where it is going to go. It's already changed in ways people didn't expect 20 years ago. It will keep changing. That means opportunities, but not all of them will be good.

My problem with self-publishing is that many new authors rush into it without having a clue at all of what it means. Your books will not be in the major bookstores. You will not instantly draw readers. And if you haven't bothered to learn about POV, plot or grammar, you are not getting anywhere at all. Unfortunately, the self-publish world is filled with people who think putting the words down is all it takes to be a writer, and they rush off to their favorite self-publish spot and throw the story out to the world. This has given the self-publishing world a very bad name where it comes to quality, and anyone who takes that route is automatically assumed to be in that group and that the book isn't good enough for 'real' publication. Even good writers have a very hard time overcoming this pre-judgment, but when they do it is by a liberal approach to marketing. Marketing is another thing a lot of self-published authors usually don't understand, though.

Traditional publishing is the dream of many authors, both for the prestige and because it usually pays better. However, it is a hard wall to break through, and many writers -- especially younger ones who have grown up in the age of the Internet -- don't have the patience to work harder to achieve that goal. We live in the age of instant books, and authors can have their work ready to sell in an hour. Why would they bother with working harder?

There are evangelists on both sides of the fence. I tend more toward the traditional side, but I have always tried to temper my self-publishing statements with two things people need to consider. First is that if you are self-publishing because it's 'easy' then you aren't approaching it professionally. You need to work twice as hard as a traditionally published author to make a quarter of the sales. This isn't easy.

Second, know what you are getting into. This isn't the same as traditional publishing. You, personally, are going to have to sell every single copy of your book. You can't just put a link on your website and expect people to find it. You have to drive people to your site, and then you have to make the book sound interesting enough to draw their attention. Even the middle-ground small press and ebook publishers who use a traditional model (submission, change of rejection, editing), are in better shape to make sales than you are as an individual because they have sites with groups of different authors (which draw more people), and they have access to some distribution that won't be available to you.

Oh, and there -- there's the big reason I see so many people leaping at self-publishing. I can't think of how many times I've heard 'I couldn't stand to be rejected.'

First, you are not being rejected -- your story is and sometimes for reasons that sometimes have nothing at all to do with the quality of the writing. Second -- grow up. Writing is a tough world and a rejection is the least problem you'll face. Bad reviews, dismissal of your work by friends and family, rude emails -- even if you self-publish, that's what you're going to face.

Seeking traditional publication is a test of patience, if nothing else. Submissions to agents and the few publishers who don't require work come through an agent, limits the field somewhat, but it will still be a long, slow process. Query letters, cover letters and the dreaded synopsis are all art forms in their own rights. And acceptance is certainly not a guarantee of any kind of wealth and fame. However, for many writers this is a pursuit of a dream as much as pursuit of a career. Very few writers can actually make a full-time living at writing, no matter what path they take. Don't assume that a sale to a big name publisher means you're going to be quitting your day job. Also understand that publishers these days expect you to do a lot of marketing. Having a book accepted does not make it easier.

However, let's get back to my original statement. There is no reason, in this new, changing world of publication, that you can't try your hand at many different systems of publication, from self-publishing, to ebook publication through an established publisher, to small press publication and on to traditional publication. You do, obviously, need to have a body of written material already done to try your hand at different kinds of publication. If you are pinning your hope of success on a single book, you aren't going to make it in any of the choices.

No matter what you decide to do, do it wisely and not because it's easier, or even because it's 'your dream.' Learn everything you can and approach any type of publication professionally.

Good post, zette, but let's not have the whole self-publishing discussion derail the thread.

Re the OP: do not fear being a "wannabe" writer, simply because you're unpublished. Some people remain unpublished despite being excellent writers, while others see their work in print but remain for all intents and purposes wannabes. Being a "real" writer is about your attitude towards the work more than whether you ever got paid to write. "Real" writers want to be writers, that is, they're interested in writing itself; others just want to be authors, that is, they only want to see their name on the spine of a book. The difference shows up in the quality of the work.

Short stories so far, and I have a rewrite request on a novella. Profile has the links. Currently waiting on a ezine that has actually paid me to update their website so I can link the latest.

(re: self-publishing versus trad = the problem is by choosing the former you tend to exclude the latter often reject you out of hand, but if you are part of the latter and move to the former people will assume (a) your publisher dropped you or (b) you're rather overconfident about going-it-alone. All kinds of publishing have their appropriate mediums and markets, and you need to choose the most appropriate for your current work. Much of the marketing is actually the same; it just has more of an impact on sales if you're self-published. For my current work, I favour the bigger ePresses (i.e. print publication only after you've proved yourself with eBook sales) but I have WiPs that suit tad publishers and others that suit self-publishing)

#17

Since the original post asked if people were either published or self-published, I took it to be part of the discussion.

18 --

While it may not be wise to mention self-published work in a cover letter or query, it is not an automatic 'we don't want you' unless you are offering the same manuscript. If you do well, it's even a bonus because it shows you have beat the system.

I have been published in newspapers as a columnist, in magazines, even in an academic journal and I have had three books published (two non-fiction and one fiction).

#10 - I'd only posted a book that had been extremely helpful to me, yes, in that appropriate (I thought) thread about books on writing, with a mention that it was what lifted my efforts from rejects to acceptances, and would have done so two years earlier, had I found the title, before.

No mention was made about any sort of alternate choices made by other writers - I was simply dumbfounded by the hostility thrown back by the immediate responders. (How dare I presume they Wanted to be published in the first place...)

Left me wondering if this group did not welcome/warned off writers who chose to pursue their work professionally (which, for me, offers the enjoyment of pursuing storytelling, full time).

This thread seemed a place to test the waters and find out. That's why I answered the roll call.

I've never told any person what to choose, with regard to pursuit of their talent.

I would suggest, however, there's a horrific amount of misinformation/false advertising prevalent on the internet -- stuff that definitely is geared to mislead an aspirant, if not lure them to part with their hard-earned cash in pursuit of their dream -- but that's quite another topic.

@21 I seem to have missed this infamous thread.
Which book did you recommend?

I recommended Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army to one of my friends as an excellent reference book (it had been recommended to me by Patricia C. Wrede) and it took her more than ten years for to actually get around to looking at it, at which point she posted to her blog what a great book it was and thanked me for recommending it.

Sometimes a bit of good advice that appears to go unheeded does actually bear fruit way down the road. :)

#17

I just realized what you were saying about my post and I entrirely agree. I must have thought I was on a different thread! Sorry!

Janny -

Since I love your writing, I'd like to hear what book you recommended! Can you post it here, even though it received a negative reaction elsewhere?

#22, Ishelby, and

# 24 , adeptmagic (blush, thanks by the way!)

With pleasure, here's a re-post of the book I found extremely helpful -- there is no other like it for providing the nuts and bolts and the toolbox of handling fiction writing:

Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain

One of the best books I have found to get an agent or publisher is "The First Five Pages." I can't remember the author.

Left me wondering if this group did not welcome/warned off writers who chose to pursue their work professionally (which, for me, offers the enjoyment of pursuing storytelling, full time).

Interesting. I've often got the opposite vibe, in fact. That if you're just writing as a hobby - that if, gasp, you go for whole months without writing a word because you just don't feel like it - then you don't deserve to call yourself a writer. Though I suspect that's more of a problem with "how do you definte writer/author" threads than this forum in particular; they seem to bring out the more evangelical amongst any community.

@25 Thanks for the book recommend, Janny. That's one I haven't read yet, I'll have to take a look at it.

@27 That is because both forms of extremists hang out here, as I explained above, and naturally they target the people who are appearing to disagree with them, so whatever opinion you express will get jumped all over by the extremists on the opposite side.

This is a universal of being on the internet, isn't it? There's always someone so desperately insecure that they feel the need to put down other people.

My first book is self-published, for a multitude of reasons, none of which include rejection by a traditional publisher. My book of short stories and essays was not a clean fit for a traditional publisher.

I hope to have a traditional publisher pick up my second book, 'The Other Lamb,' and I have a sense that I may have to self-publish 'An Atheist in a Foxhole,' for a variety of reasons.

26> Noah Lukeman is the author, and I read his book after I wrote my first one.

Finished Digging Deeper, A Memoir of the Seventies, yesterday. The sequel, you might say, to I Think, Therefore Who Am I?, since it begins where that book left off. Only this memoir covers seven or so years instead of one, and is a bit longer; probably 300 or so pages in published book form.

I've been putting off thinking or doing anything about placing it, and now that time has come. I don't even bother sending to agents anymore. My work is not what's called commercial so I'm not an easy sell; though I don't write in an experimental style or lack for characters, dialogue, plot line and the rest. Not worth going into why I'm a hard sell, except to say that I am. So my question is, do I go back with Xlibris, try one of the others like iUniverse, do some research into lulu, or what?

Here are my minimal demands:

It has to be put in book form--a cover, pages, binding. (I'm not interested in kindle and probably never will be.)

I have to be the one to copyedit it, since I do that professionally at least as well, and for less, than anyone else. (Though I might accept proofreading, if the fee isn't too stiff.)

The book has to be priced reasonably, or at least the paperback version does. (I had to pay Xlibis to get them to lower the price on my book!)

Whoever publishes it must be an Internet distributor (to amazon, B&N, etc.), since I don't want to extensively peddle my book in bookstores, which often, I discovered with I Think, do not accept books on consignment anyway.

And I wouldn't mind choosing and designing my own cover, which I did for the psychedelic memoir, though this is not a deal breaker.

#31 - you want POD then, not a vanity publisher. Providing the book has an ISBN, then it will appear on Amazon, B&N, etc. The current most popular POD for self-publishing are Lulu, Lightning Source and BookSurge (Amazon's own POD).

Thanks for the quick response, Ian. And to think I once flamed you! I'll look into that, and whatever other suggestions come my way that might make this book placing a better one than the last.

31 & 33> I spent considerable time with the Lulu model, and came away thankful that I did not pursue it. It would have priced my book out of reach of my audience. Those of us who were from Europe also found the Lulu team to be unbelievably unresponsive, when problems with their Spanish printer persisted. In the end, they ignored the problem, and the writers who were looking for resolution.

Instead of using a Lulu-like format, I did the following:

1. I had already designed my own cover, so this was not something I needed from someone else.
2. I purchased my own ISBN
3. Sent requests for bids to several printers, internationally.
4. I set up my own website, and tagged onto others.
5. Developed relationships with others who would help promote my book to our shared audience.
6. I ship my own books, directly, in a secure and book-specific packet. Not one book has arrived with even a smudge, so far, and no complaints about postage or shipping (Germany allows me to ship Airmail for 6 Euros, worldwide. France is a bit different).

I found a printer who would print in smaller runs, and chose to begin with a 100-copy run, including two proofs for editing. My cost was less than half of what Lulu would charge (including shipping from the UK to my shared studio in Germany), and by taking delivery of the books, I was able to keep track of the quality, whereas with Lulu this is not possible. You will not even hear about quality or shipping problems, unless a reader contacts you directly. By then, it is too late: you have an unhappy customer. You should also know that their shipping charges are sky-high. Read the Lulu forums extensively, before proceeding with them.

If you follow their model, and use their distribution, it is unlikely that you will make any substantial money from your book. The price for your book will have to be high, to provide the cost of production, and then the discounts necessary for distribution. Out of 100 books, I will have paid off my publishing costs at 45 books, and still keep the cost of my book low. The rest is all profit. Measure this against the income to be secured from Lulu publication and distribution. If I order 500 books from my printer (CPI Antony Rowe, UK), the cost is substantially reduced, and the profit thereby substantially increased.

My perception of Lulu and like entities is that they are good for the person who wants to create a personal book to give to friends. They do not have the means to drive readers directly to your book. They do minimal advertising and that is directed to authors, and not necessarily readers, which means that a person visiting the site has to weed through thousands of other books, to get to yours. Learn how to drive traffic to your website, and you can beat any traffic they 'purport' to deliver to your Lulu page.

This is just one experience, though. I would spend some time in the Lulu forums, before making a decision about their possibilities.

Thanks for your extensive answer, K.J. I never did set up my own website, and that's something I certainly should do, whatever publishing direction I go in.

If the printer you used is not POD, then it's no surprise they were cheaper.

Lulu did have problems with printers, but AFAIK they've been resolved. Certainly the last few batches of books I've ordered have been fine.

Postage on Lulu is geared towards large orders. Buy one copy and p&p is £6.50. Buy 20 copies and p&p is... £6.50.

However, the advantage of POD is that you don't have to invest £1000s in a substantial print-run, and then fill up your garage with cardboard boxes of books.

36> However, the advantage of POD is that you don't have to invest £1000s in a substantial print-run, and then fill up your garage with cardboard boxes of books.

Neither do you have to do this with many printers. Shop around. My first run was 100 books, and they would run off 50 copies, if I wanted to pay more for them. It didn't make sense to do that, so I opted for a first run of 100, and my costs did not even come close to 1000 BPS.

Lulu did have problems with printers, but AFAIK they've been resolved. Certainly the last few batches of books I've ordered have been fine.

Are your books coming from the Spanish printer? Their quality was not consistent before, and if you were using Lulu distribution, you would have no idea what quality the reader was receiving from Lulu.

In the Lulu forums, there were a substantial number of complaints regarding the high cost of ordering more than 20 books by authors. If this has been resolved it is new information, for me, as I am not aware that they have changed their shipping rates to reflect the concern of USA authors.

It would appear, from the currency reference, that you are in the UK. If so, you might want to check out CPI Antony Rowe. They did the printing for me, and it was much better quality, from my viewpoint. I will say that the USA quality from Lulu is said to be good, but they refuse to print for European authors, and we were told we had to use the Spanish printer. I chose to take an alternate route.

32> The current most popular POD for self-publishing are Lulu, Lightning Source and BookSurge (Amazon's own POD).

for Copyedit52: I forgot to mention that I was contacted by a rep from Booksurge (Amazon) and after several conversations and a thorough review of what they would provide, I realized that I would have to sell thousands of books just to recoup my expenses with them. There was no guarantee that I would even sell 100 books, through Amazon, with the help of BookSurge. I thanked the rep for her time and told her I would not be interested.

#37 I believe Lulu were using a Spanish printer, but they now also source from a UK printer. My books came from there. The quality has been fine.

In April of last year, I bought one copy of my anthology on Lulu. Postage & packing was £7.30. In May, I bought 20 copies. Postage & packing was... £7.30.

I've also been told that UK firm called Biddle - they're used by both PS Publishing and NewCon - give very reasonable rates on low print-runs.

All the same, lithographic printing still requires you to buy a print-run, however small. POD doesn't.

Oh, and I think we're dragging this thread off-topic. We should probably move this discussion to another thread...

39> Oh, and I think we're dragging this thread off-topic. We should probably move this discussion to another thread...

I agree, and I don't really have anything further to add, concerning Lulu.

# 31

I responded to your post on another thread about your new book. I didn't realize your new book is a sequel to your first. This fact tends to change the publishing opportunities for the worse by linking the two.

This is the situation I ran into with my second book. I had planned a trilogy, but quickly realized I had dug myself into a rut with self-publishing and small presses. I had to break off from my trilogy after the second book to start something completely new, which I did.

My third book was a stand-alone, something I could start over with and try to do right. So far this strategy seems to be working for me, but unfortunately, I disappointed my fans by leaving them hanging.

Event though my stand-alone book may work for me, I have now gone back to complete the last of the trilogy, knowing it will never be picked up by a larger publisher, because of its affiliation with the previous books in the series. Even so, I owe it to the fans to finish the story.

The good news for me is that I am almost finished with the trilogy, and I can move on to another NEW project.

The lesson I learned is: "Don't write sequels or trilogies!" It will only limit your publishing opportunities. My suggestion is try to keep each work stand-alone to increase your chances of obtaining an Agent and larger publisher. You can always go back and write a sequel IF the first one builds an audience.

In response to your question seeking suggestions for self-publishing, you might want to check out AuthorHouse. I have found them to be excellent for me.

Luckily, I am.

I have poems, prose, and art work published/forthcoming in journals and magazines - mostly small, experimental.

And, I've had a lot more rejections than publication credits.

I'm published. My 12th book came out at the beginning of Feb.

>41 GaryBabb:. In fact, Gary, my book is a stand-alone. In calling it a sequel I was just explaining that it follows the other one, but except for myself (the first person protagonist), and a character I discuss in a writing group and with a poet friend (using that as a vehicle to talk about writing), there's no one in "Digging Deeper" who's in the psychedelic memoir (and even the character from that book whom we discuss needs no backstory explanation). But your info about not couching the book in those terms, as a sequel, is interesting; the drawback never occurred to me. So maybe I'll just keep that on ice.

And I will look into Author House. Thanks for the lead.

I am humbled by all of you who actually write entire books. I have written three books which I would label short-attention-span humor. I self-published because I'm a control freak and want to do everything myself. It's that simple.

Both. My nonfiction book, Eating Fossil Fuels, was published by New Society. My fiction is self-published. And to be honest, I think I prefer it that way.

I've published four books to date and have two more under contract . . . all nonfiction aimed at a broad academic audience (university undergrads and up). All have been via the traditional route (two with university presses and four, including the two under contract, with commercial houses that specialize in the academic/library market).

My relaunch is self-published, and I will seek this route again for the control and the fact that I'm in charge of my own editing.

Eva Pasco
Author, Underlying Notes
http://www.booklocker.com/books/4431.html

"Yes" is my answer to the question "are you a published author?". My book is published by a traditional publisher, Leafwood Publishers, and is a very gorgeous full color on each page hardcover book.
I wrote it with 5 co-authors and the title is Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday
We all know the blessings of traditional publishers: a full time team of sales reps to get the book in stores, an advance payment to authors, no cost to the author, etc.
In addition I have numerous articles published in magazines :)
To add to my fun, I love to write.
Terra Hangen

Self published because I didn't fancy getting loads of rejection slips.

Short stories and poems have been published but the market is shrinking.

Check my thread if you are looking to start to self publish. I made loads of mistakes which are making good copy for magazine articles, but I still have a lot to learn.

oldstick.

My debut novel was picked up by an independent publisher which was the route I'd chosen. When my contract expired and they were no longer renewing print books, I opted to self-publish the relaunch with Booklocker. My reasons to seek an indie and self-publish are all about "independence" and "control."

Eva Pasco
Author, Underlying Notes
http://www.booklocker.com/books/4431.html

3 books published, 4th in preparation (text with the editor, illustrations being worked on also by me). Publishers all small but 'professional', catering to a specialised interest. Numerous articles across a half dozen or so magazines in US and UK. All non-fiction.

I went the traditional route and my first book is coming out from St. Martin's in September. It was a loooong process, even after I signed my publishing contract, but I have been happy with how everything has turned out. My book is in a much better place after working first with my agent (a former editor) and then my editor at SMP. Both the plot and the writing are quite a bit better now. I know that people express concern about loss of control, but there was no point in the process where anyone told me I had to do this or that and I agreed with about 90% of the advice given and the other 10% we talked about and people were okay about it if I wanted to keep things the way they were.

Anyway, I have no beef with self-publishing, POD, or small presses. Large presses, in my experience, are filled with smart, hard-working people who genuinely love books. The process can be frustrating, but I think that is a product largely of the sheer number of people who are writing these days rather than arrogance or what-have-you on the part of the bigger publishers. But that's just my opinion.

Writing book-length fiction or nonfiction is an accomplishment that should be celebrated, regardless of how it is eventually published.

Two books published, both by Sandstone Press, a good independent publishing house (www.sandstonepress.com)

The first is a travel narrative about the Shetland Islands, BETWEEN WEATHERS, Travels in 21st Century Shetland (which was nominated for the 2008 Saltire Society Literary Awards). The second could hardly be any different, being a crime thriller set in the Far East, a region I know well from my years travelling around it as a journalist and photojournalist. It is called Yin Yang Tattoo, and was published on June 15th.

Before getting books published, I wrote travel and business and general features for magazines in the Far East and Europe.

Ron McMillan
www.ronmcmillan.com

Published via Authorhouse.

www.mynewhitman.com

I'm a self-published author, and I've found out marketing SUCKS ... to say the least. Anywho, that's why I joined Library Thing. I have an anthropomorphic series and am new to this place/site, so anyone want to add me as a friend or something?
Here's my site by the way: http://freeroamersseries.weebly.com/

1:

I'm self-published...my Fred and I started our own company, Field Stone Press, as an experiment in June 2009, we're doing better than I ever imagined...but I still giveaway more books than I sell, fine by me, as long as they're getting into the hands of readers, and so far, the readers have given me excellent reviews. I can't complain...and for some reason, a seller at Amazon has one of my books priced at $444.00 ($3.99 shipping)...which is bizarre... I'm sure it's a typo...but it's been like that for DAYS (gee, do you think I should tell them? "Psst, dude...that price is ridiculously high!")

Insanely high prices are pretty common on resellers of self-published books; you see it loads with secondhand copies of Publish America books even the authors wouldn't buy another copy of. I think the prices are based on number of copies in existence, or availability, or something. They figure since you're a self-publisher there's a chance one day someone will come along and you won't be able to fill that order right away, so that person might (just might!) pay for the ridiculously overpriced copy. Never known of it actually happening, but I guess at prices like that it only takes one to make it worth your while.

58: As far as I know, the book orders are quickly fulfilled without delay through Amazon, and the other sellers through the Amazon marketplace are beating Amazon's price by a dollar, nearly two...B&N sells it even cheaper (go figure). It's absurd that they would jack the price up out of reach for the average book consumer...$444.00 is quite stupid (and the average book consumer knows that!)

Just got my cover today ^_____^ Don't know the precise release date, but we're aiming for late August.

@59 Check out what other books they have for sale. You'll probably find they same pattern across all of them. I really don't get why, but I guess they're not banking on the average book customer, only the incredibly stupid and desperate one!

Published: two short stories (one in an anthology one in a magazine), one Fantasy, one SF.

I am still working on my first novel and I plan to self-publish it with Winepress/Pleasant Word. They seemed to be the best self-publishing company that I found.
-April Knarr

I have published seven nonfiction books (writing textbooks and scholarly books) through traditional publishers. My first novel, a mystery called Big Sick Heart, came out recently from BooksForABuck.com, a small independent company that does e-formats and print (through CreateSpace) on Amazon.

The process for publishing the novel has certainly been different in almost every way. Since I don't take naturally to self-promotion, that difference has been mostly negative.

I blog about my reactions to the process in Fears of a First-Time Novelist, which is at http://mikemarkel.blogspot.com. I'd love it if you stop by. I'm lonely.

I'm scheduled to do an Author Chat here on LT the week of August 9. If you're interested in reading the book, let me know. I can make it happen. That way, I won't be chatting to myself, which (as a writer) I do too much, anyway. Thanks.

I have had a number of science fiction short stories published, and I have an agent who is attempting to sell my novels. I put up some of my previously-published short stories on feedbook, free for people to download. You can find them here.

Interesting discussion--it seems like everyone here who has published has gone a slightly different route to do it, whether through traditional means or self-publishing.

I self-published through CreateSpace and for Kindle--I had a great book to help me with the formatting called The IndieAuthor Guide.

My parents were both self-employed artists (dad a wood sculptor, mom a potter and fiber artist), and I know firsthand how hard they worked to be successful as independent artists. Not everyone with artistic talent has a head for business or for how to market and sell their work--in fact, I would say many don't. After I took the self-publishing route, writer friends commented on how well I seemed to know how to market my work. Actually, I know nothing about marketing except what I've read in books and observed my parents do when I was younger. And I also know as a reader what really annoys me--and what catches my eye--when it comes to buying books for myself.

I have no illusions about indie authors toppling the bastions of the publishing industry--indie musicians haven't surpassed the record companies' sales, and indie musicians have been at it a lot longer than indie authors like myself. However, I think there's room in the market for some indie authors to succeed and make a living. It's an exciting time to be an author, whether you have snagged an agent or publisher or gone indie. I do think publishers who continue to make print books need to look seriously at print on demand instead of doing these huge print runs of books--huge print runs are neither economically nor environmentally sound, especially when competing with e-books. And it would be nice to have an agent--sometimes all I want to do is write and take a break from the promotion/sales stuff. But hey, my book's out there now, and if it doesn't sell like I want it to, I have time to tweak my marketing strategy and respond to what works and what doesn't. If my book had a traditional publisher, I wouldn't have that time--POD and e-book formats allow me a lot more flexibility to respond to the market, and that's what I like about being self-published. Also, so far, I have loved connecting directly with readers--it's a natural high for me every time I sell a book to someone who doesn't know me and that person enjoys reading it.

#66 -- Amazon.com just posted that ebooks are far outselling hardbounds.

Ebooks have already come into their own, in my opinion. And, just as I have said for years, they are becoming just another regular part of the publishing world. Hardbound, trade paperback, mass paperback, ebook and audio -- they are all ways in which to reach readers.

I've had dozens of professional (paid) non-fiction articles published at various places including Writer's Digest (cover article), the Writer, and Salon.com. I've had less success with my short fiction which has all sold, but most in the small press. I had an agent for my novel Selene of Alexandria, but no success in placing it with a traditional publisher because of the time period it covered (5th C). The publishers kept saying, "good writing, loved the characters, do you have anything about the Tudors?" I finally self-published and it's been getting a very good reception by external reviewers and LibraryThing readers (9 reviews so far.) I'm hoping to use the success of this book to sell my next one. We'll see. The publication business is in a shambles and restructuring.

I worked as a reviewer for ten years, and am now a self-published non-fiction author. I decided to self-pub because I'm catering to a niche market.

I would like to write for a traditional publisher one day, but the publishing world is changing so fast that it's a tough decision to make.

I'm now an editor for an e-publisher and find the job tough but rewarding.

I just published my first novel, Heaven's Rage a murder mystery by Tiffany Craig Brown in May of this year.

M-Brane SF published a short story by me at the beginning of the month. You can read the August issue here.

I self published for many reasons, but mainly because I wanted to keep control over my memoir and also keep it in print. After intensive research I picked Outskirts Press which allowed me to use my husbands artwork as the cover design. I worked with an editor, writers critique groups, and let it be read and polished by people that could give me honest feedback. The most difficult aspect of being an author is marketing, and that applies to both published and self published, but my day job requires marketing so I knew what I was getting into. If you want to take a peek you can find me here ;-)
http://outskirtspress.com/talesofthetitmouse

I've had three creative nonfiction essays published in essay anthologies.

Im actually published but through a POD, I know the stigma on them but the house i published through has been great. The book is titled Dawn of the shadow. Here is a link.

http://dawnoftheshadow.webs.com/

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first actual post. My first book was published by a traditional small trade publisher. I decided to self-published my second book in digital form. I've also republished my first book in digital form. Was that a mistake? Only time will tell. I'm not sure I could even explain my reasons. Many self-published authors put a lot of time and money into their publishing efforts, just like small publishers. You need editors, cover graphics designers and layout expertise if you truly want to compete with traditionally published books. You also need to set a marketing budget, and study your market so that you don't waste money on the wrong avenues.

The success of a book often depends on the author, regardless of how the book was published.

I've just had a short story published in a journal. Link: www.magnoliafloridajournal.com/issue%204%20magnolia/issue_4_7.html

I don't have any great ambitions to be published, though. I love writing for my own pleasure. I would like to publish a volume of short stories someday, but it would likely be a self-publish.

I am both a published and self-published author. I have had seven books published by regular publishers. But I wrote my first work of fiction, a novel of romantic suspense, "Now and Forever, a Love Story" and self-published it through iUniverse.
I also self-published it on Kindle. It's sold 50 copies on Kindle and I don't know how many softcover. But I loved writing it and the sequel and am 65% through with first draft of third in the trilogy. I am so HAPPY writing these books of romantic suspense!!

Published -- two academic book chapters and some encyclopedia entries -- and intend to someday be self-published as well. I also would like to acquire reprint rights for books I believe were underpublicized the first time around.

I have two novels published and a third coming out from Random House/Ballantine in March:

- the national bestselling The Wednesday Sisters
- Bellwether Prize finalist The Language of Light
- the forthcoming The Four Ms. Bradwells

I also host a blog, 1st BOOKS; STORIES OF HOW WRITERS GET STARTED, on which I host book-published, often award-winning or bestselling, authors sharing their stories. It's at http://megwaiteclayton.com/1stbooks I have Julia Glass (NYT Bestseller and National Book Award winner for her 1st novel, Three Junes, which was years in the making and saw a lot of rejection) posting today.

I just read your post with Julia Glass... and as I said in my comment that I left... it was "heart warming"... it is amazing that many of us don't just give up after all the rejections... thanks for sharing the link, I'll be sure to visit your blog again! (I added a link to you on my blogs sidebar so my readers can find you too.)

I'm published as well as self-published. I have five books of poetry and a novel published by traditional publishers, and four other books of literary fiction and poetry under my own imprint. I thought I'd give self-publishing a try because I had earned literary street cred, and I was turning sixty. Waiting for projects to come out became a luxury I could no longer afford. It takes long enough to write them!

#84 > I'm not sure how this relates to if a person is a publised author or not?

I am a published author (3 novels) and 1 self-published. I've put in a bid for a non-fiction book to be told by my agent that these days publishers will only look at finished mansucripts, author bears the cost. Even last year it was possible to get a contract on the basis of synopsis and a few chapters. This is getting hard!

I'm a published author. My first book, Draconia: Forging Trust, was released over 2 months ago in print, and was made available on Amazon Kindle just this week.

I published about a thousend articles and contributed to 32 books and catalogues on art, architecture, urban planning, visual culture, archeology and cultures in the broadest sense of the word. I published only two short stories for children (age 10 14) and three poems.

Apologies for the incorrect postings/actions.

Self published.
Just brought out my first book on lulu.com last month. I wouldn't mind being published through a publishing house, but after years of rejections I decided to take this route instead. This is a good alternative IMHO. If you're up to doing it all by yourself, from creating the cover to PR, it's definitely worth a try for authors who're out of luck with regular publishers.

I agree with those who say that it is not an either or situation. In my case, I tried for almost twenty years to get my novel out using the traditional publishing route to no avail. The usual rejection was "not strong enough". I now understand that meant that one of the central premises in my novel about spies who hid in plain view for decades was preposterous. Well until June 2010 of course, when Russian spies were found to be doing just that. That is when I decided to self-publish lest anymore of my story came out on prime time news.

The essence of self-publishing is the satisfaction that your story will finally be told. The downside is that you have to be your own publisher, marketeer, PR person, clerk, and bottle washer. In addition, tradition reviewers will generally avoid you like you have leprosy.

If some literary agent or publisher wanted to speak with me, I would certainly not turn them down. ;)

After years of faith that a good book will always find a home, I decided that home was with me.

My book has a gay main character but the book isn't about his being gay--it's space opera. Even when I found a pro who loved the book, she had to go with the cold hard reality that she'd probably never sell it. Great books break the rules all the time, but my book is not "great." I think it's darned good, though, and deserves to be out there. So I self-published it.

I would hear out a publishing pro who wanted to work with me--but they'd need to be able to back up their enthusiasm with details on how they would talk their way past an editorial board, because I have no plans to write inside-the-box books.

@JannyWurts in case she wanders by--I'm an admirer! And I'll check out that book.

I guess that depends on how you view publishing on Smashwords.com. I have ten eBooks there and make money off them, so I am published, but since "all" I had to do was write my stories and upload to Smashwords (after many hours of formatting, editing, reformatting, more editing, etc. Oy vey!), some might consider that self-publishing. I see it as the wave of the future in publishing books.

Don't get me wrong, I love paper books. I grew up on them. I get high off a new book just printed, but I am open enough to see that eReaders are something many more people every day are enjoying and thriving on. With that in mind, why should I quibble over whether someone reads my book on paper or on an electronic device?

Yes, I am published to the tune of ten eBooks so far. One currently being written and three partly done as I am working feverishly on these two vampire series I want to complete.

Writing is infectious,

Jake :=

TO: ajsomerset**

Good post (#17). I agree on the attitude a person has about writing. Before I was published I told my wife, "I have to write, even if they never get published. These stories will drive me insane if I don't sit down and write them out". Then I became published, but don't make a lot of money (yet), so I'm saying, "Damn, it would be great to actually make my living off what I write".

Anyway, regardless of how much I get off my writing, I LOVE what I am doing and could not live without it. Don't tell my wife I said that, que?

Writing - the world's most infectious disease,

Jake :=

Self-published, again (though my first was "discovered" by an Italian publisher and will be translated and appear in bookstores there next year), this time not by Xlibris (I got tired of them trying to rip me off), but an outfit in England called Epic Press--which I learned about in discussion on one of the reader-writer threads.

Still a few glitches to deal with (I had to supply my own cover photo, and you won't find it yet on barnesandnoble.com), but it did become available yesterday:

http://www.amazon.com/Digging-Deeper-Seventies-Peter-Weissman/dp/190655711X/ref=...

Hmmmmmm ... when I posted >95 PJWetzel: yesterday, I followed what seemed like acceptable protocol for this thread, which included a 'touchstone' with the name of my book. (Yes I'm a published author.) You'll notice that there are a total of 10 such touchstones attributed to this thread on the right sidebar.

When I came back tonight, I find that a 'posse' has come through and flagged every post that contained touchstones and some external links as well.

As a newbie I'm still learning the ropes, so I'd welcome some clarification from the 'posse' and their sympathizers: Is simply naming your book considered abuse in this group? Any other rules clarifications that I should be aware of?

The flagging of my message is absurd. The thread asks if we are published authors. I answer by happily announcing the publication of my book, the second one I published myself--the subject of many conversations on this and other writer threads ... and in fact cited my appreciation of the contributions of those who helped me find a publisher!

The line between so-called spam that some of you uptight puritans are drawing and actual communication appears to be a Tea Party-like construct. Dig yourselves, why don't you, and then grow up.

I've gone through and counter flagged those messages that the spam patrol chose to not read. 90% of those flagged were internal links to Librarything! Hello?

About the only way to combat these flag happy fools is to counter flag:
- Click flag abuse
- Chose Counter Flag (It's okay)

It takes twice the counter flags to remove a flag. So we need 8 people to counter flag a flagged message to bring it back.

It appears that enough people have counter-flagged the flagging of my message at #96. I was angry and fed up and merely left my message at #98. You counter-flaggers, whoever you were, took a wiser approach. A blow for freedom of sensible speech. I thank you.

Good information, Gilroy. Thank you.

@copyedit52 Hey, you reacted better than I probably would.

Since I'm new here, maybe I'm missing something. This is a reader-writer group, right? The question posted asks if we are published authors? Does that not mean we are to give a nod to our work and look at what others nod on theirs?

If this is wrong and such posts get flagged, why have these threads to begin with? Something is very moronic here.

Write for pure enjoyment,

Jake :}=

I think we have a troll in the dungeons. There's a few messages in this thread which are genuinely spam, and you can tell as soon as you look at them, but everything else is legitimately relevant to the thread. Maybe a spammer who didn't like being flagged for it getting 'revenge'?

OK, I'm going to re-post what I deleted above, because it was relevant to this thread:

I self published Twilight's Ashes with a well known POD publisher. But this wasn't mainly for the 'vanity' of seeing my work in print. I have three very specific motivations for going this route in this current publishing enviornment:

1. It was a learning experience. I worked with an editor who taught me a lot. I became familiar with every aspect of the publication process from rough draft to marketing. It was a crash course rather than the slow initiation that the conventional approach might have been--and who knows if I would have ever been successful, or how much time I would have spent going in query-rejection circles without any useful feedback. And in the end I still own all rights to my book, whereas with a conventional publisher I surrender those rights. So I can *still* seek a conventional publisher for the series ...

2. Because this book is the first of a trilogy, which is truly an ongoing story rather than a book and two sequels, my intent on self-publishing the first volume is to serve as an extended query - a sample of my work in polished final form that I can distribute to interested publishers and agents when I'm ready to publish the second volume.

3. (and most relevant to LT), I published the book in order to get feedback from real readers. (I've done a Member Giveaway and am going to do another combined MG and Hobnob Giveaway.) Readers provide feedback that fellow writers in the various critique groups I participate in cannot provide -- they aren't looking for technical issues so much as for the value of the content. I plan to take advantage of the readers' perspectives that I get in order to refine and improve Books 2 and 3.

I spent a good chunk of cash in this process--the self-publishing industry is very much about getting a hook into you by offering an apparently low price, and then seeking to milk you for lots of other services that are *absolutely* necessary to produce a marketable book worth reading (such as professional editing and proof-reading). If you publish on the cheap, you are seriously doing your work a disservice - better not to publish than to go off half-cocked.

And in the end I still own all rights to my book, whereas with a conventional publisher I surrender those rights. So I can *still* seek a conventional publisher for the series ...

I don't want to burst your bubble, but the odds of it being picked up now are incredibly slim. Unless it proves hugely popular (talking about the tens of thousands of sales) and you can show there's still an untapped market, most publishers won't touch something that's used up its first rights. First Rights are used the minute the audience exapnds beyond people you have personally sent it to, and commercial publishers can be pretty precious about them.

Plus, it could count against you in the long run, as they'll wonder why you went for the crash course rather than the conventional route, and make assumptions about you and your writing that may be unfair. Whatever you do, if you do query with the novel, don't send them a copy of the pre-published book (but do mention it has already been published), because they'll probably throw it away without reading and that's a waste of your time and money.

If I were you, I wouldn't think about commercial publication for the series now, and focus on getting the furthest you can along the path you've started. If you have the time and money to invest in marketing, especially on getting it into bookshops, you'll find it rewarding, even if not as ultimately profitable as commercial publishing.

#104 what rights do you surrender to a conventional publisher? Copyright always remains with you.

It depends what you negotiate, but you can surrender print, digital, foreign language, audio and film rights, and you can surrender them all for life-of-copyright, if the publisher tries it on and you don't have an agent/lawyer to stop them. They can even take the rights to books you haven't written yet, and to derivative works to what you have, and to your penname (Harlequin used to do this, until authors put up a real fight). You retain copyright but you sign away the ability to do pretty much anything except be acknowledged as the holder of that copyright.

A conventional publisher will usually make a grab for everything, and for as long as possible, but will allow an author to negotiate the rights down to something more reasonable (say, print and digital until sales drop below a certain point, right of first refusal on sequels, audio and film for a set number of years, and you keep foreign language rights for your agent to sell to someone else). That's why agents are so crucial when playing with the big boys. Yes, you have to make some concessions you may not want to, but on the other hand your book will reach audiences across the country, not just friends-of-friends, and you get an advance for it.

I heard that there was a court case regarding the rights to books not writte and derivative works. An agent or publisher tried to claim a breach of contract on Martha Grimes related to books she had published since leaving said agent/publisher. I can't remember what the court case said, other than they can't hold the claim once you are no longer a client.

A conventional publisher will contract for worldwide first publication rights. If they demand anything more, they're not a conventional publisher.

The discussion about the spam patrol flagging posts here and on other forums (most notably, the Amazon Forums) struck a chord with me. In response, I started a board called the Independent Authors Forum at http://pugetsoundspeaks.com to provide a place where readers and authors can convene to talk about what's most important: books, without having to always look over their shoulders for the spam patrol. I work under the premise that we are all adults and as adults we will self police to assure our selves that collegial conversations will be unencumbered by trollish behavior on everyone's part. Check us out.

Back to the main theme of this thread, I believe that the world is large enough for all manner of publication strategies. EReaders are becoming increasingly popular and as a result it is lowering the initial cost of entry for many writers, present company included. However, I doubt that eReaders will render the traditional book obsolete as many people, myself included, enjoy the pleasure of holding a physical book in our hands.

I think that the smart author will look to both methods for delivering their words to potential readers. As a result, the traditional approach to publishing, i.e., through a literary agent and publishers will be with us for a long time to come. Self-publishing places too great a burden on writers to be everything in order to make their words widely know and distributed. This is what agents and publishers do best.

There is resistance from the traditional world in accepting indie books, though I find it difficult to understand why. In my case, the absolute best review I ever got was from a traditional book reviewer who does not review indie books and definitely no eBooks, who agreed to look at my novel on almost a lark. He finished his review with the words (rarely uttered by him),

"If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star." (Alan Caruba)

Maybe, the walls are coming down?

>105 MinaKelly: I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, and I take it seriously. I understand the stigma associated with POD publishing - it was an eyes-wide-open risk I chose to take in today's changing landscape. (Note that even Publisher's Weekly has begun to print a quarterly supplement listing self-published works submitted to them. The first one comes out this month.)

Yes, I will go all-out marketing this first book. But my horizon is long term (or as much so as a 62-year-old can muster). First and foremost I want to finish writing and polishing books 2 and 3. (I'm almost done book 2 as we speak and am just brimming with energy to write the killer climax at the end of book 3.) Then begin to work to find a conventional publisher for them. If I do, and the enterprise is reasonably successful, then it's reasonable to expect that the publisher will want to release a second edition of book 1 in order to have 'control' of the entire trilogy.

It seems you are happy to use your first book as a giveaway taster and as long as you are not trying to make money on it that seems reasonable.
However, I have found that writing a trilogy means the only people who are eager to read book two are those who have read book one. This makes marketing the second book difficult unless you link them together.
My greatest problem is that both my books are now being shared by people who lend them to friends and , because of the lightweight novels that they are, no-one minds if they get passed on rather than staying in the purchaser's library.
Obviously it is slightly different with POD as you will be doing much more advertising on line in order to get your book known but there is nothing quite like the kick one gets when a reader of the first book asks for the second!
oldstick.

Yeah, it's tough publishing your own book. But after years of going the traditional route and getting nowhere, I didn't see that I had a choice. So I published my first book with Xlibris, and just published the second with an outfit called Epic Press--a lead I got on one of these threads.

And in between the two (a few of you have already heard this tale, I suspect), the most unlikely of success stories (though it was of course a success to see my book in print, and have an actual audience): a publisher in Rome contacted me (how they found my e-mail address, I still don't know), apparently having come across my book on amazon or one of the other Internet outlets, asked if I owned the rights, then read it and offered me a contract. To be translated, published in Italy, and appear in Italian bookstores in February, I Think, Therefore Who Am I?:

http://www.lantanaeditore.com/site/2010/penso-dunque-chi-sono/

113> So, they are going to make it within the 18 month window. Congrats.

Ten months sooner than they said, Kristophe, if in fact it does come out i February. Dealing with Italian--not the kind of Italians I know from Brooklyn and New Jersey, as I've told a few people, but Italian Italians--has been an education. I did wonder about the operatic drama with which they decided to promote the book, for instance, but now I'm just sitting back and enjoying it.

Also, while publishing myself, I chose the typeface and the cover; there are some plusses to it. Now, there are sales and marketing people making decisions, in an exchange for which, of course, my book will appear in bookstores and be read by more than a few hundred people.

115> It is Italy, after all.

I have a third novel, the Four Ms. Bradwells, coming out in March. If anyone wants an early peek, LT and Random House/Ballantine are doing an early reader giveaway at http://www.librarything.com/er/list#10251658

Yes. I just finished writing and had published to the web (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34508) at Smashwords my latest novel (book three in the Forever Darkness series), Forever the Dark Grave.

This was too much fun as I wrote every chapter. Can't wait to get started writing Book Four.

Write even when you're sleeping,

Jake

ajsomerset (Message 17) has it sussed. You can self-publish any old rubbish but that doesn't make you an author. I took the traditional route and have published 13 books (mostly Crime) short stories, radio stories, and non fiction. I've also written a "how-to" book but no-one wants to publish it because I'm not famous enough. They'd rather have drivel by a famous writer than good advice from a successful one. C'est la vie.

The same names dominate, especially in genre fiction. Sometimes somone new is picked as the "new shiny" - it helps if they're prolific and unibquitous - and then people start to talk about their fiction. Quality is entirely irrelevant. It doesn't help when there are only a handful of people who set tastes for readers - editors of magazines, or popular commentators, for example. At least, such is the case for science fiction and fantasy...

I've published three novels and a text book. The novels were translated into French. However, given a variety of circumstances I rank myself with the unpublished.

As a externally published writer with a lot of experience with the publishing world and my own ex-agent and other agents I would suggest that self-publishing is nothing to be sneered at.
I live close to Italy: what's the name of the book and publisher?

Strongly agree. As a writer who has been published for forty years at many levels and methods.

A self-published book is a book. A self-published author is an author.

Easy to prove. What is that thing lying there on the table? Who does it say the author is?

Alas, not yet; though I'm tryin! The Angry Robot people requested a full manuscript submission, so I've got my toes crossed on that one. :)

Ooh, that's excellent, BeckahRah!

I'm published with Henry Holt Books for Young Readers/Macmillan, and am going out on sub with an adult contemporary fantasy this week. My toes are crossed with you. :)

I guess I'm a 'hybrid' --- I've had 2 books about the afterlife published by St. Martin's Press, then self-published a childrens book about Christmas customs from around the world, now that self-published book has been picked up by a 'traditional' publisher and comes out next year.

Kudos to all who write --- whether published, unpublished, self-published or (as I like to think of ALL my works) 'pre-published' and waiting!

Hi Naz,
I've published every short story I've ever written (about two dozen), some of which have won national awards, and am a newly self-published novelist (The Fisher King). I've also been an editor, so I've seen the publishing industry from both sides. What can I tell you that you might want to know?
Best books for practical nuts-and-bolts info re: writing fiction: The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway, and The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman. I've dipped into them again and again over the decades and always find something new.
Hayley Kelsey

I've had a few articles and an essay, but I'm hoping to expand into fiction.

I am published, in seven or eight magazines, from RN Magazine, to Family Chronicle, to Auto Rental News, Auto Dealer Monthly to the Oregon Bar Bulletin. A book in progress, but not getting much attention because I am having some success with magazine articles.

I find the comments about "self-publishing" interesting, but I think that in the future, that won't be a question. The industry is changing so quickly. For my part, a book is a book, and an author is an author, no matter how the words get to paper (or the internet, for that matter.)

Writers write because they must write.

What does "going out on a sub" mean? Does that mean "getting ready to submit a manuscript?"

#130-- Yes--"going out on sub" is short for submitting a manuscript.

I'm not published. Finishing up the writing portion of my first novel, so after I do that and finish with edits and everything. Then I'll go through the getting published route. I hope someone likes my work.

I am published through the Railroad Street Press in Vermont. Here's the link to my novel: http://www.tinyurl.com/August1899 . I would love if you all would check it out! Getting the book published was difficult work and took nearly eight months. I hope to get some of my other works published, as well, but, right now, I'm focusing on writing my newest project.

#133 - Sounds good, I'll have to check it out one day. So you are from Orlando? I live not too far from there. Nice I used to go to college there, but now over in the Tampa area.

Hi all,

Getting an ebook online has been a fulfillment of a dream. It was a long road, and there are still more hills to climb.

Hi,

I have a foot in both worlds. I have had short stories publishing in magazines (online and print), and have a short story out now in a small press (hardcover!) anthology.

I have self-published a few short stories, and will be publishing my next couple of projects this way during the summer.

I could see myself self-publishing some stuff and seeking deals for other stuff while submitting to magazines too. I believe in keep all doors open.

Dave

I'm another writer with a foot dipped in both worlds. I've had short stories published in mags and international competitions since 1994, had stories broadcast on radio, had a novel traditionally published, now have a few books self published on Kindle.

I had to do all my own promo for the novel, so figured, what the hell, and went SP - and I STILL hate promo work. I wish books would market themselves.

>137 ajbarnett: I STILL hate promo work. I wish books would market themselves.

Don't we all!

I used to imagine they did, which was part of why I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Then I grew up and when I finally did publish, I found out I should've been born much sooner.

I have two short pieces published, but nothing novel-length (so far!). I have a partial with an agent and a full with Angry Robot Books (still), though.

I've recently self-published one of my stories The Unborn on Smashwords (and it'll be on Amazon once the proof gets here). Not sure if either counts, but it was sure harder than I expected it to be. And I've got some paperwork to contend with at a later date when it eventually reaches me.
Due to the large volume of vampire books already published, I didn't think mine (which isn't a YA about some teen in love with the hot vampire) stood a chance of getting published any other way, despite those who read it wanting to see more. I edited and polished it several times (to the very best of my abilities), but, for above reason, I'm not expecting a major influx of buyers. I'll be happy if it eventually reaches 50 sales.

I fully understand the unlikelihood of an agent snaffling up an already self-published work. But I wonder how it can hurt the chances of a second book if you choose to go the agent route for that not-published, and completely unrelated, second book as I thought agents were meant to go on the merits of each book. What if your first story was less likely to appeal to a wide audience (or in my case, most of the agents are screaming ‘no vampire novels!’), but your second has a far better chance?
And surely those who have had success at self-publishing and (for whatever reason), choose the agent route can still use that accomplishment to highlight their marketability.

Sorry for the rambling. I'm still new to both the eBook and self-publishing things (after swearing I'd never have anything to do with either) and a little baffled by some of the assumptions.

I'll join in here by repeating a post I've done elsewhere

Reflections of an aging writer

I started trying to create fiction in college. Reynolds Price was guest lecturer during one of my creative writing classes. I didn't have much to show him, but he called the few paragraphs I gave him, "lovely." But then he was a lovely Southern gentleman.

I did that young man in Europe thing. Florence. Short stories. Very short. Some not bad.

Best thing for me was I went to work for a newspaper whose publisher/editor wrote a wonderful column. I got into doing columns and editorials along with reporting and editing. Doing the column helped me find my writing voice.

Ideas came. Longer pieces were tried. Nothing really worked. Everything seemed forced. In my 40s things finally started to click. I was up by 5 a.m. and my eight-year-old son was up, too, practicing the piano (Koji Attwood, google him). I'd write for two hours and go to work at the paper. Then you start to try and get published and query letters to agents, some interest, no cigar. I had an address for Walker Percy. I sent him a letter and the first two chapters of "The 41st Sermon." "Reads fine. Send rest" he responded. I thought I might finally get a break. I waited and waited. Three months later I read his obit in the paper.

Keep writing. New idea worth pursuing. Opening scene worth getting on paper. See where it might go. Characters get born and you wonder what will happen to them. Keep exploring.

Writing conferences, small literary magazines, writers groups. None of it turned our right or helpful for me.

Internet arrives. Easier to email queries. Web based magazines appear. Some accept my work. Got paid $150 for one story. Found a couple of agents, amateurs it turned out. And work and life and all that brought a long period in my life where I shoved the fiction aside with a "I tried. I couldn't have written any better than I have."

Got laid off near 60. Freelance writing helped, not financially, but the ego. Interesting consulting work developed. Re-approached the whole effort of finding an agent. Nada.

Could be self-delusional. Maybe my stuff is junk. Time to test myself with comedy. If you could make a reader laugh, you've succeeded. Had an opening scene idea and the damn thing almost wrote itself in three months. Never had anything come that fast. I have a novella that took me 30 years.

Finally snared an agent. "Reminds me of Hiaasen." Nice. Work got before editors at good houses. Close, but no cigar. Recession hits, Kindle happens, publishing business turned upside down.

Never wanted to self-publish. Seemed like admitting defeat. Then the agent says a couple of editors urged self-publishing. Now they can use author-paid test marketing.

So here I am. And now semi-retired so I have more time to pursue all this and plenty of completed works beside the agented one to promote. It actually feels pretty good that my stuff can find a home outside my file cabinet. Now it's up to me to go out and find an audience for them. What a brave new world that is.

I wonder how young writers do it now. I spent a lot of time with my writing and my ideas. Rereading, rethinking, rewriting. The internet is a huge distraction. Especially when you're involved in self-promotion. To create, I need a lot of stare-off-into-space time. But now I bounce around websites and follow tweets and Facebook messages and blogs. Overload.

Thanks for giving me your eye time.

My first novel was published this year by a small press.
I am thinking of trying the self-published route on a shorter novel later this year, just to see how it is different.

I was first published 10 years ago then I went the self publish route .

I'm self published with a novel on amazon and barnes and noble. So far, not much happening but I'm trying to make use of the commonly used internet strategies.

If they looked askance, then they're either self-deluding or flat out full of crap. Find me one Indie Published author that would turn down a chance at a big contract and I'll show you someone lying through their teeth.

I'm very happy as an indie author. I like the control I have over my story, my editing, my cover. I like taking my product straight to the reader because ultimately they are the ones who are the gatekeepers and I don't need any buffer between me and them. If I suck, I suck. If I don't, they'll tell me that too. I like that.

But, baby, I ain't stupid. Crazy, but not stupid. And if one of the big six offered me a trad contract, I'd be all over that thing like a duck on a june bug.

I thought this group was about writing in general, and that includes all types. So, as far as I'm concerned, until they split this group in to Indie Readers/Writers and Legacy Readers/Writers, you got the right, baby. Go for it. We'll talk.

I am a published author--both sides of the aisle, actually. You're not the only one in the group. Although, hopefully more recently replies come your way along with mine. ;-)

146> There are reasons to turn down a contract, given the panic in the traditional publishing world and the draconian contracts they are putting out now: little or no advance, excessive rights grabs and "non-compete" clauses are good ones. Everyone has to look at the money thing and decide what they can live with...some can do better going Indie. If the publisher wants all rights for everything in perpetuity and won't budge, I don't think I'd go for it. Publishers have also recently started inserting language that says an author can't write/publish anything without their permission--not just similar books with the same characters, but ANYTHING including blogs, non-fiction, short stories, etc. No one but me will control my writing career. Everyone will have the things they need to draw the line on; these are mine. Authors can get these modified to something reasonable with a lot of hard negotiating, but they have to be willing to walk away from a contract if they can't get the publisher to budge or else give up control of their money, work and career. Here's an excellent blog post by an author, who has feet in both worlds, on what could be deal breakers:

http://kriswrites.com/2011/07/27/the-business-rusch-deal-breakers/

Call me a liar, Jesse. I just self-published my first novel, through Smashwords and B & N's Pubit. Would I turn down a big contract (not that it will ever happen)? You bet. Why? Because I'm not so hungry for money that I'd give up control of my work. Years ago, when it was the only choice, I dreamed of writing a novel (novels) and publishing with one of the big houses. That was then, this is now. I'm an adult of advanced years who knows exactly why I write and what I want to gain from it. And signing a contract is *not* one of the things I want.

Do I think my position is appropriate for everyone? Not at all. I have no problem with anyone who wants to see their books in print with an established publisher. Or with someone who starts out Indie and then signs a contract.

But I do resent the hell out of being told that my choice is a self-deluded lie.

I'm seeing a lot of assumption that signing a contract "gives up control of my work."

Can I ask where people are getting this concept from?

So, having someone else decide how your book will be priced, how long it will be available, how or whether it will be promoted, giving up many rights, and literally losing ownership of it for some specified time, etc., etc. isn't giving up control? Have you bothered to read any of the widely available discussions of book contracts?

But, as I said, it may be right for some people. I'm not arguing that. The claim was made that anyone who says they'll turn down a contract is a liar. That's what I was responding to.

#151 I wasn't targeting you specifically. I saw many people state that in this thread.

As for deciding pricing, part of that is related to your advance. How long it will be available is something you can negotiate, plus with the new advance of everyone having e-books, that changes everything. Promotion has always been up to the author unless you're a HUGE name. What rights are sold is entirely up to the author. If you don't want to sell the movie rights, then don't. If its a breaker for the contract offer, then perhaps that's a sign that the house in question isn't worth working with right then.

Um, yes, I've read many discussions regarding book contracts. Most of the issues listed relate to smaller publishers and scammers who make bad names for those houses who do legit work.

Hello, all,

I've been published by small presses and I'm presently self-publishing. My first three SF novels came out through small presses. I rereleased my first earlier this year; I'm hoping to do so with my second soon. I have plans to self publish a short novel in the next couple weeks.

I also had several nonfiction books released by small publishers. I went the SP route with a series of travel booklets 20 years ago. I've gone that way with a few of my newer nonfiction books.

I've sold many SF/F short stories over the last 20 years; one pro sale and the rest to small press magazines. A few months ago I started selling my published stories through Amazon and Smashwords.

I like the control I have over the process. Not to say that, if asked, I'd turn down a contract from a big publisher. I doubt I will, so I'll try to find readers on my own and keep writing.

Well, I am a published author but because

a) I am a noob and...

b) Mine isn't a novel but a mere volume of short stories. *

So anyway, due to the above two reasons, I am not getting much help from my publisher with regards to marketing. I mean yeah, they distributed my book to major book chains in the region and set up an online store on their website, but I have to do all the marketing myself without any advertising budget etc.

Singa Crew

* I personally contributed more than a few chapters but the rest I compiled from other sources and edited.

I am self-published .... using amazon and Barnes and noble.

Just to jump in with a quick note on giving up control when you sign a contact. Many people feel this is true because it does happen a lot. Not just with writing but also with music. My ex was a succesful musician who once the record label got ahold of his work and he signed on the dotted line they chewed it up and spit it out and everything from the album artwork to how they were promoted was totally wrong.

I also just read in a gaming magazine about what happened to the old ' Mario Brothers" video game movie. It was so far from what the video game was about the movie was considered a disaster.

However on a positve note I think that if someone is fortunate enough to get a paid contract that there are good points to what your publishing house has to say as to changes in the story, market, jacket work etc.

Compromise I think is golden.

I self published three times because I am not a superstar.

I self published my first novel a few months ago. I don't know if I would want to go the traditional route but maybe I would change my tune if I was approached.

I enjoy the freedom of telling the story I want to tell and not having to change the characters. I also enjoy creating my own art on Paint.net and Blender. Though that time might be better spent on writing the next story...

I think the term 'traditionally published' is gong to evolve over the next few years. Publishing houses are reporting lower print sales every quarter, despite charging more for eBooks than for paperbacks. Surely such literary minded folk will see the writing on the wall. I believe we will see the end of the traditional submission process. Commissioning editors will start approaching successful self pubbed writers with offers rather than sifting through piles of manuscripts.
Why take chances on the pile on your desk when you know you can print a sure thing?

I am self-published in trade paperback, Mobi and Kindle.

I'm both. I published my first novel last year with a small publisher and this year I decided to have a go at it myself with a novella. Both reviewed pretty well, but it's a long, hard journey getting the word out myself (though it is more satisfying to reep all the rewards of my labor).

Re: giving up control with the 'traditional publishers'

I sold my first book to Facts On File, a 'traditional' pub house and sent them the ms. Before it was published, FoF was sold and the new owner put EVERYTHING 'on hold' to go over it and decide whether or not to go forward with the book projects currently under contract. I was told it would be at least 3 YEARS before I got a decision, and could not shop the ms. to anyone else since it was technically still under contract with FoF. After months of negotiations, I repaid the advance and also had to pay a lawyer to terminat all FoF's rights and return exclusive control to me. It was costly, and then I had to start the entire submissions process over from square one.

The book (Encyclopedia of Hell) was then purchased and yes, published by St. Martin's Press / Thomas Dunne, but it was a very long, tough road. Control doesn't just mean 'creative input,' it can be the difference between whether your work ever sees the light of day or dies on some bean counter's desk!

#161

Unless I'm being misinformed, every standard and legitimate book contract has a revision clause that says if a book isn't published with X number of months/years, the rights automatically revert back to the writer. Did your contract not have such a clause?

The problem was that the new owners claimed that THEY did not agree to any of the terms of the contracts --- since they bought the company AFTER those contracts were negotiated --- so they didn't have to honor them. Sure, I could have contested that but that too would have meant hiring a lawyer and many authors (like myself at the time) often don't have the resources to take on a publishing house that can drag out litigation for years.

For subsequent books, I have added a clause addressing what happens to the book and my rights should the company's onwership change between purchase and publication.

My point is that there are very real issues of 'control' when a book is published by a traditional publisher, including some you might never even anticipate when signing the contract

I'm self-published as an ebook and trade paper. I had an agent - still do, actually, we just had lunch - and she gave me her blessing after trying and failing to sell my book for over a year. I appreciated all her hard work and will definatly let her see my new manuscript when it's finished, but she understands how and why I may go directly to self-pubbing.

Traditional published, indie published, performance poet, slam poet,

I have three novels published now, and am working on a fourth for Random House/Ballantine:

- the national bestselling The Wednesday Sisters
- Bellwether Prize finalist The Language of Light
- The Four Ms. Bradwells (coming in paperback next month)
- the forthcoming The Wednesday Daughters

I also host a blog, 1st BOOKS; STORIES OF HOW WRITERS GET STARTED, on which I host book-published, often award-winning or bestselling, authors sharing their stories. It's at http://megwaiteclayton.com/1stbooks I have Julia Glass (NYT Bestseller and National Book Award winner for her 1st novel, Three Junes, which was years in the making and saw a lot of rejection) posting today.

And I've written for The Los Angeles Times, The San Jose Mercury News, Runner's World, Writer's Digest, the Literary Review, and other online and print sources.

Meg
www.MegWaiteClayton.com

I published an academic dictionary a couple of years ago with a reputable press. The work filled a low cost niche, and it was a labor of love. I received the contract within a year of finishing my dissertation, and it took about two and a half years to complete the manuscript, edit it thoroughly, and have it shipped. I am grateful to the publisher for taking it on.

I have also published some short articles for a major academic dictionary. Even those small pieces give a sense of satisfaction. It is all about communicating something meaningful.

I started out as a traditionally published author in the early 90's with four books. I took a break for cancer, divorce, work, etc., and when I came back, publishers in my genre, Regency Romance, had shrunk to one or two houses. The spots for mid-list authors had also withered.

When I started writing suspense, I discovered I no longer had the patience for the long response times from agents and editors. I'm not getting any younger, oddly enough, so I decided to self-publish. It is starting to be a much more acceptable venue than it used to be.

The biggest problem I see is that many self-published writers haven't done sufficient revision to produce a smooth story. Even though I self-publish now, I am still in a critique group and revise everything at least 5-6 times. Often more. You can't ignore craft, regardless of how you publish.

I've self-published a short story and my memoir. Both are available on Amazon.

I am probably going to stay an Indie or self published author. Apart from the obvious pitfalls and those outlined above, I actually enjoy doing it all myself, including the images on the covers.

The advent of ebooks means that the printing, despatch and warehouseing costs have all gone. And the risk and cost of returnable books has also gone. Although I have my books as trade paperbacks (now with Createspace) the majority of any sales I make will be through the ebook versions. I just like to have the actual book versions for me personally, and to register the book as an actual book with ISBN for copyright purposes.

The longer this goes on, the less interested I will become in an actual publisher.

Indie.

MGP

Self-published

I think, however, that the line between published and self-published (likely regarded right now as the professionals vs. the indies) is going to become very blurred over the next 5 to 10 years. More "professional" writers go the self-publishing route for one reason or another and young, up-and-coming writers choose to go the self-published route and achieve success.

Since you asked... I've had several published non-fiction books and written for a number of newspapers and magazines. But I also have several novels I could never find a home for just sitting on my computer. So decided to offer them as ebooks one at a time and see what happens.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pascals-Wager/287971967937962

I also published an eBook, "He Mind Reading & My Love", visit my site http://duo2.net, like to hear your review, email me, can provide free reading.

Hello Nazurelle,

I have published books both for traditional publishers (7) and self published (3) in a variety of areas that include law-related textbooks, intellectual property, poetry and fiction. (Descriptions of the books and previews for most of the recent ones are available at http://www.victordlopez.com.)

Victor

I have written non-fiction articles for a natural living magazine (Macrobiotics Today). I write for publication when I find a topic that is both seriously off-the-radar and important. I have donated my writings to them because they are a non-profit foundation, so their offerings will not go out of print.

My current project is an analysis of the repercussions of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, but from neither a pro or anti nuclear power perspective. If you want to understand what's up with a divisive topic like that, you have to dig deeper. I have been offered a paying job related to that work...time will tell.

Very kind of you to ask....

One novel (self-published); one collection of short stories + one novella (published by Faraway Press; a second collection of short stories + one novella (self-published); a collection of letters (self-published); one memoir (published online by ISMs Press).

Russell

I've published 3 novels and have a fourth coming from Random House's Ballantine Books next summer:

The Language of Light, which was a finalist for the Bellwether Prize (now the PEN/Bellwether): Set in the Old-Moneyed Horse Country of Maryland, the Story of a Young Mother Moving into the Future by Uncovering the Past

The Wednesday Sisters, a national bestseller: When five young mothers—Frankie, Linda, Kath, Ally, and Brett—first meet in a neighborhood park in the late 1960s, their conversations center on marriage, raising children, and a shared love of books. Then one evening, as they gather to watch the Miss America Pageant, Linda admits that she aspires to write a novel herself, and the Wednesday Sisters Writing Society is born.

The Four Ms. Bradwells A page-turning novel that explores the secrets we keep, even from those closest to us, and celebrates the enduring power of friendship

and

The Wednesday Daughters - Friendship, Love, and Beatrix Potter in the English Lakes, a sequel of sorts to The Wednesday Sisters

I am a published author. Management Culture: Innovative & Bold Strategies to Engage Employees http://www.mgmtculture.com

I recently was interviewed by Cyrus Webb on, Conversations LIVE/Blog Talk Radio, about my book MANAGEMENT CULTURE. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive/2012/08/13/authors-agapi-stassino...

Published and self-published.

Earlier this year I edited a hard sf anthology for Mutation Press, Rocket Science - http://www.mutationpress.com/

At the same time, I self-published a novella, the first of a quartet, Adrift on the Sea of Rains, which has been getting very positive reviews - http://shop.whippleshieldbooks.com/epages/es145775.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/e...

Yep. In over 20 literary magazines.

And my award winning collection of contemporary literary fiction, The Meaning of Children, is available free on Amazon.com until Sept. 2nd.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Meaning-of-Children-ebook/dp/B007H067R6/

It's had some great reviews...

I'm Self Published, you have to start somewhere lol. :)

I agree with you Joyce Haugnessy, very much. I am self published and my book goes live in amazon and barnes & noble, amongst others in about 5 weeks, its on my publishers site now. Whether self published or not you have to start somewhere and i suppose rather than fight around with rejection letters, have your passion and love for writing trodden on and lose your confidence, i think its a great way to start and to get your work noticed.
It's a very hard business so I think self publish is one way to see what people think of your writing rather than be judged by one person and told whether you are good or not, i think that should be down to people...not one person as we all have likes and dislikes and not everyone will like what you write.
Just do it I say, you never know unless you try. I think self publishing will always have that stigma, but dont knock it til you have tried it lol.
:)

Hello!
New here!
I JUST self-published (CreateSpace) my first book, In A Corner, Darkly (it's on amazon.com). They are really a great way to do it, but it's true, I didn't want to wait 10 years to maybe even get into some agent's list or possibly get published (if I changed everything about my book). This way, I am actually alive to see the product! I worked three years on it (15 short horror stories), and really did the best I could. I am continuing to write on my blog (inacornerdarkly.blogspot.com) - first drafts of more stories and will do a volume 2. The hardest thing right now is trying to be a marketing team/press team of one....

I've been published in a variety of formats: book reviews in Grolier's Masterplots series a few decades ago, encyclopedia articles, dictionary entries . . . I worked as an editor so also have books in which I'm credited that way.

Published a nonfiction book with Random House in 2005; still haven't made any money in royalties. Probably never will.

Recently, have written and had published short articles on various websites.

Have yet to finish and publish fiction, though it's been a lifelong dream.

I can see value in traditional, e-, and self-publishing. Some people care more about getting readers for their work than money, some people want to maximize their earnings. I don't judge . . . well, I don't judge motivations. Quality, that's a different story!

#187

Unfortunately, if you are placing stories on your public blog, an agent will see them as previously published, and as such not offer you as great a pay day. So it might be better that you went with self publishing...

Yeah, I know that now - so, now that the first volume is out, I am pulling the majority of the stories for volume two off of the blog. I'll probably just post the "first chapter" on the blog now and, hopefully, that will also encourage more readers to want to purchase the second book.

This is ALL a total learning experience for me - every single thing I am doing with this book is NEW! :-o

Was published by Penguin, http://www.amazon.ca/Scared-Shark-Death-drunken-debauchery/dp/014305211X

....and now trying things out on the indie front: http://www.amazon.com/Tastes-Human-Shark-Bitingly-ebook/dp/B0072X0E4K/ref=sr_1_2...

I published my first book years ago - The Church in Antioch in the 1st Century CE. Yes it has blockbuster written all over it! It's for sale on Amazon and was from my PhD research. I received several free copies from the publisher (hardback & paperback) which I distributed to family - my mother still keeps one in her handbag to show off to innocent passers by - I try to disown her when she does it! I don't get anything from any sales of that book.

Then a few years later I started blogging & got back into writing again- this time fiction.

Life Shift - my sci fi book on parallel universes is for sale here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Shift-ebook/dp/B00A9HSWRW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie...

Also on Amazon.Com

And today I published Keep Azeroth Clean - which can be found here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Azeroth-Tidy-ebook/dp/B00ACHI8IM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books...

Annoyingly the cover isn't showing up yet- apparently that can take longer than the rest of the book?? It's on Amazon.com too.

Keep Azeroth Tidy is a collection of all my tongue-in-cheek essays on World of Warcraft that were originally written for the blog but have now been revised & updated for the book.

Finding this indie self publishing route very time consuming but fascinating - so much to learn. Have sold 4 Life Shift so far!! Was over the moon when those sales came in!

Bravetank - get some books you have read on LT soon or you will be called a 'drive-by.'

I have just published an ebook entitled "Cannabis Man" and uploaded it to Amazon, Kobo and Smashwords. As far as i can see, these are merely passive storage places. No serious promotion works gets done. We all know that millions of books are in print and in ebook format - of all qualities. All I am reading about on the ebook scene is "give-aways, free promotions and 99 cent min-books. Is anyone aware of a sensible way to promote "proper" sized book. Mine's on sale at £5,00 by the way.

>194 Mark_Graham: If you also have hard copies of the book, you can go to book fairs and sell them with your signature as a bonus. Or see if you can do a book signing at a local bookstore, should such a creature exist. You can also use LT's Member Giveaway to give copies to people in return for reviews. Ask friends to review it on Amazon. None of these things will result in massive sales themselves, but they will help spread the word, particularly if people really like the book.

IN REBUS #s 194 & 195. One thing you should probably avoid is trying to place your opus in local libraries, unless there is a clear local connection (in subject matter). Librarians are strange about this, and often churlish. I get no joy from saying this, having toiled in and around libraries for over half a century. It's annoying (at best) and infuriating (at worst) to have your opus rejected by some Acquisitions person who cannot see beyond the NY Best Seller list or the pages of PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY. Ditto seeing your opus on the two-bits-a-pop Discard Sale shelf. If you have extra hard copies, you are literally better off sending them to strangers, or arranging exchanges on sites like LT. Good luck with your endeavors. At the risk of indulging in shamelessly fuzzy philosophy (phuzzy filosofy?), I will add that as I write this, I am looking out over a field where the last milk-weed of the year is scattering in the wind. The odds against any given book are not much better than the odds of any one of those seeds germinating, yet your book, like each seed, has its place, and it is possible to be at peace with the uncertainties. I truly pity the persons who cannot see that, and knock themselves out in futile, even adolescent, efforts to make an unwilling world pay attention. Re-read some of the earlier posts above to see what I am talking-about. -- Goddard

@196 My library first said they would add my books, and then did not. It probably also had to do with acquisition budgets and collection scope. Some libraries have an outright no self-pub policy. It is unfortunate because without library representation, you cannot get into WorldCat :(

#194. Mark- the Americans seem to have more difficulty getting into libraries that we do in the UK. I have all three of my novels in Sussex libraries. Mind you, they were donated, not sold, but I knew they were ideal library fare. The trouble with paperbacks is that they get worn out but I can't afford to put them into hardback. Of course this does not mean you get more sales - in fact the opposite is true.
In my innocence I thought just getting my name out there would be helpful and, at first , it seemed to happen. The library booked me for a talk and I started on a round of public speaking engagements. I also spoke on local radio but how many people were listening? Now I carry a copy of the latest book with me wherever I go and sales have dropped to about ten a year. I did have to have a reprint after the first 200 of book number one was sold out but now I rely on sales at talks. Good Luck, Julie.

In re #s 194 &198. Amend "Americans" to "NORTH Americans". My own experience plus credible hear-say suggest that the situation is bad also in Canada, where much librarianship is centralized. Thus, if the Provincial system won't take you, the locals feel obliged to reject you likewise. As for carrying your book everywhere, it's a great Plus. Iy has the hidden bonus of helping you to discover, no matter how many times you've been through it previously, those pesky little mis-spellings and bits of graceless prose which you thought you'd caught long-since (gulp). -- Goddard

Hi, I just self published my first romance novel. It's a Pride and Prejudice inspired romance novel. It has old over 100 copies on the first month. It's such a thrill!
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/92163454

Check it!

@198 You would think that libraries would feature their local authors, but again, cost, scope and prejudice do work against us here in the USA. I offered to donate to all 8 of my library branches. You are right that trade paper does wear out, but many books are published only in trade editions from traditional publishers and that does not hinder their acquisition.

Being in libraries also means being available for Inter-Library Loan.

I do think that word of mouth, either by having your book handy or having at least a business card, does help. It also helps to interact with online communities more open to authors promoting their work. I do giveaways if people contact me directly for read to review. I have found that LTs member giveaways have generated little or no reviews.

MGP

>201 NineTiger: I'm surprised and disappointed to hear this--I would have expected better of the LT community in terms of actually reviewing books they acquired by agreeing to review them! Does the author giveaway system have a reminder feature the way the early reviewer program does? I've been goaded into doing reviews by being reminded there . . .

@202 Member giveaway does not have a reminder system, unless the author personally emails people and gives them a gentle nudge. For my fault, I was reluctant to do this.

MGP

I published my book recently after a lengthy search by my agent for just the right publisher, and this summer, she found a great match for me, Seaburn Books in NYC. They've been very patient in dealing with all my finicky changes, but hey, it's my book and I wanted it exactly as I envisioned it. I am quite satisfied with it's look and feel and now I'm working to make connections and attract readers to what I believe is a most unusual read.

There's certainly no shame in self-publishing and for many people it's the best option available. For me, however, and considering the materiel in my book, I knew I had to find a traditional publisher with their support network et al.

I'm really looking forward to diving into this excellent community over the holidays!

I've written three books. The first, Prince of the Blood by PJ Webb, is on Amazon now. The second in the series is going through a final edit, and editing is just being started on the third. So far I'm self-published. It seems to me that either way it's up to the author to promote his/her work.

I'm self-published AND just out is Blow Up the Roses released by Curiosity Quills, a small press in the DC area. It's a dark and dangerous suspense thriller the publisher called "brilliantly disturbing." It is that.

Published and self-published. I have been published in two literary magazines, Tomorrow and Nadopasana One. My poetry was published in the Cadbury's Book of Children's Poetry.

I have self-published one book, currently a member giveaway on LT: A Deconstructed Heart
http://www.amazon.com/A-Deconstructed-Heart-ebook/dp/B009ZO1FVA

and one short story: A Change in the Weather
http://www.amazon.com/A-Change-Weather-ebook/dp/B009ZKFG4Q

My short story is part of a series of interconnected short stories, The Purana Qila series. The next story will soon be on Amazon: The Dust Beneath Her Feet.

Ok, it feels good to unabashedly self-promote. Now I can go and be a good girl on the other LT sites ;)

I am a Self-Published Wallasey Historian & Author. I publish with Createspace Ltd

Hello everyone,

I'm someone who is becoming a writer. I've read all my life and written all my life, but mostly concentrated on becoming an artist. Then, when I came to London, four years ago, the need to write just took over completely and I've been reading more intensely and writing and reading about writing and taking classes and getting feedback and just loving the whole thing. The more I understand the process of becoming a writer the more I see that I don't know and the longer I think it will take. Perhaps my whole life. Luckily I still have my day job. I'm a teacher of creativity and I see that I am transferring my creativity to words now. Yet, I'm aware that I have a whole craft to learn and slowly I'm making progress with it. I see there are also many many ways of becoming a writer, just like becoming an artist, but they are all hard and require dedication and love of the process. Happily, I have that kind of stubbornness and love of writing, so I'm a very lucky person.

I was THRILLED to find this place. Talk about a kid in a candy store! I've been trembling with excitement over it and all the great ways to learn about books. I welcome any and all advice and connection from you who are writers as well as readers and who live in London the city I love so well. I've been writing here now for four years. I have written one novel and am on the third rewrite of it. I've started a second one. And I've started writing some stories too. I'm slowly becoming aware of ALL KINDS of mechanics I was not aware of as a reader. Really, there is so much to learn it is a bit daunting, but I just keep trying to take it all in, read read read and then write write write and catch my breath and walk about a bit and let London help me take it all in.

I'm most interested in historical fiction and fiction. That is what I read and admire most. If I could be granted one wish by the wish fairy it would be to be able to write as well as Mark Helprin. That is who holds the place of my highest esteem. Now there are others who I would gladly settle for and they can be found in my list of favorites, but he's the top in my book. The fairies have not visited me and I can see my writing is a long long way from that level. I am a realist as well as a believer and I will most likely chip away at trying to improve my humble writing line by line and inch by inch until the day when I can't lift a pen anymore all the while being happy because even if I can't write wonderfully, at least I can read wonderful writing and improve little by little. That is what is so amazing to me, the grace of reading and how writers can touch our hearts and lift our spirits with their words. That is what is so exciting about coming here and feeling the joy that can be traced by so many good books having been held in so many hands and those hands being happy to have those books and lovingly keep them on their shelves. We share this joy and while it isn't exactly free, it is reasonable. It isn't only for the rich, thanks to libraries and those who share books.

Ok. I'll calm down, but here I am.

I'm both, though most of my "published" work is collaborative or contributory. I opted to self-publish my fantasy adventure Root Bound. So far, I haven't been sorry.

I've written for magazines, published short stories, and written graphic novels for indie publishers.

My familiarity with that process convinced me that I'd rather self-publish. I don't mind rejection, and I pursue a very high standard for my work, but I like to be able to move on from projects. If I was focusing on writing, rewriting, securing an agent and publisher for one project, I'd have never managed any of the other projects I have planned.

I've finished(Well, within varying states of revision) 7 novels. No sequels or whatnot. Eventually, if I have a lot of time, and fewer new ideas, I may try to reserve a novel for traditional publishing, but I vastly prefer to write as many projects as I can.

No matter what publishing route you take, it's a crowded market right now. You can shove your way to get through the door(traditional publishing) and still find yourself in the same overcrowded room, screaming to get people to notice your work. Personally, I'd rather skip the middleman and just step right into the overcrowded room.

Thank you!

Yes.

Whether or not I'm published, learning the business skills to sell my book is another story.

My 6th book will come out in March. My 1st 2 were in the Christian market & the rest are historical fiction. I love doing the research for HF and I love the writing. I don't like the marketing, but it is nec. I know. You can check out my books at www.rosalieturner.com.

I am mostly self-published, I am on Xlibris.com, Authorhouse/1st books Library, Cafepress.com, & Create space.com. I write on a variety of topics: Egyptology, the occult/Magic/religion, Historical fiction, sci-fi, etc.

My first book was .. stolen and published over 20 years ago. i was briefly interviewed by a surprise interview via a College radio station in 1993. Hollywood read it then, and someone wanted to interview me on Barbara Walters in 1998 (i declined). But as my book was not "properly copyrighted" the thief escaped justice.

Now I am self-published because who can you trust other than yourself?

I made about $100+ last quarter using Createspace.com, since the threshold limit was raised from $20.
That's pennies in a bucket. Now that the superstore chain Borders has closed, all are attracted to online stores, except for B&N or other stores. I have 3 Kindle books, and 50 books in print so far.

There is nothing wrong with my books -- well except for the small part about some of them "coming true" in a magical, psychic way... The contents in some books written in "present day" format seem to influence Time or events. My first novel (eye of the pharaoh, c. 1990) wrote the Arab/Democracy revolution of 2011 when a certain tomb was searched for in early January 2011. Life imitates Art, at least in my case.

- Michael J. Costa, author.

My first is published on amazon Kindle with its POD coming soon on Create Space. More coming. I've written all my life and have had several articles and short stories published.

Don't tell, but I've written a lot of bad poetry - never published.

Go indies!!

self published

self published. Have 2 books published and working on 3 & 4.

Whatever works, boys and girls. Lately, though, I have been thinking more and more about what THE ONION called (in another context) "toxic levels of self-involvement". This blights so many of us. Note that I said "us". The phenomenon of indie/online publishing has led to apalling quantities of stuff which has no demonstrable reason to exist except to serve the writer's yearning for self-expression. There is a crucial difference between self-expression and communication. The latter is at-bottom one-sided, a childish demand: "look at me, look at me!". Communication is mutual, at-least in potential, an invitation: "hey, would you like to look at this with me?". Please re-read before you drag me off to the stake. Peace to you all, really. -- Goddard

220>

You're definitely not wrong there. There's the tendency to say "Hey, publishing is now really easy, so I'll go dig through my old notebooks and publish everything I can find!" Regardless of whether it's any good, regardless of whether it has good grammar, regardless of whether it's a blatant copy of an existing book. There's so much more freedom for authors, but that also means a lot more work to rise above the deluge of junk from everyone who can type out a few sentence suddenly thinking they're a writer.

On the other hand, trashy e-book erotica seems to do really well regardless of all logic, so maybe I should be writing that?

In re #220. Now Jonathan, before your parents, children (if any), priest/rabbi/imam/shaman, and sundry others are subjected to a rude surprise by this proposed change in your life-plan, kindly send samples so that I can evaluate them for nutritional value and richness of texture. I quiver with expectation. -- Goddard

I have one self published novella

I represent a published author. Burnt Lips is written by Yuriy Grigoryants and is an amazing work of poetry. Thanks for the support.
http://www.amazon.com/Burnt-Lips-ebook/dp/B009UKD6VQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=...

I have a novel Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural. Supernatural thriller., independently published. A second novel is coming out April. I also have short stories published in various anthologies and ezines. Most recent is Hildie at the Ghost Store at Fiction365.

My novel (ebook for Kindle and Nook) is on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Journey-Tale-Supernatural-ebook/dp/B009ONWSC2/ref=sr...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-sea-journey-a-tale-of-the-supernatural-pau...

My name is Skyler DeGrote. I'm the author of two books that are now available on amazon.com. The links are http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Skyler-DeGrote/dp/0615490069/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&q... for the first book of a 3 book series and http://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Souls-Skyler-M-DeGrote/dp/1470138905/ref=la_B0051... for the second book of the series. My series is called "The Soul Collection." I designed the covers to both books and I'm going to do the same for the third, which is by the way, hopefully going to be out by the end of 2013. It is available for the kindle and in paperback format.

I self published with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and will continue to do so with this series. I will also do that for any future books that I will be publishing.

I also have a facebook page and a twitter page for my books. Please follow/like them. https://www.facebook.com/skylerdegrotefans?ref=hl is the Facebook page and https://twitter.com/collection_soul is the twitter page

I self-published my first book Missing in Egypt a romantic travel mystery and am about to release my second book Winston - A Horse's Tale. I have sent it to a few publishers but so far have only received rejections so will probably self-publish in a couple of months. I like having control of it but the promotion/marketing side is really hard.

I'm self-published—ten books so far, and four in-process. Along the way I've quit three minor publishers, and been turned down by hundreds.

I prefer " prepublished " to " unpublished " ——— if you're an author.

¿ Yes ?

As for me, there are books an articles with a byline of someone with the exact same real-life name as me ( " gary gach " ) ... usually as author, but also editor and translator.

I don't wish to be facile about it. There's a divine pride, on the one hand, and also a profound humility. As a spiritual practice, I am given writing as part of my life path; therein I'm entitled to the work, but not the fruits.

For years, I spent four months working outdoors, four months climbing or skiing, and four months writing, a combination that supported me rather well (given thrifty habits). The pieces-for-pay were published in magazines, newspapers, and artsy journals.

Then I got some awards and high-profile fellowships, with a trip to NYC to read and meet publishing folks. I came back having found an agent and shortly after, got a contract with a major house. The first book did well enough to be issued in trade paper. From then on, I wrote books full-time, for low-middling advances, getting critical raves but unexciting sales. Despite the uptick in status, I made roughly the same yearly amount I had earlier.

I enjoy both sorts of writing (short pieces vs. books), but the traditional book biz is increasingly tough. Genre/formula writers who catch on quickly with the public can do very well. Quirky mid-listers and those who try different genres, not so.

I'm still at it, but have found other sources of income.

Not boring or evil pursuits, by any means. But I'd rather be writing.

If you haven't published, or barely so, please don't be daunted by my battle-scarred comments.

I'm interested in what you have to say.

Your turn.

I'm both. Published in weeklies and local magazines (Arkansas). But I'm also an Indie (fiction) author.

Published—Genesis: Book One of The Kingdom Come Series, by Black Bed Sheet Books.
wjgarret.blogspot.com

Hello! My name is Jim Richard and I am the author/illustrator/publisher of the Blue Bink book series for children. You can get to know me by visiting my Amazon author page at www.amazon.com/author/jimrichard. I've created three books so far and I'm working on my fourth. My books are for preschool to kindergarten aged kids but I plan on writing for older kids once I've covered the basics. My works to date are on colors, shapes and letters (and the next will be on numbers). If you really want to get to know me, here's a bundle of all my links: http://bit.ly/1ccr43s.

The only thing I have learned that I should convey here is that once a book is 'e-published' there is an extreme bias against it among traditional publishers. A book of mine was an Amazon e-book and a reader for a small press read it on LT, was quite interested in it, but we soon found that the fact that it was an e-book was fatal. They did not even ask how many it sold. I checked with a former publisher about the matter and he said that as long as I had or could recover the rights to the book that there should be no problem, but that the extreme bias exists and he does not know why.

Two possible reasons come to mind for this.

Some books have a very limited market and an eBook release may satisfy the market that exists, hurting the publisher's investment in the print editions.

Publisher's likely want to own all the distribution rights, print and eBook. If one is already out there, they may not be able to add it to their growing eBook offering (hence the desire to get the rights back).

These may not be the reason for your issue. There are likely other possibilities.

James

There's a third reason that James missed.

First rights are already done and gone. Most publishers like to get the first rights and if it's already out in e-book form, those rights are gone.

Hello!

I'm a newly published author!

I'd appreciate it if people read and gave feedback in my book!

It's called Rio's World and the first 5 chapters are available for FREE on goodreads.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1909220892/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&ps...

Someone has to say it, Rayndeer: What Amazon quotes as written on the back of the book is written in very poor English, ungrammatical in fact.

I just started writing in January, but I'm addicted. I have self-published one book, Her Best Match (a romantic comedy about a woman in her forties) and one prequel (teaser) and two others in the series are already written. Plus I've written one young adult fantasy. I could really use some honest feedback, and I'd be happy to send a free copy to anyone willing to read and give feedback. The prequel is available free at Amazon, but only through today. Let me know if you'd be willing to help.
Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Her-Best-Match-Girls--Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B00FR30D16/...

You can contact me on my website if you're interested in a free copy.
http://tamiedearen.weebly.com/

I self-published my debut crime thriller The Sister as an ebook primarily, knowing that at 214,000 words the chances of a publisher being interested were slim . . . I have published a paperback version using createspace and although it is a fairly hefty tome at 6" x 9", it works out with 10pt Times new roman - surprisingly - at only 512 pages.

The book itself has been quite well received in a number of places, it has had some good reviews on authonomy and goodreads, as well as amazon, where a generous preview can be found below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Sister-Max-China-ebook/dp/B00GT6ZOHS/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s...

Thanks.
Max

I've traditionally published a dozen books, starting in 1996. Time flies!

I have published 2 middle grade novels using 2 different self publishing companies. Then I discovered createspace, where I have another middle grade book and a childrens picture book. I am finally starting to hear a little noise about my books. Yea!

I published my first book, (The Diluted Church) an exposé on religious politics of the conservative type, in 2005. The book was unlike anything on the market, arguing that religious Conservatives DO NOT have the biblical mandate or basis to stand on as they think. This book is groundbreaking because it takes the support basis religious Conservatives use and turns it on its ear, simply because that what the Bible actually shows if all is to be considered.

The book is one that Liberals and Conservatives will like and hate all at the same time. It begins my trek into what the Kingdom of God is all about, something which takes steam out of both the Liberal and Conservative agenda. Something either side can only look at, but never touch.

--- I've given some thought into reformulating this book to parley it directly at the religious Liberal perspective as it is not a solution or alternative to the religious conservative perspective. This option remains to be seen. It would be a herculean job because Liberals have as many excuses and obstacles as Conservatives. Liberalism is just an opposite extreme of Conservatism.

What The Diluted Church says is that "the church" can't be what God intended when it is wrapped in a political agenda and lived out on a political stage. And since the initial version is directed mainly at Conservatives, Liberals make think they are a-okay, when in fact their view is just as bankrupt.

Interesting Note: In 2008 my book was cited positively in a Doctoral Dissertation in Belgium: Spiritual Mapping: The Turbulent Career of a Contested American Missionary Paradigm, 1989-2005.

The book also got reviews from Dr. Greg Boyd and many others.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Diluted-Church-Believers-Heritage/dp/0976522209?tag=65...
http://www.amazon.com/Diluted-Church-Calling-Believers-Heritage-ebook/dp/B00H29N...

I am a reader as well as a writer but it seems I am turning into an editor as, since proof reading two of my son's books I have now been approached by a fiction writer to look over his book.
I will now research qualifications, but most of the editors I know are published writers and perhaps that is all that is needed?

Oldstick,
I know what you mean. I am a reader/published author/editor as well. Kind of fell into the editing part.
For the work that I do on editing the major skill is to be willing to learn and to research what you don't know, even if it is something as simply as what does a word mean and how exactly should it be used.

Hi there,
I am a published writer and I have had two collections of short stories published by small independents in San Francisco. My most recent collection is Cafe Le Whore and Other Stories. A writer I have translated was recently nominated for Man Booker International. I have also edited/translated a book for Penguin India as well in 2004. The following links will provide some information about the book and me.

moazzamsheikh.blogspot.com
&
http://www.amazon.com/Cafe-Le-Whore-Other-Stories/dp/0984377697

cheers
-moazzam

I am a new author, this is my first book, it is a children's book to inspire our young readers, and create a new kind of bed time story time. It is going to be a series. The title is Jeremya Jones a King's Kid. I am in chapter nine of part two. This is very new and exciting!

I am a new author, this is my first book, it is a children's book to inspire our young readers, and create a new kind of bed time story time. It is going to be a series. The title is Jeremya Jones a King's Kid. I am in chapter nine of part two. This is very new and exciting! I am published with westbow press.

who are the publishing companies?

I am self published through westbowpress, this is my first book. I am trying to get more exposure, this is a kind of slow process un less you got money to invest and the process is faster. check out Jeremya Jones a King's Kid!......http://www.jeremyajonesakingskid.com/

Good one!.... thank you!

I am published through a small, indie for The Colors Trilogy,www.ColorsTrilogy.com.

The Colors of Friendship published in August 2013.
The Colors of Love published in November 2013.
True Colors publishes March 25, 2014.

I've written a self-published women's small group Bible study which is currently available through Amazon, Smashwords, Lulu, and Barnes and Noble. It's doing well and has developed into a 6 book series, the rest of which will be made available every few months throughout 2014.

Hello! I'm new to the group. My true crime book will be published by McFarland Publishing in 2015. It's currently in the editing stage. No title or cover yet! Working title is: "Stealing Sisi's Star: How a master thief nearly got away with Austria's most famous jewel."

Self-published, children's fiction. Working on a series for ages 6-10

I just launched Books 2 and 3 of my Draconia series two months ago in ebook format.

Draconia: Fractured Dream (Book 2)
Draconia: Rehatching (Book 3)

I've recently been published by a small publisher.

Yes! I have just published my first novel. Seeing my book, for real and finally all done and looking just as I had hoped it would look, was truly a magical moment and yes I did jump up and down - I was that happy. I am certain that my fellow writers know what I mean when I describe the feeling of having published that first book.

"He Counts Their Tears" was published by Dog Ear Publishing and is the story of Dr. Aaron Stein, a charming psychopath.( Amazon.com)
www.hecountstheirtears.com

So love the name of the publishing company! How did you feel, though, tackling the character and the subject? May I aks what motivated you to write it? The title is brilliant.

I have published a short story book titled The Seven Shades.This book has been given five stars by Readers'favorite.com in its review. It is selling on amazon and BookRix.com

Ravi Ranjan Goswami

I've self-published several titles, both fiction and nonfiction. I've been writing for as long as I can remember then moved into ebooks a few years ago and finally my first paperbacks this year - a business title (Why YOU SUCK at Network Marketing) and a paranormal erotica novella (Madame Broussard's Incredibly Disturbing House of Whores). Both are on Amazon and Smashwords.

My first book will be out in hard cover this coming January:

Lavi: The United States, Israel, and a Controversial Fighter Jet

Hardcover - 450 pages
Published by Potomac Books

From 1980 to 1987, the Lavi fighter was the largest weapons development effort ever undertaken by the State of Israel - either before or since. Far from being just another weapons program, the Lavi became a microcosm for both the U.S.-Israel relationship, and for Israeli society itself - a study in the ambitions, fears, and internal divisions that have shaped each of them. It is a story whose breadth and significance has never been fully told - until now.

Lavi traces the evolution of Israel’s Lavi fighter program from the conceptual studies which preceded it during the 1970s, up through the program’s cancellation in August of 1987, and beyond – to examine its ramifications for policy makers today. Most importantly, this narrative places in context this chain of events, exploring the societal and strategic pressures which shaped the Lavi’s development, and the political battlefield on which it eventually fell.

It's available now for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:
http://www.amazon.com/Lavi-United-States-Controversial-Fighter/dp/1612347223
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lavi-john-w-golan/1121727253

I also maintain an author's blog on the book:
http://john-golan.blogspot.com/p/my-publications.html

Speaking as an author, I can say that this project was a long time in coming. Although I'd published a few articles here and there, getting this book published was an effort that spanned more than a decade - with many rejection letters along the way. The only advice I can give is to learn from the rejections, and find a way to craft a better book through the process. Writing a great book is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hello all. I've been a member for a while, but I've decided to get serious about using what the site has to offer. I'm having trouble finding the link to establish an author page here. I thought I had it, but now I'm not so sure. I was going to "claim" my books on Amazon, but I'm stumped. Any help would be appreciated.

>265 RobbLightfoot: Find one of your books in LT, and in the right side bar should be a box asking if you're the author, thus allowing the contact to the LT staff about becoming a LT author.

I'm a published writer as well as a book collector. Three books with a small press.

I've published both ways. I've got two travel photojournal books that were self-published (Lulu, one picked up by Barnes & Noble) on Ireland and Scotland. Then I wrote two full travel guides, one on Ireland and one on Scotland, both published by small press (Tirgearr Publishing, about 200 authors). Tirgearr also published my first historical fiction novel, and I'm on contract for the prequel (due out June!). My first novel written, Better To Have Loved, was published by No Cube Press, which is a micro-press - she's just got four authors so far. Brand new.

I'm another if the trendy hybrid publishers. I have a space opera trilogy that is trad-published (one book out, two being released this year) and a science fiction (the aliens invade Belfast) that I self published last year. They're all under the name Jo Zebedee, so I used the same copyeditor etc to keep continuity.

I also have a fantasy due for release in 2017 from a new publisher.

Hi - Greendragon, so did you just submit your work to different small publishers until you got some interest?

Jozeb - I must seek that out, I like Belfast for visits and stuff. It would be interesting to read the city from that angle :)

Thanks! It was fun writing it.

Fwiw, for small publishers, a lot of it seems to happen by networking and word of mouth. Certainly, I came across my publisher on a shared forum.

I was very lucky in that I had developed a friendship with a publisher (by accident and a mutual friend who neither of us like anymore) before I was ready to publish my first travel guide. Kemberlee at Tirgearr was just about ready to branch out from publishing romances when I pitched the idea of my Ireland: Mystical, Magical, Mythical travel guide. Since she had been a travel planner for Ireland, she thought it would be a great start, and it has done well. She accepted my Scotland: Stunning, Strange and Secret guide and my first novel Legacy of Hunger but wasn't interested in Better To Have Loved. I submitted it to several others, but got rejections. I rewrote several more times, and then submitted it to No Cube Press. Again, I knew the person who owned it before she became a publisher. I've been competing with her at Settlers of Catan Tournaments at Dragoncon for about five years. She decided to start up a micro-press publishing company, and I'm her first fiction novel. (She did three textbooks before).

jozeb: Aliens in Belfast! Perfectly believable! :)

I self published two books of poetry while in college.

Now I have another poetry book, a novel and a memoir that I am trying to get published through a major house. I have an agent considering my work.

Wish me luck!

Hi, I've just joined this group. I am a published author. My tenth novel has just been released. I write historical novels based on my family history research in Australia since 1788 (First Fleet of convicts from Britain). I write for the love of it, not as a profession. I am a psychologist by profession.

I am a published author

I'm both. Published back in the day by Putnam/Berkley and also by St. Martin's Press. Self published via Kindle and Create Space. I currently have a book on Amazon's Scout platform called Van Ripplewink: You Can't Go Home Again. I would appreciate it if people would go to Amazon Scout and read and perhaps nominate the book. Anyway, if the book is not picked up by Scout I will continue to try and find a publisher. Thanks in advance to anyone who 'clicks' on the book at Scout.

I have published three novels, the most recent being the adventure/mystery Blackbeard's Lost Treasure published by Black Rose Writing.

I also write sports articles. For the fourth year in a row, I had an article published in the college football preview magazine The Signal Caller.

Hello everybody. I just joined. I have published a lot of freelance journalism over the years, and lately short stories and poetry. My first book, I Need a Job, Now What? was traditionally published - it was a work for hire so I just got a flat fee. The book did very well and they reissued it as Getting a Job and put it on audiotape. I have no access though to actual sales figures. This time I self published Dream Job, Wacky Adventure of an HR Manager, my comic debut novel, through Lulu. I am struggling to get noticed and to know what to spend money on.

Looking forward to sharing with the group.

Hi. I just joined. I've had 7 non-fiction technical books (software/system engineering) published by major publishers, and have three fiction books (primarily action/adventure, apocalyptic science fiction, modern paranormal fantasy) that I've self published as an indie author. My most recent book was released June 1st, and I am currently working on the third book in my Hell Hole series. If you're interested, you can find out more at my author website, http://donaldfiresmith.com.
Donald George Firesmith

Hi :-) Still very new here. Yes I'm published. 5 ebooks so far through traditional publishers.

I joined a while back, but haven't posted (I don't think.) I have finished my manuscript, and want to go the traditional publishing route so I've begun the search for an agent.

I just got a third novel published! (fifth book, third novel)

It occurs as odd to me that you got the response you did. A real writer is somebody who writes. I would love to be a career author - that's the goal of what I'm doing. Obviously I write because I love it, but it seems the best way to make a living is to do something you love and work it in such a way that the money comes along with it. Seventeen novels, three under contract, short story collection... it all sounds pretty great to me!

I've been published in magazines,mostly history.Last piece published in December 2015.Have something in the works for this year which I am hoping will have spinoff affect.

I have self-published three books through Amazon and CreateSpace. I enjoy having control of my own destiny! That probably means I'm a control freak.

Hello, everyone! I'd love to get thoughts/opinions on how an author can get reviews for his book. That author, of course, being me. While my book isn't self-published, it IS from a very small publishing house in New York so there's virtually no budget for promotion. I've been able to work blogs to earn 65 reviews on Amazon, and a 4.8 rating. However, I want to branch out and get the book in the hands of more reviewers to get their thoughts. So....any suggestions? And if it helps, here's a link to the book's Amazon page.

https://www.amazon.com/Cant-idates-Running-President-Nobody-Knows/dp/0692606378?...

Thanks!

Craig Tomashoff (ctomashoff@gmail.com)

In answer to the original post (and talk about being late to a party!), yes. Self-published science fiction author. I just finished a five book series (War of the Second Iteration) and have only now begun to make a serious effort at self-promotion. It seemed to me along the way that it would be easier to do so with a completed series than a work in progress. Early efforts seem to bear that out. My weblog currently serves as my "website." There's a tab there ("Desert Stars Publishing") that will introduce you to the books, if you're so inclined. Feel free to rummage around in the other stuff if you drop by.

https://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/

And a question to the group. How many of you use public appearances of some sort (I do signings at a local book store and participate in local & regional science fiction conventions) to promote your work? I've been pleased with the results I've had so far, but sometimes get the impression I'm in a minority of authors who embrace such opportunities.

MY DEBUT NOVEL JUST CAME OUT YESTERDAY ACTUALLY (Thus why I'm on here - my story had an outdated cover hahah).

See? See? See? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y16YVG3/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&q...

hahah I was published by a small agency called REUTs Publications :)
Took me four years from contract to yesterday - but worth it.

Hi Anothermisfit - only just saw your post - congratulations - how's it doing?

I haven't seriously wandered down the trad publishing route. Since I also do graphic design in my day job, I'm perfectly capable of writing, layouts, and cover artwork on my own. I also edit for other authors on the side when time permits, so I handle most of the heavy lifting in that regard too. Unless I could find a publisher willing to go 115% out with marketing, there doesn't seem to be much point in bothering with them. I'd rather pocket my royalties and reinvest them back into marketing (and, lately, the cost of having an audiobook produced).

Not judging anyone who feels strongly either way. I'm just saying it's probably not ever going to be for me.

I've published non-fiction books and textbooks through various traditional publishers as well as scholarly articles in refereed journals and law reviews for many years. As a fun project, I've also self-published collections of short fiction and poetry using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, CreateSpace (for paperback books) and ACX for the audiobook version of my newest short story collection.

You can download a complete short story free of charge from Smashwords every month. If you'd like to download the current month's free short story selection, you can do so from my Smashwords page (scroll down and look for the title that is currently listed as Free--changes periodically) here: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VictorDLopez. I also post my current book or short story give-aways one one of my blogs: https://victordlopezauthorblog.blogspot.com/

I am a published female writer. My debut book is actually a poetry book that I'm very proud of. I've mostly gotten positive comments on it. I never thought this day would come so soon but thank God it did!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35654010-philanthropy

I write specialty non-fiction.

According to an article published by the Text and Academic Authors Association, average monograph total sales are only 150 copies. Further, lots of academic and scholarly publishers do not keep their titles in print. I have a title which has gone through two micro-publishers. I started up my own imprint when the second one went out of business. My total sales for my first title exceed 150 copies. My goal is to keep my titles in print.

Incidentally, I am told that my first title has been acquired by libraries on three continents. I obviously don't do this to support myself.

I do not recommend using of the Amazon publishing programs. Amazon is not just a monopoly, but their publishing programs allow them to make a profit when they charge readers the same price that bookstores pay to stock your titles.

I was interested in your comment about not using Amazon publishing programs. I write historical/paranormal fiction and I published my first two novels using Createspace and KDP. I found them fairly easy to navigate and I will be publishing my third novel this year. I have been seeing a lot of chatter on Facebook groups I'm part of, and in general, that there are better options than Amazon. I'll have to look into it a bit more before I make a decision for the third. One of the main hurdles of publishing with Amazon and living in Australia, is that it costs a fortune to get the paperbacks delivered here.

I just wrote a book that I self published. The problem with that is that the major bookstores won't order self published books because they can't return them.

>298 drummer3333:

Almost all my self-published book sales were electronic.

I think sales of physical books is maybe it's at 2-3% of my total sales? Somewhere around there.

Despite all the negatives associated with Amazon, having your book on there means you have access to the millions of people who use Amazon. There's certainly no reason I can think of not to have your book on Amazon AND in other markets to maximize exposure, assuming you want to reach the greatest number of readers/possible sales.

I decided seven years ago to self-publish with Booklocker.com. They produced a quality-looking product at less expense than what their print-on-demand competitors charge. A month ago I had them publish my second historical novel and am pleased with the looks of it. I like being independent of Amazon.

Self introduction
I flunked English Literature and eventually passed English Language (10 years ago discovered I am dyslexic).

Published my first book with the owner of a magazine. 50-50 split on gross profit. Financially my most profitable deal.

My second book was commissioned by Newnes-Elsevier - Financially my worst deal.

Most of my recent books are self published on Amazon as Kindle eBooks. Happy with Amazon - but wasted months trying to convert my first eBook to print edition - eventually gave up. (I'm and engineer and have used computers email since 1980! DON'T try to produce hardcopy on Amazon - it will end in tears.)

Recent Hardcopy books are converted from Kindle eBooks to CreateSpace. This was a good process EXCEPT - do not mention AMAZON (or #1 Best Selling Author) anywhere within CreateSpace - it throws up - will not 'publish' NOR will it tell you why!!!!! It now takes only 3 days to create the cover (Photoshop) and create a Print Edition.

Most of my books are non-fiction and written for engineers / managers - hence low quantities sold. Income is not high I use these eBooks to leverage sales on $10k products - so it is advertising that pays for itself. - Not a bad deal.

Currently working on a large project - this will be a complete rewrite of a book that was commissioned by one of my publishers - (about 250 pages) and likely to exceed 350 pages. I am currently looking for a Copy Editor and a literary Agent and would appreciate input - guidance - warnings.

Thanks

Gregg Kervill | eMail Author@Kervill.com | Websites: www.PhoenixTechnicalGroup.com & www.GKCL.com)

I am a recently published author! :)

My books were printed back in September and listed for sale at an online bookstore in October.

And yeah, self-published author here.

Hey, I'm a young author trying to write my own book. And when I say young. I mean really young. Sometimes I question if I can actually do it. I feel like I'm doing a good job but on the other hand, I feel like I'm not doing it right. I really need opinions and feedback. My email is mbergeron4563@gmail.com I can give someone the chapters that I already wrote, and you can give me feedback, good or bad. I really need it.

-Struggling author

Technically yes, (I made a joke to a friend about being an "internationally published writer" when he was asking about my into for a wedding speech and he took it seriously), but only in the sense that I have a handful of poems out there, all in non-paying markets across a few magazines in the USA and the UK, and a couple fiction pieces but that's about it. I would love to actually write professionally and I keep thinking about it but my snail's pace of writing isn't conducive to making a living out of it.

I do intend to publish a book one day, and right now I'm working on a "poetic" manuscript that's a mix of themed bits and pieces. I do get jealous when I see all these new books everywhere, especially in poetry, and gripe that I don't have anything out yet. I've tried to write a novel some six times and had had no success, so I had decided that I am to be a writer of short things.

I am what people call a "print snob" though I'm considering online publication more, especially as I'm also looking into self-publishing. My gripes with self-publishing are that effectively anyone with money can do it so it takes no talent, but on the other hand, to successfully market and sell does take skill as well. I'm also thinking about it more as what I want to write probably has a limited market, and I've seen it suggested that poets might be better off self-publishing. Although, with the new poetry books I'm seeing around in bookstores, maybe I'll have a look at print again. It's less snobbery now, and more that I like to have something to hold, and computer print-outs just aren't the same.

If course, if I intend to actually publish something, I'll need to finish something. ;). Again, snail. Snail that stops to appreciate the flowers, and then write unfinished poetry about them.

Hi Bookworm323. I hope you received some emails in response to your request. I'm not really able to give you feedback - way too old - but I hope that you do receive the help and support that you need. If not - keep going anyway. I'm sure you'll work it out along the way.

I have self-published five books - I did try traditional publishers originally but I'm a bit impatient and found the delays of several months when I was ready to go quite infuriating. I guess I'm a control freak too.

I have over thirty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries. I have books available from a variety of publishers (hardcovers, paperbacks, ebooks and audiobooks) including Dark Regions Press and Severed Press, and my work has appeared in a large number of professional anthologies and magazines.

I'm self published, but lately I've been preferring the title "indie author" because I'm treating book sales a business venture.

I've published an article with Amazon, "Dorothy B. Hughes:The Woman in Black". This article was accepted by Black Mask Magazine a few months ago, but their contract was ridiculous, and the magazine hasn't put anything out in about a year, as far as I can see. Anyway, Hughes doesn't have a bio, so I wrote an article that encompasses both her professional and personal life.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NW6WG1Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2Y39F54LGDH76&keywords=...

Self-Published. Just this last week.

Congratulations!

Well said.

Hello all,

I am new at using LibraryThing. I now have seven children's picture books published, but like most authors am struggling to have them promoted/publicized. I have had wonderful feedback from those who have read them (I have copies of five of them in our school library here in Cameroon and will bring back the other two when I am in Canada this summer), but people don't like to write/post reviews so spreading the word has been a very slow process. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer in this regard.

Dawn

Hi All

I am new at using Library Thing. I am a regular blogher, photgrapher, poet and travel blogher too. At present I am working on a Novella about unusual love story in the Fiction genre. Recently got my Non Fiction book published in the self help section. It is about cooing strategies with mental illness. It is based on personal experience. Can anyone tell me where to get it reviewed?

I have several books published by a small press. My most recent novel is Spinster Kang at http://www.librarything.com/work/23327137, set in Toronto, Canada, and Moscow, Russia. Kang is a Chinese immigrant in Toronto. Impacted by her sister’s misery, she distrusts the man. However, ironically and funnily, as a confirmed spinster, she falls in love.

I hope it will interest some of you. Thanks!

I have had a few books published in various fields - Logic Lists English as a vocabulary builder series for literacy purposes, Two joke books. Two short story collections and two collections of aphorisms. Most copies bought were by me for promotion purposes but the odd one or two were genuine sales. I will never die rich or famous I don't think. I also create what I call Ransom Note Art pieces, words and images cut out of newspapers and magazines, plus from sweet and food wrappers. I also created posters and t-shirt designs but like a flock of Dodos, they never took off. My freeware site for Logic Lists has had twelve and a half thousand hits (if only the sales reflected this! As it is twelve is the maximum sold). I also used to make gifts for friends, from Alien Eggs, emptied of their gunge and replaced with found items off the streets, when I use to deliver leaflets in Glasgow: yellow plastic BB shot, toys, models and costume jewellery etc. Still I enjoyed doing all this and like to tell people that I am the most productive and multi-talented failure I know!

Hello, fellow writers/authors. I am an Orthodox Christian in the US. So far, I have published with a small independent publisher one nonfiction work. I have other nonfiction works in process, and perhaps a fiction piece that just started stewing in the back of my head.

Self-published, via Amazon (I've listed our book in my library as proof!). My wife, Valerie & I published our picture book (for Kindle) on Oct. 30th. The paperback will be out by the end of next week (Dec. 6th-ish). The text for four more picture books is done. Val, who also does the illustrations, has completed work for one of them. We're looking at late January to publish that. If you're thinking about self-publishing, I can tell you there is quite a learning curve, but it's very interesting. The time investment is considerable and there are expenses, but overall I'd say we're very pleased with the process. Oh, and hi, Naz!

New author, just published my first book in January 2020. It's exciting and a lot of hard work (the marketing - Writing turned out to be the easy part)

I've just self-published two short detective stories available on Amazon.

I have nine books published now, all through a small publisher in the US. From what I have seen, most self-published authors are doing a much better job of getting their books 'out into the world' than I have been able to do by going through a publisher.

I have 11 books self-published between 2019 and 2020. They are bildungsroman or training novels, very introspective, in which love and self-search have a relevant part. They are the result of a lhngo story review work that I have written over the course of a decade and that only now have I decided to publish.

I am self-published, as well, and looking for reviewers. I have a memoir.

Yes, I was published by Z Publishing House in "Best Emerging Poets of Nevada 2019: An Anthology."

>326 WritingBeautifully: Congrats! It's always fun to see your creations in print!

I am a Self Published Christian Author. My Christian books are on AMAZON, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and other online ebook stores.
I also write various other Christian articles which I publish on my social network.

I am a self-published writer. I am just starting out.

>329 eshazard: Welcome to the club. What have you written so far?

No, but I am in the middle of writing one. If anyone could help me, I need feedback but am afraid to show my friends and family.

>329 eshazard: welcome

>315 smitasingh06: There are directories/lists of book bloggers who do reviews. https://bookbloggerlist.com/ and many others. I like the librarything giveaway as a reader, but I don't know how effective it is from the author's end.

>333 StorybookCat: I did the whole reaching out to bloggers earlier this year. Let me tell you, it was quite exhausting. I visited 200+ sites over the course of a month and received some interest, reviews, and some guest post opportunities. Was it worth it? I did spend a lot of time for not very much return, but I did see some interesting sites and connected with a few people. So, I guess it was.

Oh course, there are companies/people who arrange blog tours.

I am working on getting a group going for cross-promotions, if anyone is interested.

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1128785-goodreads-authors-cross-promotion-n...

I may do a similar group here if people would rather stay here.

>334 LeonStevens: That's good to know. I'm blogging right now, and it's a lot to sift through. There are books coming in from all over the world, and I've had to set pretty narrow submission criteria to keep it manageable. I'm trying to figure out the marketing end for when I finish my own book. Do you have any tips?

>335 StorybookCat: I think the most important thing is to get a readership/mailing list/following as soon as you can so that when your book comes out you already have pre-sales and/or reviews. Social media is important, but crowded. And there is a lot of competition.

Having a website and having free samples (reader magnets) to build your list is what most indie authors are doing.

There is so much more...

>336 LeonStevens: Thanks!

I've just published a travel/cookbook about maple syrup and maple products. It's on Amazon.

>334 LeonStevens: Hi, I tried to join your cross-promotions group but got a red box saying that I had to be 18+. Which I am. Way beyond that magic number! I tried going to the link mentioned therein but no joy. Any suggestions? Thanks.