Day 7...This 6 Letter Word is the Reason I Self-Publish

Welcome to Day 7...

One week out and still (at least for the moment) going strong.

Okay, so let's get to it...

Someone asked me the other day why I self publish...

The truth was, after months of querying my first book Deadly Shadows, I quickly realized the self publishing/e-publishing route was going to be my only option.

Here's my story...

When I finished  Deadly Shadows, I sent out a bunch of query letters to agents. I got some responses back saying they weren't interested and I also got some follow up requests to send chapters.  Some of those responses while favorable - they liked the characters, they liked my writing - all ended up being non-starters.  Some said to check in again in a few months...

Really?

The first round of querying  took months and I was still no closer to getting published.

That's when e-publishing entered my small world.

And the more I learned the more I liked...

• Between editing, cover design, release and print schedules, the traditional publishing process can take up to 18 months...I self-published three books in that time frame.
• Editors at publishing houses have significant input in content, editing and cover art of your story. As author, editor and publisher I get the final say.
• Traditional publishers keep 85% of net on print books.  85%.  With e-publishing your royalty is up to 70% and you get paid every month.  

Fast forward almost two years later, and I've just released my fourth self published book Now You See Me.

If I had any doubts that self publishing wasn't the way to go, I recently read a validating blog post http://janefriedman.com/2014/07/21/i-left-my-agent/ by Claire Cook, best selling author of Must Love Dogs.

In it she tells her story of how even best-selling authors are getting the proverbial shaft from the big publishing houses.  I read her account with a mix of curiosity and horror.  If that's the case now, what hope do us little guys with big dreams have?

Higher royalties...final say on cover and content...quicker turn around time to market... 

It all comes down to that 6 Letter Word for why I Self-Publish....

C-o-n-t-r-o-l

Keep in mind they say with reward comes great responsibility...more on that soon. 

So first week down...on Day One I posted some to do's for last week (I hope you did too) so let's revisit what got accomplished...

• Finish writing and polishing two scenes in my latest book Never Let Me Go. Done - Scene 1 - added 1604 words, scene 2 added 1067 words
• Complete an edit review of one of my previous books - Deadly Shadows    Done
• Brainstorm marketing ideas  Done
• Set up a weekly marketing schedule -  Done - I'll be taking some marketing To Do's straight from my marketing list watch for that tomorrow 
• Write and polish a new blog post for Synchronicity  TBD - will get to that next week

Let's plan to make a new list for tomorrow.

So for now...

Today's Take Away lesson...

Whenever you hit a dead, keep on the look out because there's always an alternate route in life...even in the publishing game. So if your queries are getting stuck in a slush pile - it might be time to move ahead on your own. Remember, you're in control...

Here's to Being All In,

Maggie