Self-Publishing? Is It a Great Divide? Part 10 of 12
Welcome to all who are new, and come here regularly. Great to have you here. Editing, Marketing, Publishing, Writing… do they really have anything in common? Or do we just think they do? Does the same go in a self-published book?
Given that this is my blog or at least my post, I’ll give you my own opinion. Please everyone, you can’t jump into the computer to vent your rage upon my neck! ha ha. No but really, I might be able to say a bit of both good and bad.
I think that everyone in the business of writing is linked and an unbroken chain. You write because you want to have a voice that will be heard. You publish said book ( be it fiction or non-fiction) because you believe that voice needs to be heard by others. I’m the first to admit that money is needed to make a career out of being a writer, but by the same token, what we perceive as needed in terms of money is completely different for each writer.
But there are other aspects to publishing: editing and marketing. if you don’t edit your work, your marketing will be very limited to a small network. Yesterday’s little post was my response to a friend. He commented that people who aren’t writers (or rather don’t want to be writers, or consider themselves as such) view writing differently than people who write the writer’s path. everyone has one, it might be long or short, or it might veer into different aspects, such as self-publishing or traditional publishing. Granted I had a bit of fun, and made it extreme (I hope!) yet the question in mind mind for going with the different paths is this:
How can you know?
Simple, know at least a bit of marketing. Once you’ve had the book edited by someone, anyone, other than you the author, next think about marketing. If it’s a niche market maybe if you’re lucky in this case you’d sell 200 books to people not in the target area.), what better way to get a book in ones hands than self-publishing. Use local printers where possible, but also look to the smaller vanity presses, with eyes open, and a concept of how much it really costs.
Should your book be marketable to a wider audience, based on your target audience, I think it’s safe to start to look at the myriad of options that you can do. Agents, small press, mid press, the list can go on. Again, eyes wide open to both before and after the publishing of any book. Believe me, when my book comes out and is available, this blog will have the link!
But, that’s getting ahead of myself, as I’m still getting it edited. See Rachel Sentes’s blog for information. Spelling mistakes that spell check won’t see… well, it could always be better. Still at some point it will be publishable, and then the marketing begins in full swing, not that I haven’t done that yet. It’s a non-fiction about World War Two, from the view of German soldiers on the Eastern front. So… can you guess where it can be marketed?
My Question for you today is this: What is the most rewarding aspect to the above four mentioned things: Marketing, Publishing, Writing, and Editing?
11 Comments
Alissa
I write because I love writing, but certainly getting published can feel rewarding as well.
Al
Marketing – I hate marketing. I have done little except to represent or raise money for charities I work for. So the only satisfaction is $.
Publishing – still trying to get this to happen for me so it is just hard work.
Writing – love it, love it, love it.
Editing – Broad brush stroke editing of my own work I like. I can't copyedit my own stuff. I see what I think is there, not what IS there.
PrettySiren
Really, writing is the most rewarding aspect of writing. Just getting your book finished and knowing you've accomplished something is truly amazing.
The most rewarding aspect of editing is knowing you've made something good become better.
The most rewarding aspects of marketing and publishing is that you're showing the world what you've done.
At least, those are my thoughts. But I think they'd be pretty universal amongst writers.
jenniferneri
The writing. The editing is a close second (making that writing shine). The publishing, which is the obvious goal, does not hold the same permanent satisfaction for me as the writing does (and I have to say I was surprised by this!).
~♥Sonya
You are such a talented writer Rebecca. I only recently found your blog and I enjoyed reading it so much. I am going to be very busy going back to read your previous posts.
Sam
I remember how rewarding it was to see my byline for the first time. It's hard to pick just one aspect of it, but I suppose it's publishing. One can enjoy writing and feel accomplished for having written, but to know someone else enjoyed your work enough to publish it is an awesome feeling.
Alex Jenson
Good advice. Writing is the best part of the process, when it starts flowing, even if you know that it has to change with the 2nd draft. I finished my first novella which is coming out in paperback later this year. My marketing strategy, because it's not a big publiser, is to give away free copies of the e-book and use a blog site to subtly promote the book without ramming it down people's throats. When the release date gets closer the marketing will become more proactive with press releases etc. Editing is intertwined with rewriting..if you are doing a novella I think you can get away with self-editing as long as you get ruthless with your work. The internet makes promotion alot easier. I could not imagine having a small publisher in the days without computers, but it's still a uphill battle.
Lee Beth
Hello I just found your blog. New follower. Really like what I've read so far. I should be coming back again. Feel free to check out my blog if you'd like. Have a great day.
B.J. Anderson
Writing. And I have to say editing is a big reward, too. To see your baby blossom into everything you hoped it could be. Sigh. Love it.
Anonymous
writing is the best part. I put much effort into writing.
nonix
writing hmmm it is like creating something we have experienced before or writing something of our imagination. wouw it will generate something worthy right,a reward, of course.yeah i agree with it.thank u 4 reading