Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: Should You Self-Publish? Ten Questions to Ask Your...

Thank you for stark reminders and balanced questio...

2012-01-17T06:06:06.166-08:00

Thank you for stark reminders and balanced questioning. Found it very thought provoking.

Loved the post Nathan. Appreciate your credibilit...

2011-09-03T08:01:38.041-07:00

Loved the post Nathan. Appreciate your credibility and unbiased opinion.

I'm still a little confused. I've read that if a publisher picks up my book I'm responsible for marketing it. Marketing was the main benefit I originally saw to having a publisher. Can you please explain the benefits of traditional publishing?

Thanks!

Reading this makes me excited and nervous at the s...

2011-03-29T20:21:08.100-07:00

Reading this makes me excited and nervous at the same time. I've been looking into self-publishing and getting pretty excited about it, but I just worry about the stigma and taboo still attached to it. I don't want to be lumped in with the bad writers, since after all, anyone can self-publish, regardless of quality. And it's not that I don't believe that with a lot of hard work, I could be published traditionally, it's just I know how long that could take, while in the meantime, my self-published book could be on Kindle overnight and people could be reading it. Great questions to ask though, definitely lots to think about.

Great, honest, and unbiased advice without bashing...

2010-12-19T08:49:36.981-08:00

Great, honest, and unbiased advice without bashing anyone side!!!

The best solution I found was AuthorAgency.com, who will try to help you get traditionally published, or self published.

Thank you. This was probably the best advice that...

2010-12-08T18:09:28.917-08:00

Thank you. This was probably the best advice that I could have received right now. Struggling to find an agent, and debating the self publish. I am going to take your advice and take my time to do the research. I don't need to rush into anything as you said.

It's difficult to find advice into an industry that not many people have knowledge!

I am not sure I can express my gratitude enough!!

Great post, Nathan. Full disclosure: I'm bias...

2010-08-02T12:55:56.298-07:00

Great post, Nathan.

Full disclosure: I'm biased, as the self-pubbed author of Justice For All, a mystery/suspense novel.

It seems to me that the question these days isn't so much traditional vs. self-published, but rather, "How hard are you willing to work to market your book?"

Traditional publishers often expect their writers to take on much of the marketing burden themselves...especially unproven newbies. Yes, they can open the doors to brick-and-mortar stores, but with the growth of Kindle and e-books, that's less and less of a benefit. So if you're going to be responsible for marketing anyway...why not keep more of the proceeds of your work?

If a self-pubbed author is willing to take the marketing ball and run with it, they can do as well financially as they would with a publisher, since they're keeping more of the purchase price.

So the question is more about how well the book is marketed than how it got into print (or pixels).

Dear Nathan. Thank you for your insight! I’ve also...

2010-07-19T07:20:50.129-07:00

Dear Nathan. Thank you for your insight! I’ve also read your post on Self-Publishing and Your Writing Career. I have a somewhat interesting situation for you. I went out to query with my fiction novel last year. I received 8 offers of representation from top agents in NY. I chose one (not the shark, I didn’t want to be a number…silly me). Still my agent was a powerhouse (just not a YA powerhouse). We went out to publishers and got a lot of interest but no takers. I have since written another YA novel that I am going out to query with (new agent because of personal reasons, not because I don’t love my current agent who is wonderful). But what do I do about the first novel? Self-publish or put it in a drawer? I find myself wanting to get my work out there – it’s not vanity or frustration. I just want readers to enjoy it and I don’t want to wait for a 3 year cycle to get it published – 1 to query, 2 to book on shelf. What do you think? Is this a mistake? Should I give the new agent a chance to sell that one too?

Nathan, Thank you for pointing out all of the step...

2010-04-10T07:37:34.089-07:00

Nathan,
Thank you for pointing out all of the steps involved with self-publishing.

As one commenter already mentioned, self-publishing appeals to writers with an entrepreneurial spirit and above all else, a willingness to learn. Life is all about learning. Every single day. My sister and I started up our own company, but we had to close it down a year later, for lack of customers. I learned a thing or two from that experience. Do your research first, then make an informed decision. Has the experience crushed my spirit to try new things? No!

Later last year, once I finished my manuscript, I decided to go the traditional route by querying agents. Seven months later, I have not been able to secure representation.

Living in Canada, we only have a handful of agents to choose from: approximately 20 (that I've been able to research so far). A few of those are not taking on any new writers and others are focusing on non-fiction, children's books, poetry or screenplay writers. That left me with less than ten agents. Three have turned me down so far. Two of those agencies were kind enough to state that my writing had compelling elements and a smart endearing style, but my novel didn't fit in their list/too busy to take on new clients.

I'm still waiting on the others. It's been seven months. I haven't heard a single peep from two of them, so I'm taking that as a 'No thank you. Not interested.'

My story does not fit under a specific genre. It's a crossover of young adult, women's, literary and mainstream fiction. I did not begin my writing, thinking I would touch on all of those genres with one single novel, it just sort of happened. Maybe that's a strike against my book. From a business perspective, I always thought diversity was supposed to be a good thing.

There are a couple more agents I will approach, and after that, when the dust settles, I've made the decision to try self-publishing - ebook format, just to see how readers respond to it.

As writers, I've read this time and time again: we are supposed to research the authors within our genre and find out who their agents are. Those are the agents to query.

My question to you is this:
If you were handed one of the best manuscripts you've ever read, but you couldn't fit it in "your particular list" would you take on the project? If your answer is 'no,' why not?

If agents (and publishers) base their "lists" on what they've sold in the past or what's currently hot, how can writers break through the barriers when their work is meant to stand out?

It must be a difficult decision for agents and publishers to make: trying to figure out what readers will respond to (and I don't mean throwing tons of money in their general direction via advertising to try and grab their attention).

Perhaps the time has come for self-published ebooks. I'd like to think of it as the next best thing to gazing into a crystal ball--a means to get a feel for the market with little to no expense upfront.

It has become an alternative for us writers who have done the work, improved our craft and want to take it to the next level. I've spent countless hours on my novels and I'm not prepared to just quietly place them in a drawer and let them disappear.

Thank you for sharing an open mind and launching such an interesting discussion!

It's great that writers do have the opportunit...

2010-04-05T15:32:34.153-07:00

It's great that writers do have the opportunity to take control of their own destinies these days and usually get paid more by self-publishing too. I think the role of publishers, writers and agents is changing and I'm exicited about it. I hope you are too:)

PS. Sorry I haven't been here for a while - too busy writing and building up my blog subscribers (0ver 1000 now) in the hope an agent/publisher will get interested in me:) Lol.... Great to see you're still here ands doing a brilliant job for the writers. Thanks!

I am looking for a literary agent to promo and sel...

2010-04-04T10:54:31.921-07:00

I am looking for a literary agent to promo and sell my latest work, 'The Lupine Effect" a man to wolf to werewolf to man story. There is a vampire as well, but it also has a romantic edge too.If you have an agent friend that is interested in the horror/romance genre could you whisper in his or her ear? Ken K. Chartrand e-mail kenk.c@hotmail.com

Great post, Nathan! This question has been debate...

2010-04-01T04:27:14.803-07:00

Great post, Nathan! This question has been debated endlessly on several writer's sites I'm a member of and the lines are drawn - some are for, others are against. What I'd like to know is what agents and publishers feel about self-published books. We hear all sorts of bad news out there that agents and publishers don't take self-published authors seriously - ever. What about you? Would you take on a novel that was self-published and if so, how many copies would it need to have sold before you would consider it 'worth the risk'?

http://jkellerford.blogspot.com

Thank you for such a great post Mr. Bransford. Thi...

2010-03-30T20:52:03.968-07:00

Thank you for such a great post Mr. Bransford. This post is very open-minded and optimistic compared to the usual "perils of self publishing" posts on many agent blogs.

For me the main issue with traditional publishing is not breaking into it (I will endure) but that the entire model places a higher value on "distribution" than on the writers work itself (which explains division of profits, time cycles, any of the other issues with the industry).

More about an author's current place in the status quo here Pens With Cojones

I'm not entirely sure why your hecklers are so...

2010-03-30T11:17:41.604-07:00

I'm not entirely sure why your hecklers are so up in arms about your list of questions. These are just the writer's equivalent to becoming an entreprenuer. I haven't investigated self-pubbing, since I'm still working on finishing a manuscript, but I have studied what it would take to start my own business with my crafting.

Your list is very similar to the questions I have to ask myself of whether I have what it takes to run a business. It's a lot of work to be your own boss. And it's not for everyone. I still haven't decided if it's for me, but while I think about it, I keep working on my stories.

This was a really fair run-down, Nathan. Great job...

2010-03-29T12:05:43.970-07:00

This was a really fair run-down, Nathan. Great job.

I mentioned this post and one of your others on my blog today.

I self-published my first novel after shopping it ...

2010-03-29T12:00:16.015-07:00

I self-published my first novel after shopping it to about 30 agents (including NB, who rejected it) and it's been a great experience. I've sold a few books (to strangers even!) made relationships with bookstores and generally learned a lot about the process. Do I want to repeat it? Sure--if my next novel doesn't find a traditional home. And why not?

I hold zero animosity toward the publishing industry for rejecting my book. I didn't self-publish to prove a point, but to come full circle on a project and to learn how to market a book. Drawing on my skills as a career graphic designer and communicator, I built a strong website, updated the content to include interviews, bonus info, Q&As, readings and sample chapters, and made use of social media to boost sales. The experience has been a great dry run for a traditionally published book and a demonstration of what I can bring to the table. Whether agents see it the same way when I begin shopping my next novel is another matter.

Yeah! An accurate portrayal of self-publishing. Th...

2010-03-29T04:25:30.230-07:00

Yeah! An accurate portrayal of self-publishing. Thank you!

One thing though: If authors who are self-publishing do it right--purchase their own ISBN, publish under their own imprint, and put out a quality book both in content and design--bookstores (or anyone else for that matter) should have no idea a book is "self-published." Distribution channels are available to "indie" publishers, though of course it is up to them to create the demand for their books.

Excellent, excellent post. I'm an editor/copye...

2010-03-28T14:08:30.770-07:00

Excellent, excellent post. I'm an editor/copyeditor working with a self-publishing author, and he has the process nailed (in addition to me, he's hired a book designer/layout person and a proofreader and he knows exactly what his niche markets are and how to reach them).

As a pre-published writer, however, I'm staying the traditional course because I want to reach a wider audience and I want to write more books.

Can I just add that video is incredible? Who wrot...

2010-03-28T11:06:55.935-07:00

Can I just add that video is incredible?

Who wrote that?

I hope they get an Emmy. That was wonderful.

I'm one of those that self-pubbed and then got...

2010-03-27T08:22:45.388-07:00

I'm one of those that self-pubbed and then got a publisher to pick it up. Your questions are right on. You need to know what you are getting yourself in for. It always amazes me the number of people that I meet that self-pub, they have their website, it's on Amazon, and they want to know why their book isn't selling. I'll go through the short (abbreviated) list of stuff that I did to market my book so it actually sold and they get that glazed expression. They don't want to have to work that hard at getting their book sold. On a side note, it was nonfiction which is generally considered easier to jump from self-pub to traditional if you put the work in. I think nonfiction is just easier to target market than fiction.

I've done it both ways. I succeeded in self-pu...

2010-03-27T05:04:30.513-07:00

I've done it both ways. I succeeded in self-publishing back in the days before there was e-stuff and got my self-pubbed books onto shelves in Borders and Barnes & Noble stores. I was quoted as an expert in one edition of the Ross's guide.

But I held on to my novels for years until I finally sold them to a mass market publisher (HarperCollins/Avon). Here's why: Between the point where I thought my first novel was wonderful and the point where it went into ARCs it went through four complete rounds of revision. And when I say revision I mean I wrote quite a few new scenes, made big cuts, and tweaked the voice.

Those revisions, suggested or requested by accomplished critique partners, including Nathan's brilliant author, Lisa Brackmann, my agent, and my editor at Avon, turned an okay book into something a lot stronger. Every professional author I know has a similar story to tell.

Very few novelists can get far enough away from their books to see what they need to make them good. Paying a supposedly professional editor usually gives a would be author a copyedit, not the kind of edit you need to make your novel compelling.

Beyond that, the techniques that work very well when selling nonfiction wont' work for a novel. Google isn't going to bring you the 100K web site visitors a month it takes to fuel a decent self-publishing sale.

One last word. Mr. Glapp's comments make it clear he's never seen an LSI printed book. I've used a major Michegan book press and LSI (Lightning Source). The quality of the LSI book is, if anything, higher than that of the book press product. And when a customer of mine, in Israel, complained she had received a defective copy--purchased from Amazon, LSI expressed her a replacement three days later at their expense. You can't beat that for service--and you won't get that kind of service from a book press.

I think another aspect is support. I put togeth...

2010-03-27T04:59:15.599-07:00

I think another aspect is support.

I put together a store that sells indie and small publisher books. There are some GREAT books listed on there.

I commented to an indie author that they should check out another book (same genre as theirs) and their comment was:

"on it was self-published?"

Struck me odd as they were also self-published. Is there a self-hating thing going on here?

If indies can't support each other, how do they expect everyone else to come around?

Melissa
www.indiependentbooks.com

I 'self published' my own book and it has ...

2010-03-26T18:42:05.632-07:00

I 'self published' my own book and it has proved to be a great decision. I took great pains to work with a reputable editor, hire a top-notch artist for the cover, and did an off-set run that produced a much higher quality book than LSI or any POD service is capable of.

And of course the best part is that by going that route, I'm able to make enough money on book sales to continue writing (fiction). That's something that some traditionally published authors can't claim.

A close friend was recently dropped from his (major) publishing house due to a lack of sales even though they were in the tens of thousands. My feeling is that if you sell that many books and lose money, your business model needs adjustment.

So his next book will likely be published independently. Much like the music business, being dropped from your label and having to go the independent route can be a great thing for your career.

(also, the word verification for this comment is "brests" and that makes me happy)

'Reports of my death have been greatly exagger...

2010-03-26T14:29:01.912-07:00

'Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.' A famous quote from a famous writer who famously nearly went bust self-publishing his own books, even though he was already one of the world's best selling authors!
Most 'self-publishing success stories' so far are really stories of conventional publishing success, where the author uses self-publishing as an expensive and laborious means of submission to conventional publishers. When and if any self-published edition of a novel sells over 100,000 copies in a year I'll be impressed.
There are other definitions of 'success' of course. Like ELF-publishing! For ELF-help books perhaps? Thanks, Nathan and Zoe Winters.

@Derek G. I totally agree. Self publishing really ...

2010-03-26T10:19:35.201-07:00

@Derek G. I totally agree. Self publishing really is a lot of fun. I worked hard, often into the wee hours of the night, but it never felt like work to me. One day, between promotions and editing, I went a 16-hour day and didn't even feel it. That's when you know you're doing something that you love. If you don't have that attitude going in, it's not for you. Stay the traditional route.

@Dan - so true. I literally started building my readership one reader at a time. And in self-publishing you are at the ground level. There's no "house" between you and the audience (which can be good or bad). For me, it's been all good. And no matter where my career takes me, I will make sure my audience knows they can reach out to me and I'll respond with personal notes and emails like I do today.

I don't know. I always thought self-publishing...

2010-03-26T09:06:21.349-07:00

I don't know. I always thought self-publishing was a lot like opening up a small coffee shop two blocks away from Starbucks. If you look at it closely, I don't see how it's possible to compete. I know there are a few success stories. But just a few.