There's one reason to self-publish that trumps all these reasons--creativity. Publishers aren't looking for new, different things; they're looking for what they think will sell. If I were to finish my manuscript and send it to a publisher it would get zero attention simply because it isn't quite in the mold of the genre. I'm writing the story I want to tell in the way I feel it needs to be told. I don't have to worry about a publisher telling me it needs X, Y, Z changed.
Honestly I don't think that vilifying Piers is particularly classy. It's natural that he is going to articulate his thoughts from a literary agent's standpoint, and whilst I don't agree entirely with his sentiments, he is creating value, certainly more than any of us would typically get from colleagues of his in the industry, who appear able to offer very little other than silence as attested to in this comments section. So thank you!
I'm a hybrid - 20 years ago I had a non-fiction agent and 3 sales. In fiction I'm self published... and I'm at the point that I'd like to re-look at that traditional route. I've read all of the pro-indie, and anti-traditional below, and agree that it's not all rosy in traditional, but I'm happy to re-enter the traditional world again with my eyes wide open. I've sold a few thousand books and that's better than break, but I could service my own car too -- but it's not what I (again, want to) do. I want to bloody well write! As a 30 year entrepreneur the indie path has been an extension of that lifestyle - with both ups and downs. It's the promo that I'm getting sick of. I'm absolutely happy to do it and fund it, I'm just tired of the chains not interested in even taking a call from an indie. That said, I'm glad I've been through this indie exercise. It has made me a better writer. It has made me look critically at my work. It has given me honest feedback that my manuscripts humming away on my hard drive wouldn't have garnered. I've pitched and re-pitched the hell out of my books in social media and advertising and see what doesn't work. I've come to understand every step of the process, and that can't be a bad thing. For one thing, I understand now (and don't begrudge) where the professionals make their dues. I don't want their job anymore. I want my job - and now, as a reasonably seasoned writer, I think I've done my time in those trenches and I'm confident that I can do better if I'm part of a team.
I want to address each of these seven reasons: 1) It's Expensive More like it CAN be expensive. There are absolutely people who spend thousands of dollars on putting together a book. But there are also people who can self-publish inexpensively. And no, they're not all using KDP's Cover Creator or publishing books riddled with typos. 2) It's Complicated - There Are Many Processes That Can Take Writers Away From Writing Yes, there are a lot of processes. But taking writers away from writing? Self-published authors are among the most prolific writers I know. The reason is because they don't have to wait two years for a publisher to put out their book. Quite the opposite-self-publishing has actually brought back a lot of the speed and mentality of the pulp era of writing. The idea that self-published writers have less time to write is just completely and totally false. Go to any forum or discussion group where self-published writers congregate and look at how many of them are posting things like, "wrote 2000 words today." Go to their blogs where they keep word count trackers and watch as they continue adding thousands of words to their manuscripts every single day. Look at their output. If self-published writers have less time to write, then how are they putting out books at a far faster pace than the traditional publishers? 3) It's Very Hard To Be Your Own Publicist Yes, this is true and it's difficult. But the fallacy here is you're assuming that every publisher will promote every author. If you're a new writer getting picked up by a publisher, chances are you will be required to do most of your own marketing. There have been stories of self-published authors turning down lucrative advances from traditional publishers because the traditional publishers didn't provide a decent marketing plan. 4) If You're Serious About Writing, Isn't Writing The Thing You Should Do? You basically repeated the second point here. Refer to my response to #2. 5) It Puts Off Publishers and Agents First off, this was probably true five years ago. But now, publishers are getting rid of their stigmas regarding self-published authors and signing them. Particularly smaller presses. There's a growing number of hybrid authors, who put out both self-published and traditionally published books. Second, who cares if it puts off publishers and agents? Why should I reduce my royalties from 70% to less than 10% just to have a publisher do the things I can do? Typesetting and cover design? I do that for a living. Editing? I have an editor who I love. And as already demonstrated, new authors will frequently get little to no marketing support from publishers. 6) It's A Short-Cut Sure it is. And so what? And yes, you're right, most early novels that an author will write are probably going to be bad. But if you're going to be ruthlessly honest with yourself, what do you think is a better primer? If you're the only one who ever sees that bad novel, it's going to be a lot harder to get that perspective. But if you publish it and you get flooded with negative reviews, then that will give you more perspective and make you take a harder look at your writing. And novels have to be fantastically good to be successful? Piers, what universe are you living in? Authors should absolutely strive to make their writing the best it can be, and they should constantly be studying craft and looking at ways they can improve. But let's be honest with ourselves, okay? There are thousands of awful, painfully bad books that make a ridiculous amount of money. 7) It Stops Writers From Writing This is now the third time you've repeated this point. This should actually be Five Reasons Why You Shouldn't Self-Publish. Refer again to #2.
+Percival Constantine Very good points, Percival. In the two years I worked with an agent, while waiting to hear back from publishers, I wrote two novels. One novel a year: not bad. In my first year of self-publishing while still holding down a day job, I wrote four novels. Even better! In my first year of self-publishing full-time, I wrote eight novels under two different pen names. 2016, my second full year of doing nothing but writing for a living, I will put out 18 novels and novellas under three different pen names. I am writing more now than I ever was before. Am I busy? Yes! I work a lot! And yes, I do things other than *just* write. But in my limited experience working with a traditional publisher, I do more things associated with those books than *just* write, too. In fact, working on my tradpub books eats up way more of my time, simply because there are more cooks in the kitchen, more people whose opinions need to be heard and considered. It's a fallacy that once you get a publisher, all you'll ever need to do is write. We all owe our fellow book-lovers better treatment than to mismanage their expectations in that way. Publishing involves a lot of non-writing work, whether you do it yourself or whether somebody else is at the helm. So I'm working a lot, but it's really fun work. Therefore, I don't mind. And if I had any free time I'd just spend it writing anyway! Those of you who are thinking I can't possibly be writing good books if I'm writing so many/so fast, let me give you two responses-- 1: Isaac Asimov wrote 500 novels during his career. In the time before big chain bookstores changed the face of publishing, the authors who made a living from their work were those who wrote both well and FAST. It's only in recent years that authors' productivity has been restricted by traditional publishers, who are catering to the needs of B&N. It's no coincidence that while productivity was artificially restricted for authors, the likelihood that a person could earn a living by writing also decreased. 2: A select few contemporary tradpub authors have been able to maintain higher output, and their books don't suffer for quality. Joyce Carol Oates and Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb come to mind. These ladies (and other very popular, high-output tradpub writers) prove that prolificacy and quality are not mutually exclusive. The natural pace for a working author is "fast." You can't do "fast" in tradpub anymore, unless your name is Joyce Carol Oates. So anybody who wants to make a living at this goes indie. It's the only logical choice.
+Percival Constantine Also, to his point that self-pub puts off publishers and agents.... definitely not true anymore. I don't work with an agent anymore--I currently have no desire to. But after I found success with self-publishing, I was approached by four different publishers who were interested in acquiring my books. I actually worked on a few projects with one of those publishers. So self-publishing is no longer an obstacle to working with a traditional publisher... assuming you want to do that at all, after finding out how good indie publishing can be.
Hot damn! Great job at explaining all of this and these are true. Im working on re releasing my third SP novel now and I have all my my marketing plans worked out and everything. Like you said a lot of the publishers and agents are going to leave you to do all the work yourself for the most part
You guys seem experienced. Help me out? I just want to know what requirements are needed to self-publish a book. Things like cover, type setting, the writing, etc. I'm still learning.
Well, I have self-published, and I regret it. I think the written word is losing its prestige without gatekeepers. I, personally, write garbage. I would have preferred someone read over my work and tell me it isn't good enough so that I don't get beaten by reviews. I like to write and explore worlds and will continue no matter what. Since I started self-publishing, I'm going to have to redeem myself for my audience. It's like a crack addiction. It only gets worse. As soon as I can publish traditionally, I'll stop snorting hope (no, I'm not a drug addict, just a metaphor).
Full disclosure, I am a full time self-published author. My 10th book comes out in a few weeks. You talk about emotional energy. The vast majority of aspiring authors cannot even get an agent to return their emails, much less land the agent, and get the book deal. In your opinion, how or why is that any easier than self-publishing? Why would you recommend it over self-publishing? What I'm seeing here is confirmation bias. You seem to know very little about self-publishing and what it requires. It doesn't stop writers from writing, any more than selling their art stops an artist from painting. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. But your odds of making a living at this are much, much higher as a self-published author than they are as someone trying to land a trad published deal.
+Chris Fox Very well said and I couldn't agree more. Like Chris, I'll be self-publishing my 10th novel in a few months. No advances from a publisher to get started, but also no royalty split at 70/30 for me, either. I'm well over 100K books sold in 2-1/2 years. Enough to quit my job and write full time, buy a new pickup for me and a car for my wife, buy a new home in an upscale neighborhood near the ocean, and buy a boat. In the past 2-1/2 years since I started on this journey, I've earned more than seven times my former annual income. Is self-publishing for everyone? No. Not everyone can do all the jobs of writer/publisher/publicist/agent/CEO. But, I guarantee you that no agent or publisher will work as hard to make you a success as you will yourself.
+Wayne Stinnett Outstanding, Wayne! Well done! I'm only up to two, but seeing those checks arrive during Alberta's crummy economy sure does put a smile on my face!
The economics of publishing pushes everything toward a mass market expression. Sales volume becomes the real editor and dictates pretty much everything. If you want to write for writing sake, then write. If you want to be read, plan on spending some money and jumping through lots of hoops, no matter how you get published.
I self published my first book, "Bullseye Breach," a little more than one year ago. I worked with a fee for service publishing company for content editing to make the story better, copy editing for grammar, and a great cover designer. All top notch. After 10 months of writing my original manuscript, I probably crammed 4 years of college courses into six months of editing and production. It was an expensive education. I spent lots of borrowed money. To your point number 1. But I also received value for all that money. Sales - well, that's when reality kicks in. Sales have been disappointing. I've worked hard at publicity, even been on local TV a couple times. And I worked with a publicist. But mostly I'm on my own for marketing and it is hard work. The value I received for spending all that money was education. So far, the financial return is a different story. So this time around with book #2, I'm going to explore traditional publishing and look for an agent partner to help with marketing and sales. Piers, I applaud you for making these videos. Because you went to the trouble, I'll find your submission guidelines and send you a query. Even though I'm in the Midwest USA and not London, maybe I'll send you something you like that jumps off your page and you'll say yes. I'm just dumb and stubborn enough to believe book #1 was great and book #2 will be even better. And book #3 after that will be better still. And if a publishing company makes a good offer with a fair contract, I'll say yes. - Greg Scott www.bullseyebreach.com Yeah, that was a shameless book plug in the link above. That's what happens when you're on your own for marketing.
You might want to check out Derek Murphy, Chris Fox (he commented above here) and Dean Wesley Smith for ways to market your book that aren't a huge amount of work or money and that can give you an excellent return. Personally, I'm just starting down the self-publishing road, so I can't promise you anything, but I spend most of my non-writing time coming up with the strategies and methods of promotion I'm going to use, building my author platform (dreamtime.logic11.com - if I can't shamelessly plug myself in youtube comments where can I shameless plug myself), and researching. It seems like most of the methods you are using are against the advice I have been seeing from successful self-published authors.
Are you people honestly trying to tell me that readers actually pick up a book and say, "Hmm, this isn't published by a major publisher, I'm not buying it"?! I have NEVER done that in my whole life! A book is a book is a book. Big Publishers put out tons of crap all the time! Whose to say a Big Publisher's book is going to be better than a self published book?! And second, the term self published is a misnomer. Unless you have your own printing press and book binder and are making and selling your own book, you still need a publisher. THEY are publishing your book, not you. The term "On-Demand" is much better. Not all Self Publishing publishers will publish your book, especially if you book has content they disapprove of, whether it be religious, political, occult, military, anarchy, etc. The real issue is finding a GOOD On-Demand "self publisher" that will do great work at no cost or little cost (depending on what special services you want or need). So far, I haven't needed any assistance services, so I've published every one of my book with spending so much as a penny and my books are available on Amazon in the U.S., Great Britain and Europe, through Barnes & Noble, through INGRAM, and available in bookstores around the world. I even found one of my books in a tiny museum gift shop! No one gifts a rotten fig what company a book is published with, just as nobody cares what network a TV show is on - you watch what you like and read what you like no matter who is publishing it or airing it.
The video makes the assumption that traditional authors don’t pay for all these services. Well, of course, they do. They pay the majority of the book's profits to the publisher, 15% of their earnings to their agent, and get only a small royalty advance up front and a tiny percentage of sales, for as long as that book is “owned” by the publisher. And even if the book doesn’t “earn out,” the publisher is usually making bank on their investment. Otherwise they wouldn’t be in business, since most books don’t earn out. You are paying when you traditionally publish. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Anyone who thinks traditional publishers will take care of all that other nasty, distasteful stuff, and let writers just 'get on with writing,' is living in cloud cuckoo land! I'm a hybrid author; I self publish one genre, and I'm under contract with Little, Brown and HarperCollins for another genre, and both of those major publishers expect their writers (except the huge names, obviously) to do the lion's share of the promotion. So yes, it would be nice to just leave it all to them, but you just can't. I've self-published that one series because my agent has said it's too niche to attract a good deal, and I was happy to do so. It was exciting, although hard work, and I know it's all mine - and the high-starred reviews don't necessarily have to come from friends and family either, whoever it was who said that. Sometimes it's possible to put out a good book all by yourself.
Interesting video. There are pros/cons both ways. I see three big reasons to traditionally publish: 1. gets books in brick/mortar stores. 2. you get an advance. 3. you get access to an agent with connections and an editor without paying separately for one. (Getting in the door is difficult, but it has its advantages.) I see three big reasons to self-publish: 1. easier self gratification (you will definitely see your work in print/ready for sale). 2. Control of profit margin (Amazon self-pub ebook profit margin about 75%; traditional pub e-book margin probably around 20/25%). 3. Control of project (book jacket, novel content). Downsides to both: Traditional: Traditional publishing is a crapshoot and only a dream for the majority of aspiring writers. You still have to do the majority of your marketing, especially a a debut novelist, unless you are a superstar. Self-pub: Sometimes still linked to vanity pub, costs more up front if you hire out cover art and an editor. Majority of Amazon e-book self-pubs sell less than 250 copies. Either way costs money, time and effort. Either way requires you to help promote. That's my 2 cents worth. Now for a shameless plug: www.lynnfendlason.com
Im glad you made this video. I'll admit that I do feel that I'm letting the side down by not self-publishing. On the other hand, I find myself entering a state of catatonia at the thought of doing all of the promotion work that goes along with it. I've come to the decision that I'm going to wait of the right book, the right agent and the right publisher. Thanks for helping me settle this dilemma, Piers.
+Marie-Paule Graham If you're looking for a publisher to help you with promotion then you had better get a deal that pays you an unusually large advance. Without that kind of investment in your book, the publisher is unlikely to do more by way of promotion than add your book to their quarterly catalogue and send it out to a few reviewers in hopes the reviewer will bother to review that book. If you're expecting ads in magazines and newspapers and appearances on radio and tv talk shows, such things are largely a fantasy unless you are the golden child. Just a small reality check for you. Most traditionally published books get little, if any, promotion.
Very interesting video... thanks for sharing this... I've tried self-publishing and I've made a profit (sold more than I spent on it), but I find the business side of things to be a distraction from my writing. I've decided to submit future writing to literary agents because they know the business and publishers know the business and I would love more time to write. I think if someone knows how to sell and enjoys that, then self publish, but for those of us who love the writing part more than the business part, a literary agent is the way to go. That's my next goal. Thanks for your insight! It helps me realize that this is the right direction.
Excellent! I've always been reluctant to do it because of Reason Seven. I want to be part of a team in which everyone has a role. My role is to write. (Fortunately, I do have that old stinkeroo in a drawer -- a few of them, in fact.) The other reasons are all good as well. Thank you.
Thank you for your confident insight. I'm not sure which route I'll take but your experienced insight is worthy of acknowledgement and appreciation. Taking your advice may assist me in getting a "YES" for a novel I send in. Thank goodness for freedom of expression.
Thank you, and thank you again. For those of us that write, it is the one thing that we really need and want to do. But, we all would like to be discovered and the Lottery of being discovered is just that, a lottery. Mr. Blofeld, thank you again.
I loved this video, I've resisted the urge to self-publish for several years now. It is more complicated than a lot of people realise. There are apparently about 1m self-published titles a year - how does a punter find the really good ones if they all have 5 star reviews posted by their friends and relations? Traditional publishing offers branding - a Faber novel is going to be different from an Orion novel for example. A reader gets a guarantee that the work will be properly edited and proofread. The great self-published success stories like Shades of Grey - are not lucky breaks, Ms Stone spent tens of thousands of pounds on marketing - it paid off for her, but most of us aren't in that position.
+Kate Hamlyn ... In my 46 years, I have never purchased a book because of its branding. I choose a book by a number of factors: 1) word of mouth/review/advertisement that may have piqued my interest, 2) the book's cover description/liner notes, 3) cover design - yes, I absolutely judge a book by its cover, most of the time; if an author doesn't care enough to entice me with a good cover then they better entice me some other way! (this does not apply to older books/classics/antiques), 4) and finally, the theme. I could care less who published it.
Self-publishers are getting smarter, more professional all the time and it is getting easier to do every day with technology becoming easier and more advanced. As well it is cheap not expensive at all. Independent publishers are hiring freelance editors, designers and publishing their books and getting amazing results, or already have the skills and doing it themselves. As well readers don't give a shit if a book is published by a house or independent, all people care about is the book! I found a niche genre I am interested in that a publishing house would never pass because of their outdated standards. Independent publishing is freedom of speech. It is heaven to find a book in your favorite genre one click away on the internet. How about some raw directors cut work not squashed by censorship? A publishing house will soon be a thing of the past including a literary agent. This new era is about cutting out the middleman completely - and that is a publishing house and literary agent.
Thank you, Piers. I really appreciate your videos. I agree wholeheartedly that self-publishing keeps writers from writing. To survive, most self-published authors have to become creative at driving revenue through other channels in addition to writing their books. They offer lectures, podcasts, webcasts, writing courses... I'd rather just write and look to experts to take care of the rest.
+sunsetxsong Everything you said is true of traditionally published authors as well. Most authors have day jobs. Most authors do their own promotion, etc. Being traditionally published does not change that unless you are offered very, very high advances, which is rare. The average advance for a novelist is $5000, spread out over a period of a couple of years.
@@braunhausmedia 100% this is the reality. Most authors don't live off their writing. People only consider some international bestsellers, while there are so many great writers with lots of skills who just never get that kind of attention, and hence need to work.
I self published my first book about ten years ago when, I believe it was still called vanity publishing for a very good reason. It wasn't my best writing either and I would only consider self publishing again if my current novel isn't taken up by an agent. I hooked onto the point Piers made and wonder if publishers really consider already self published books to be 'used goods' so to speak. I wonder if that particular view is widespread throughout the industry?
self publishing is not the same thing as Vanity publishing. A true self publisher controls all content and gets his or her book to market. In Vanity publishing, you pay a publisher to do that for you.
Amen! Going the traditional route with my first novel "Unkillable Joe" despite the mountain of rejections I'm stacking up. I would rather write than learn the business. Great vid.
If I can self publish and sell tens of thousands of books what the heck do I need with a publisher who is going to take a sizable chunk out of my pocket for all the work I've done? Publishers are the last option in my book.
If you can sell tens of thousands of copies publishing independently, then congratulations. Good luck to you. For others, traditional publishing is the more suitable option. That's OK, as Piers says at the beginning of the video.
Hi Piers Blofeld; Very nice straight forward informative advice from the publisher's POV. I read that with traditional publishers it on average takes 2 years from time of acceptance to published novel, and that also publishers are telling writers they have to promote the book by themselves, that the days of going on a prearranged book tour are gone. I also learned that even if one is published they still don't receive much in pay, about equivalent to working a minimum wage mcjob. It seems traditionally published still means the writer has to do other things besides write, work a day job and also promote their own books. I also recently read that the Hemingway books still sell more per year than the rest of the published novelists combined. Have you as a publisher found all of what I'm mentioning to be true?
I have a question, though. I finished writing a book recently and I'm trying to get it published, but in my country it is extremely hard to get an agent. You need to write a huge letter to "sell" the book to these agents, and since I'm not a sellsperson, writing that letter takes me more time and effort than writing a new book. Self publishing, on the other hand, seems to be so simple. They just get my book and publish it. I wish it was this simple to publish books the old fashion way. I just want my book to be out there for other people to read it, so ¿Do you really think is more convenient for me to get an agent, even if it takes years, rather then just go on and self publish it?
If writing the sales letter takes you more time and effort than writing the book, I'd estimate you need to revisit editing the book. A writer should be able to write a compelling letter, surely? You should have a sense of timing, word choice and tight narrative. You should have a sense of what is pertinent information and what is waffle. You should have a sense of how to deliver drama. It's the same skills you demonstrate in your MS, and if you haven't got a handle on any or all of those areas, your book might not be ready yet to submit to an agent. Yes, self-publishing is simple -- if all you want to do is upload it and hit the publish button. But when you see no one has even noticed it for weeks, months even, you'll realise how complicated it can actually be getting people to read it. There is no 'simple' way.
Most of that isn't anything new and my basic point still holds. Self publishing is great - if you are a brilliant self marketeer. 99% of authors are not.
While I agree with the sentiment that writers should focus on writing - I think self-publishing lends itself to new stories and ideas that traditional publishers don't want to risk promoting. As some below have commented, the industry seems set on very formulaic narratives and while those narratives may sell well when they are written well, the truth is every author has a unique voice the world stands to improve from hearing. Will a self-published novel sell as well as traditionally published novel? Probably not. But for most authors the goal isn't to make wads of cash, it's to gain a readership, to build a platform where their work can be seen. As it stands now most publishers will not even accept submissions from un-agented authors, and most agents won't take on new authors unless they've been published. It's a catch-22.
Not saying the traditional publishing route doesn't end up yielding for some people, but the idea that an industry exists to help anyone is rather an obfuscation of what an industry is. Capitalist industries exist to produce profit. That's it. They are not, in any fundamental way, for social utility. You might jump through the hoops successfully - and it's surely no mean feat! - but the industry exists to unlock whatever money your talent can make them.
He is correct. I tried self publishing and it didn't work for me because I am not a good marketer. All the marketing I had to do took me too far away from the writing.
Non-fiction sports here, so at the other end of the spectrum from what you mostly speak, but I am avoiding self-publishing for one simple reason: I merely want validation from someone in the industry before I dive in. Not sure if you reply to comments, but I'm wondering if you think my sentiments may be self-defeating.
The biggest problem with self-publishing, or getting published by small indie publishers, is that you have to do all the promoting yourself, all the marketing, no one will help you unless you pay for it. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to sell a few dozen copies.
+Mary Gass ... I've self-published a number of my books and I rarely ever have to self-promote. The publisher does it for me. Try some other self publishers if your current one isn't getting your book out there.
Hi Piers, I love your videos. They are very informative and in many ways a godsend for fledgling authors like myself. Question for you related to this topic: Do you think the traditional publishing industry is in trouble right now? Some people I have heard, who are of some credibilty as near as I can tell, have remarked that they feel the industry is on the verge of collapse. To state such a thing seems dramatic to me, but it is such statements that lead me to seek your opinion on where things are at the moment. Cheers.
I suppose what you said can be true for some self-published authors, I don't find it to be true for all. That was very broad brush used to paint an entire industry here. I would encourage you to check out some public writer's forums such has the Writer's Cafe on Kboards and see why you will be met with a ton of skepticism. www.kboards.com/index.php/board,60.0.html and for full disclosure, I'm also a full time self-published author who makes a cozy living.
I have seen complaints that some publishers will not pay out for marketing and promotion and expect the author to pay towards this. If this allegation is true, then it makes e-self-publishing less disadvantageous.
1.0 Cost a lot of money dont spend money before you make 2.0 Complicated 3.0 Difficult to examine your own work. 4.0 Sense of waiting around not writing. 5.0 Disadvantages of new launch date. 6.0 7.0 Starts a lot of other distractions. 6.0 7.0
You say writers should be writing, but aspiring writers have to spend a lot of time and energy finding an agent, then having that agent find an editor, queries, requests, submissions-- none of that is really writing. And you don't talk about self-publishing through Amazon at all, which basically costs a writer bupkis.
I self published because no literary agent would take me on. I later learned that if I hadn't already sold over a thousand books, there's no point in trying for an agent. So far in about four years on Amazon, I've sold under twenty copies. If you know a way to remedy this problem, I really need to know. I have no money, would love the help of a reputable agent and I know my work is good. My fist novel is even movie worthy. It's rather frustrating to put in all that work and never get noticed. My first novel took me 22 years to write and my second took four. In spite of the experimental plot, that one is really good too and might make a pretty good realistic anime. And I have a simple reference book about my abstract designs...that one I don't have a lot of faith in only because the print quality is not as good as I would like. But, as a reference book it's okay. How can I get an agent? I've written more than I can count and they all turned me down.
There's no harm in putting the finished product out there. Well, maybe you ought to use a pen name because if the commercial success is way below market average, agents and publishers might frown on the author with the next (and a much better) book.
And next question: self-publishing my 201,000-word novel, in addition to my 253,000-word novel seems to be the only way to "get them out there," seeing that no agent or publisher would want to touch them. Correct?
It would be nice if as a writer that's all you do when traditionally published, but almost every agent has in their questionaire the question what you're going to do to help with marketing. I know an author who is with Schuster and Schuster, and even she has to do most the marketing herself. And as to cost: pitching to an agent without a manuscript that has been professionally polished (developmental, line- and copy edit) is futile. And edits cost money whether you self-publish or look for an agent. It sounds good to say, spend no money and just write, but I don't think that's reality.
It's actually not true that you need professional editing. You could find critique partners. You could study the writing craft. Indeed, it is difficult though.
Seems to be that literary agents aren't what they used to be. These days it's not so much about how good your manuscript is but more about how many followers you have on social media or whether you are celebrity or not. You, the literary agent, are driving more and more new authors down the self publicist route and then have the audacity to trash that option. Nobody has any faith that their manuscript will ever be read. Moreover, as a literary agent, these days you rely on,the odd new author you take on, to organise their own marketing. It's becoming a less viable route. The real irony is that more and more literary agents are looking to entice the successful self publicists over to the traditional houses, beats having to work for a living. Either do something constructive or learn to live with the reality that you might become dinosaurs in the industry.
It’s sorta silly to say that self-publishing forces someone to pay money. Of course it does.... just like eating forces one to pay money. Or painting the outside of my house forces one to pay money. There are reasons to self publish-even you say that. So.... what are you suggesting.... editors, proofreaders, illustrators must render their services for free? Rethink that word “force.” Self-publishing involves an implicit expense.
This video is very nieve and frankly rude... Neither self publishing nor traditional is better than the other. Yes writers should write... But every job has other tasks that aren't directly related and it can be great for a lot of people to get business control over their brand, their book. Marketing. ALL AUTHORS SHOULD BE MARKETING!! No publisher will pick up an unknown and spend time, money or energy marketing. Sure if you're jk Rowling but every author needs to market themselves and that does not make them less of a writer. If you're choosing traditional because you're scared /don't want to market, you're screwed either way. Money. Traditionally you can get anvances, less risk, but self gets more profit percentage and overall control. You want to have an input on your cover, do it. Hire professionals to help you and market that book. This whole don't ruin your debut moment is rubbish and I hope aspiring authors do more research and ignore this video.
"Tucked into a bottom drawer. It takes time ti get good." This jerk is your worst teacher, he expects more than is human, and it's a reason to back away from his judgment about anything.
conscience aginBlackadder There was nothing incorrect about his statement. A writer will never be any good on their first novel (unless they're some sort of prodigy, but those are exceedingly rare, and not worth talking about). It's one of the reasons people complain about agents. An agent can see how bad the writing is, and thus reject it. Then the author feels defeated by the industry and self publishes. Hence the massive pile of awful books on Amazon. If that author had instead chosen to continue writing and improve himself, in a few years he might actually be able to produce something of value.
There's one reason to self-publish that trumps all these reasons--creativity. Publishers aren't looking for new, different things; they're looking for what they think will sell. If I were to finish my manuscript and send it to a publisher it would get zero attention simply because it isn't quite in the mold of the genre. I'm writing the story I want to tell in the way I feel it needs to be told. I don't have to worry about a publisher telling me it needs X, Y, Z changed.
its so hard to even get somebody to give you a chance , i really don't blame people for self publishing
Honestly I don't think that vilifying Piers is particularly classy. It's natural that he is going to articulate his thoughts from a literary agent's standpoint, and whilst I don't agree entirely with his sentiments, he is creating value, certainly more than any of us would typically get from colleagues of his in the industry, who appear able to offer very little other than silence as attested to in this comments section. So thank you!
I'm a hybrid - 20 years ago I had a non-fiction agent and 3 sales.
In fiction I'm self published... and I'm at the point that I'd like to re-look at that traditional route.
I've read all of the pro-indie, and anti-traditional below, and agree that it's not all rosy in traditional, but I'm happy to re-enter the traditional world again with my eyes wide open.
I've sold a few thousand books and that's better than break, but I could service my own car too -- but it's not what I (again, want to) do. I want to bloody well write!
As a 30 year entrepreneur the indie path has been an extension of that lifestyle - with both ups and downs.
It's the promo that I'm getting sick of. I'm absolutely happy to do it and fund it, I'm just tired of the chains not interested in even taking a call from an indie.
That said, I'm glad I've been through this indie exercise. It has made me a better writer. It has made me look critically at my work. It has given me honest feedback that my manuscripts humming away on my hard drive wouldn't have garnered. I've pitched and re-pitched the hell out of my books in social media and advertising and see what doesn't work. I've come to understand every step of the process, and that can't be a bad thing. For one thing, I understand now (and don't begrudge) where the professionals make their dues. I don't want their job anymore. I want my job - and now, as a reasonably seasoned writer, I think I've done my time in those trenches and I'm confident that I can do better if I'm part of a team.
I want to address each of these seven reasons:
1) It's Expensive
More like it CAN be expensive. There are absolutely people who spend thousands of dollars on putting together a book. But there are also people who can self-publish inexpensively. And no, they're not all using KDP's Cover Creator or publishing books riddled with typos.
2) It's Complicated - There Are Many Processes That Can Take Writers Away From Writing
Yes, there are a lot of processes. But taking writers away from writing? Self-published authors are among the most prolific writers I know. The reason is because they don't have to wait two years for a publisher to put out their book. Quite the opposite-self-publishing has actually brought back a lot of the speed and mentality of the pulp era of writing. The idea that self-published writers have less time to write is just completely and totally false. Go to any forum or discussion group where self-published writers congregate and look at how many of them are posting things like, "wrote 2000 words today." Go to their blogs where they keep word count trackers and watch as they continue adding thousands of words to their manuscripts every single day. Look at their output. If self-published writers have less time to write, then how are they putting out books at a far faster pace than the traditional publishers?
3) It's Very Hard To Be Your Own Publicist
Yes, this is true and it's difficult. But the fallacy here is you're assuming that every publisher will promote every author. If you're a new writer getting picked up by a publisher, chances are you will be required to do most of your own marketing. There have been stories of self-published authors turning down lucrative advances from traditional publishers because the traditional publishers didn't provide a decent marketing plan.
4) If You're Serious About Writing, Isn't Writing The Thing You Should Do?
You basically repeated the second point here. Refer to my response to #2.
5) It Puts Off Publishers and Agents
First off, this was probably true five years ago. But now, publishers are getting rid of their stigmas regarding self-published authors and signing them. Particularly smaller presses. There's a growing number of hybrid authors, who put out both self-published and traditionally published books.
Second, who cares if it puts off publishers and agents? Why should I reduce my royalties from 70% to less than 10% just to have a publisher do the things I can do? Typesetting and cover design? I do that for a living. Editing? I have an editor who I love. And as already demonstrated, new authors will frequently get little to no marketing support from publishers.
6) It's A Short-Cut
Sure it is. And so what? And yes, you're right, most early novels that an author will write are probably going to be bad. But if you're going to be ruthlessly honest with yourself, what do you think is a better primer? If you're the only one who ever sees that bad novel, it's going to be a lot harder to get that perspective. But if you publish it and you get flooded with negative reviews, then that will give you more perspective and make you take a harder look at your writing.
And novels have to be fantastically good to be successful? Piers, what universe are you living in? Authors should absolutely strive to make their writing the best it can be, and they should constantly be studying craft and looking at ways they can improve. But let's be honest with ourselves, okay? There are thousands of awful, painfully bad books that make a ridiculous amount of money.
7) It Stops Writers From Writing
This is now the third time you've repeated this point. This should actually be Five Reasons Why You Shouldn't Self-Publish. Refer again to #2.
+Percival Constantine Very good points, Percival. In the two years I worked with an agent, while waiting to hear back from publishers, I wrote two novels. One novel a year: not bad. In my first year of self-publishing while still holding down a day job, I wrote four novels. Even better! In my first year of self-publishing full-time, I wrote eight novels under two different pen names. 2016, my second full year of doing nothing but writing for a living, I will put out 18 novels and novellas under three different pen names.
I am writing more now than I ever was before. Am I busy? Yes! I work a lot! And yes, I do things other than *just* write. But in my limited experience working with a traditional publisher, I do more things associated with those books than *just* write, too. In fact, working on my tradpub books eats up way more of my time, simply because there are more cooks in the kitchen, more people whose opinions need to be heard and considered. It's a fallacy that once you get a publisher, all you'll ever need to do is write. We all owe our fellow book-lovers better treatment than to mismanage their expectations in that way. Publishing involves a lot of non-writing work, whether you do it yourself or whether somebody else is at the helm.
So I'm working a lot, but it's really fun work. Therefore, I don't mind. And if I had any free time I'd just spend it writing anyway!
Those of you who are thinking I can't possibly be writing good books if I'm writing so many/so fast, let me give you two responses--
1: Isaac Asimov wrote 500 novels during his career. In the time before big chain bookstores changed the face of publishing, the authors who made a living from their work were those who wrote both well and FAST. It's only in recent years that authors' productivity has been restricted by traditional publishers, who are catering to the needs of B&N. It's no coincidence that while productivity was artificially restricted for authors, the likelihood that a person could earn a living by writing also decreased.
2: A select few contemporary tradpub authors have been able to maintain higher output, and their books don't suffer for quality. Joyce Carol Oates and Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb come to mind. These ladies (and other very popular, high-output tradpub writers) prove that prolificacy and quality are not mutually exclusive.
The natural pace for a working author is "fast." You can't do "fast" in tradpub anymore, unless your name is Joyce Carol Oates. So anybody who wants to make a living at this goes indie. It's the only logical choice.
+Percival Constantine Also, to his point that self-pub puts off publishers and agents.... definitely not true anymore. I don't work with an agent anymore--I currently have no desire to. But after I found success with self-publishing, I was approached by four different publishers who were interested in acquiring my books. I actually worked on a few projects with one of those publishers. So self-publishing is no longer an obstacle to working with a traditional publisher... assuming you want to do that at all, after finding out how good indie publishing can be.
Hot damn! Great job at explaining all of this and these are true. Im working on re releasing my third SP novel now and I have all my my marketing plans worked out and everything. Like you said a lot of the publishers and agents are going to leave you to do all the work yourself for the most part
You guys seem experienced. Help me out? I just want to know what requirements are needed to self-publish a book. Things like cover, type setting, the writing, etc. I'm still learning.
Excellent, thorough response.
Well, I have self-published, and I regret it. I think the written word is losing its prestige without gatekeepers. I, personally, write garbage. I would have preferred someone read over my work and tell me it isn't good enough so that I don't get beaten by reviews. I like to write and explore worlds and will continue no matter what. Since I started self-publishing, I'm going to have to redeem myself for my audience. It's like a crack addiction. It only gets worse. As soon as I can publish traditionally, I'll stop snorting hope (no, I'm not a drug addict, just a metaphor).
Full disclosure, I am a full time self-published author. My 10th book comes out in a few weeks.
You talk about emotional energy. The vast majority of aspiring authors cannot even get an agent to return their emails, much less land the agent, and get the book deal. In your opinion, how or why is that any easier than self-publishing? Why would you recommend it over self-publishing?
What I'm seeing here is confirmation bias. You seem to know very little about self-publishing and what it requires. It doesn't stop writers from writing, any more than selling their art stops an artist from painting. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. But your odds of making a living at this are much, much higher as a self-published author than they are as someone trying to land a trad published deal.
+Chris Fox
Very well said and I couldn't agree more. Like Chris, I'll be self-publishing my 10th novel in a few months. No advances from a publisher to get started, but also no royalty split at 70/30 for me, either. I'm well over 100K books sold in 2-1/2 years. Enough to quit my job and write full time, buy a new pickup for me and a car for my wife, buy a new home in an upscale neighborhood near the ocean, and buy a boat. In the past 2-1/2 years since I started on this journey, I've earned more than seven times my former annual income. Is self-publishing for everyone? No. Not everyone can do all the jobs of writer/publisher/publicist/agent/CEO. But, I guarantee you that no agent or publisher will work as hard to make you a success as you will yourself.
+Wayne Stinnett Outstanding, Wayne! Well done! I'm only up to two, but seeing those checks arrive during Alberta's crummy economy sure does put a smile on my face!
Congrats on your success story, Wayne! - What book would you recommend reading first for someone interested in following your work?
+Chris Fox - Excellent points. I, for one, get a lot of inspiration and insight from your videos, and I'm grateful to you for putting them out!
@@WayneStinnett I think it's fair to say most self-publishing authors will not enjoy that kind of success.
The economics of publishing pushes everything toward a mass market expression. Sales volume becomes the real editor and dictates pretty much everything. If you want to write for writing sake, then write. If you want to be read, plan on spending some money and jumping through lots of hoops, no matter how you get published.
I self published my first book, "Bullseye Breach," a little more than one year ago. I worked with a fee for service publishing company for content editing to make the story better, copy editing for grammar, and a great cover designer. All top notch. After 10 months of writing my original manuscript, I probably crammed 4 years of college courses into six months of editing and production. It was an expensive education. I spent lots of borrowed money. To your point number 1. But I also received value for all that money.
Sales - well, that's when reality kicks in. Sales have been disappointing. I've worked hard at publicity, even been on local TV a couple times. And I worked with a publicist. But mostly I'm on my own for marketing and it is hard work. The value I received for spending all that money was education. So far, the financial return is a different story.
So this time around with book #2, I'm going to explore traditional publishing and look for an agent partner to help with marketing and sales.
Piers, I applaud you for making these videos. Because you went to the trouble, I'll find your submission guidelines and send you a query. Even though I'm in the Midwest USA and not London, maybe I'll send you something you like that jumps off your page and you'll say yes. I'm just dumb and stubborn enough to believe book #1 was great and book #2 will be even better. And book #3 after that will be better still.
And if a publishing company makes a good offer with a fair contract, I'll say yes.
- Greg Scott
www.bullseyebreach.com
Yeah, that was a shameless book plug in the link above. That's what happens when you're on your own for marketing.
You might want to check out Derek Murphy, Chris Fox (he commented above here) and Dean Wesley Smith for ways to market your book that aren't a huge amount of work or money and that can give you an excellent return.
Personally, I'm just starting down the self-publishing road, so I can't promise you anything, but I spend most of my non-writing time coming up with the strategies and methods of promotion I'm going to use, building my author platform (dreamtime.logic11.com - if I can't shamelessly plug myself in youtube comments where can I shameless plug myself), and researching. It seems like most of the methods you are using are against the advice I have been seeing from successful self-published authors.
Agents don't help you to market your book; they are there to help you sell your book. You need a publicist/marketing person or do it yourself.
Are you people honestly trying to tell me that readers actually pick up a book and say, "Hmm, this isn't published by a major publisher, I'm not buying it"?! I have NEVER done that in my whole life! A book is a book is a book. Big Publishers put out tons of crap all the time! Whose to say a Big Publisher's book is going to be better than a self published book?! And second, the term self published is a misnomer. Unless you have your own printing press and book binder and are making and selling your own book, you still need a publisher. THEY are publishing your book, not you. The term "On-Demand" is much better. Not all Self Publishing publishers will publish your book, especially if you book has content they disapprove of, whether it be religious, political, occult, military, anarchy, etc. The real issue is finding a GOOD On-Demand "self publisher" that will do great work at no cost or little cost (depending on what special services you want or need). So far, I haven't needed any assistance services, so I've published every one of my book with spending so much as a penny and my books are available on Amazon in the U.S., Great Britain and Europe, through Barnes & Noble, through INGRAM, and available in bookstores around the world. I even found one of my books in a tiny museum gift shop! No one gifts a rotten fig what company a book is published with, just as nobody cares what network a TV show is on - you watch what you like and read what you like no matter who is publishing it or airing it.
How does someone 'pick up a book' that's self-published?
The video makes the assumption that traditional authors don’t pay for all these services. Well, of course, they do. They pay the majority of the book's profits to the publisher, 15% of their earnings to their agent, and get only a small royalty advance up front and a tiny percentage of sales, for as long as that book is “owned” by the publisher.
And even if the book doesn’t “earn out,” the publisher is usually making bank on their investment. Otherwise they wouldn’t be in business, since most books don’t earn out.
You are paying when you traditionally publish. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Anyone who thinks traditional publishers will take care of all that other nasty, distasteful stuff, and let writers just 'get on with writing,' is living in cloud cuckoo land! I'm a hybrid author; I self publish one genre, and I'm under contract with Little, Brown and HarperCollins for another genre, and both of those major publishers expect their writers (except the huge names, obviously) to do the lion's share of the promotion. So yes, it would be nice to just leave it all to them, but you just can't. I've self-published that one series because my agent has said it's too niche to attract a good deal, and I was happy to do so. It was exciting, although hard work, and I know it's all mine - and the high-starred reviews don't necessarily have to come from friends and family either, whoever it was who said that. Sometimes it's possible to put out a good book all by yourself.
Interesting video. There are pros/cons both ways.
I see three big reasons to traditionally publish: 1. gets books in brick/mortar stores. 2. you get an advance. 3. you get access to an agent with connections and an editor without paying separately for one. (Getting in the door is difficult, but it has its advantages.)
I see three big reasons to self-publish: 1. easier self gratification (you will definitely see your work in print/ready for sale). 2. Control of profit margin (Amazon self-pub ebook profit margin about 75%; traditional pub e-book margin probably around 20/25%). 3. Control of project (book jacket, novel content).
Downsides to both:
Traditional: Traditional publishing is a crapshoot and only a dream for the majority of aspiring writers. You still have to do the majority of your marketing, especially a a debut novelist, unless you are a superstar.
Self-pub: Sometimes still linked to vanity pub, costs more up front if you hire out cover art and an editor. Majority of Amazon e-book self-pubs sell less than 250 copies.
Either way costs money, time and effort. Either way requires you to help promote.
That's my 2 cents worth. Now for a shameless plug: www.lynnfendlason.com
I'm going to self-publish. I want a lot of upside and I love the business side of things.
Brilliant. I want to focus on writing for the sake of writing instead of being an annoying social media self-promoter. Great video.
Im glad you made this video. I'll admit that I do feel that I'm letting the side down by not self-publishing. On the other hand, I find myself entering a state of catatonia at the thought of doing all of the promotion work that goes along with it. I've come to the decision that I'm going to wait of the right book, the right agent and the right publisher. Thanks for helping me settle this dilemma, Piers.
+Marie-Paule Graham If you're looking for a publisher to help you with promotion then you had better get a deal that pays you an unusually large advance. Without that kind of investment in your book, the publisher is unlikely to do more by way of promotion than add your book to their quarterly catalogue and send it out to a few reviewers in hopes the reviewer will bother to review that book. If you're expecting ads in magazines and newspapers and appearances on radio and tv talk shows, such things are largely a fantasy unless you are the golden child. Just a small reality check for you. Most traditionally published books get little, if any, promotion.
+Braun Haus Media, LLC Unless you do it yourself, in which case, it's just like self-publishing.
Very interesting video... thanks for sharing this... I've tried self-publishing and I've made a profit (sold more than I spent on it), but I find the business side of things to be a distraction from my writing. I've decided to submit future writing to literary agents because they know the business and publishers know the business and I would love more time to write. I think if someone knows how to sell and enjoys that, then self publish, but for those of us who love the writing part more than the business part, a literary agent is the way to go. That's my next goal. Thanks for your insight! It helps me realize that this is the right direction.
Excellent! I've always been reluctant to do it because of Reason Seven. I want to be part of a team in which everyone has a role. My role is to write. (Fortunately, I do have that old stinkeroo in a drawer -- a few of them, in fact.) The other reasons are all good as well. Thank you.
Thank you for your confident insight. I'm not sure which route I'll take but your experienced insight is worthy of acknowledgement and appreciation. Taking your advice may assist me in getting a "YES" for a novel I send in. Thank goodness for freedom of expression.
Thank you, and thank you again. For those of us that write, it is the one thing that we really need and want to do. But, we all would like to be discovered and the Lottery of being discovered is just that, a lottery. Mr. Blofeld, thank you again.
Electronic self-publishing may not cost you a penny, until you get to marketing and publicity.
Excuse me. Did you not self-publish this video?
lmao!!!!!!!!!
Hahahahah!
Nail
Head
Smashed
I don't think he plans to make a career as a youtuber, so the comparison is not very apt.
I loved this video, I've resisted the urge to self-publish for several years now. It is more complicated than a lot of people realise. There are apparently about 1m self-published titles a year - how does a punter find the really good ones if they all have 5 star reviews posted by their friends and relations? Traditional publishing offers branding - a Faber novel is going to be different from an Orion novel for example. A reader gets a guarantee that the work will be properly edited and proofread. The great self-published success stories like Shades of Grey - are not lucky breaks, Ms Stone spent tens of thousands of pounds on marketing - it paid off for her, but most of us aren't in that position.
+Kate Hamlyn ... In my 46 years, I have never purchased a book because of its branding. I choose a book by a number of factors: 1) word of mouth/review/advertisement that may have piqued my interest, 2) the book's cover description/liner notes, 3) cover design - yes, I absolutely judge a book by its cover, most of the time; if an author doesn't care enough to entice me with a good cover then they better entice me some other way! (this does not apply to older books/classics/antiques), 4) and finally, the theme. I could care less who published it.
"Writers write. Everything else is a distraction." Too right. Thank you. xo
It was good to see you posted another video. I have enjoyed your others and subscribed hoping for more.
Self-publishers are getting smarter, more professional all the time and it is getting easier to do every day with technology becoming easier and more advanced. As well it is cheap not expensive at all. Independent publishers are hiring freelance editors, designers and publishing their books and getting amazing results, or already have the skills and doing it themselves. As well readers don't give a shit if a book is published by a house or independent, all people care about is the book! I found a niche genre I am interested in that a publishing house would never pass because of their outdated standards. Independent publishing is freedom of speech. It is heaven to find a book in your favorite genre one click away on the internet. How about some raw directors cut work not squashed by censorship? A publishing house will soon be a thing of the past including a literary agent. This new era is about cutting out the middleman completely - and that is a publishing house and literary agent.
Thank you, Piers. I really appreciate your videos. I agree wholeheartedly that self-publishing keeps writers from writing. To survive, most self-published authors have to become creative at driving revenue through other channels in addition to writing their books. They offer lectures, podcasts, webcasts, writing courses... I'd rather just write and look to experts to take care of the rest.
+sunsetxsong Everything you said is true of traditionally published authors as well. Most authors have day jobs. Most authors do their own promotion, etc. Being traditionally published does not change that unless you are offered very, very high advances, which is rare. The average advance for a novelist is $5000, spread out over a period of a couple of years.
@@braunhausmedia 100% this is the reality. Most authors don't live off their writing. People only consider some international bestsellers, while there are so many great writers with lots of skills who just never get that kind of attention, and hence need to work.
I self published my first book about ten years ago when, I believe it was still called vanity publishing for a very good reason. It wasn't my best writing either and I would only consider self publishing again if my current novel isn't taken up by an agent.
I hooked onto the point Piers made and wonder if publishers really consider already self published books to be 'used goods' so to speak. I wonder if that particular view is widespread throughout the industry?
self publishing is not the same thing as Vanity publishing. A true self publisher controls all content and gets his or her book to market. In Vanity publishing, you pay a publisher to do that for you.
Amen! Going the traditional route with my first novel "Unkillable Joe" despite the mountain of rejections I'm stacking up. I would rather write than learn the business. Great vid.
If I can self publish and sell tens of thousands of books what the heck do I need with a publisher who is going to take a sizable chunk out of my pocket for all the work I've done? Publishers are the last option in my book.
If you can sell tens of thousands of copies publishing independently, then congratulations. Good luck to you. For others, traditional publishing is the more suitable option. That's OK, as Piers says at the beginning of the video.
Hi Piers Blofeld; Very nice straight forward informative advice from the publisher's POV. I read that with traditional publishers it on average takes 2 years from time of acceptance to published novel, and that also publishers are telling writers they have to promote the book by themselves, that the days of going on a prearranged book tour are gone. I also learned that even if one is published they still don't receive much in pay, about equivalent to working a minimum wage mcjob. It seems traditionally published still means the writer has to do other things besides write, work a day job and also promote their own books. I also recently read that the Hemingway books still sell more per year than the rest of the published novelists combined. Have you as a publisher found all of what I'm mentioning to be true?
I have a question, though. I finished writing a book recently and I'm trying to get it published, but in my country it is extremely hard to get an agent. You need to write a huge letter to "sell" the book to these agents, and since I'm not a sellsperson, writing that letter takes me more time and effort than writing a new book.
Self publishing, on the other hand, seems to be so simple. They just get my book and publish it. I wish it was this simple to publish books the old fashion way.
I just want my book to be out there for other people to read it, so ¿Do you really think is more convenient for me to get an agent, even if it takes years, rather then just go on and self publish it?
+meacanalis - look for self publishing youtube videos. Chris Fox - top commentator has a number of them and boy are they helpful and inspirational!
If writing the sales letter takes you more time and effort than writing the book, I'd estimate you need to revisit editing the book. A writer should be able to write a compelling letter, surely? You should have a sense of timing, word choice and tight narrative. You should have a sense of what is pertinent information and what is waffle. You should have a sense of how to deliver drama. It's the same skills you demonstrate in your MS, and if you haven't got a handle on any or all of those areas, your book might not be ready yet to submit to an agent. Yes, self-publishing is simple -- if all you want to do is upload it and hit the publish button. But when you see no one has even noticed it for weeks, months even, you'll realise how complicated it can actually be getting people to read it. There is no 'simple' way.
Now that Amazon has entered the field with free layout templates, distribution and direct to bank account payments of 70% RRP, what do you say?
Most of that isn't anything new and my basic point still holds. Self publishing is great - if you are a brilliant self marketeer. 99% of authors are not.
While I agree with the sentiment that writers should focus on writing - I think self-publishing lends itself to new stories and ideas that traditional publishers don't want to risk promoting. As some below have commented, the industry seems set on very formulaic narratives and while those narratives may sell well when they are written well, the truth is every author has a unique voice the world stands to improve from hearing. Will a self-published novel sell as well as traditionally published novel? Probably not. But for most authors the goal isn't to make wads of cash, it's to gain a readership, to build a platform where their work can be seen. As it stands now most publishers will not even accept submissions from un-agented authors, and most agents won't take on new authors unless they've been published. It's a catch-22.
Not saying the traditional publishing route doesn't end up yielding for some people, but the idea that an industry exists to help anyone is rather an obfuscation of what an industry is. Capitalist industries exist to produce profit. That's it. They are not, in any fundamental way, for social utility. You might jump through the hoops successfully - and it's surely no mean feat! - but the industry exists to unlock whatever money your talent can make them.
He is correct. I tried self publishing and it didn't work for me because I am not a good marketer. All the marketing I had to do took me too far away from the writing.
Thank you for doing this. I am at the crossroads and your videos are helpful.
Non-fiction sports here, so at the other end of the spectrum from what you mostly speak, but I am avoiding self-publishing for one simple reason: I merely want validation from someone in the industry before I dive in. Not sure if you reply to comments, but I'm wondering if you think my sentiments may be self-defeating.
Great to see you back.
e-self-publishing can be done in under 30 minutes, once the finalised manuscript is ready.
The biggest problem with self-publishing, or getting published by small indie publishers, is that you have to do all the promoting yourself, all the marketing, no one will help you unless you pay for it. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to sell a few dozen copies.
+Mary Gass ... I've self-published a number of my books and I rarely ever have to self-promote. The publisher does it for me. Try some other self publishers if your current one isn't getting your book out there.
Hi Piers, I love your videos. They are very informative and in many ways a godsend for fledgling authors like myself. Question for you related to this topic: Do you think the traditional publishing industry is in trouble right now? Some people I have heard, who are of some credibilty as near as I can tell, have remarked that they feel the industry is on the verge of collapse. To state such a thing seems dramatic to me, but it is such statements that lead me to seek your opinion on where things are at the moment. Cheers.
+Matthew Showers For the answer, just look at the music industry.
Hello. Your videos ares excellent. Congratulations!! Greetings from Barcelona.
I suppose what you said can be true for some self-published authors, I don't find it to be true for all. That was very broad brush used to paint an entire industry here. I would encourage you to check out some public writer's forums such has the Writer's Cafe on Kboards and see why you will be met with a ton of skepticism. www.kboards.com/index.php/board,60.0.html and for full disclosure, I'm also a full time self-published author who makes a cozy living.
Thanks for the link, Boyd, good luck on your writing! May you have continued success.
Have you changed your overall opinion as of late?
Not very much, no.
I have seen complaints that some publishers will not pay out for marketing and promotion and expect the author to pay towards this. If this allegation is true, then it makes e-self-publishing less disadvantageous.
1.0 Cost a lot of money dont spend money before you make
2.0 Complicated
3.0 Difficult to examine your own work.
4.0 Sense of waiting around not writing.
5.0 Disadvantages of new launch date.
6.0
7.0 Starts a lot of other distractions.
6.0
7.0
You say writers should be writing, but aspiring writers have to spend a lot of time and energy finding an agent, then having that agent find an editor, queries, requests, submissions-- none of that is really writing. And you don't talk about self-publishing through Amazon at all, which basically costs a writer bupkis.
I self published because no literary agent would take me on. I later learned that if I hadn't already sold over a thousand books, there's no point in trying for an agent. So far in about four years on Amazon, I've sold under twenty copies. If you know a way to remedy this problem, I really need to know. I have no money, would love the help of a reputable agent and I know my work is good. My fist novel is even movie worthy. It's rather frustrating to put in all that work and never get noticed. My first novel took me 22 years to write and my second took four. In spite of the experimental plot, that one is really good too and might make a pretty good realistic anime. And I have a simple reference book about my abstract designs...that one I don't have a lot of faith in only because the print quality is not as good as I would like. But, as a reference book it's okay. How can I get an agent? I've written more than I can count and they all turned me down.
Sadly, agents don't tend to give specific feedback when they reject queries. Have you had feedback from critique partners and beta readers?
@@SamOwenI I've actually received some pretty good comments amid rejections from agents. Mostly not, but a few.
How do we publish for another
Cool production values bro.
There's no harm in putting the finished product out there. Well, maybe you ought to use a pen name because if the commercial success is way below market average, agents and publishers might frown on the author with the next (and a much better) book.
Superb Video
Consortiums loosing control so much fun bring me more bring me more of thoses yuppies
What is the agent's attitude if they're pitched a book that HAS been self-published??
And next question: self-publishing my 201,000-word novel, in addition to my 253,000-word novel seems to be the only way to "get them out there," seeing that no agent or publisher would want to touch them. Correct?
Another great vid.
This is from the pov of an agent who is losing money to self publishing don't listen
LMAO
It would be nice if as a writer that's all you do when traditionally published, but almost every agent has in their questionaire the question what you're going to do to help with marketing. I know an author who is with Schuster and Schuster, and even she has to do most the marketing herself. And as to cost: pitching to an agent without a manuscript that has been professionally polished (developmental, line- and copy edit) is futile. And edits cost money whether you self-publish or look for an agent. It sounds good to say, spend no money and just write, but I don't think that's reality.
It's actually not true that you need professional editing. You could find critique partners. You could study the writing craft.
Indeed, it is difficult though.
*He is very good*
One more reason not to self publish, is it takes Agents out of the loop.
Seems to be that literary agents aren't what they used to be. These days it's not so much about how good your manuscript is but more about how many followers you have on social media or whether you are celebrity or not. You, the literary agent, are driving more and more new authors down the self publicist route and then have the audacity to trash that option. Nobody has any faith that their manuscript will ever be read. Moreover, as a literary agent, these days you rely on,the odd new author you take on, to organise their own marketing. It's becoming a less viable route. The real irony is that more and more literary agents are looking to entice the successful self publicists over to the traditional houses, beats having to work for a living. Either do something constructive or learn to live with the reality that you might become dinosaurs in the industry.
It’s sorta silly to say that self-publishing forces someone to pay money. Of course it does.... just like eating forces one to pay money. Or painting the outside of my house forces one to pay money.
There are reasons to self publish-even you say that. So.... what are you suggesting.... editors, proofreaders, illustrators must render their services for free?
Rethink that word “force.” Self-publishing involves an implicit expense.
I just watched a video that said it;s impossible to successfully publish without hours of marketing, and a big presence on TH-cam and Twitter. Lame-O
Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to you about 7 reasons you should use a better microphone for TH-cam videos.
This video is very nieve and frankly rude... Neither self publishing nor traditional is better than the other. Yes writers should write... But every job has other tasks that aren't directly related and it can be great for a lot of people to get business control over their brand, their book. Marketing. ALL AUTHORS SHOULD BE MARKETING!! No publisher will pick up an unknown and spend time, money or energy marketing. Sure if you're jk Rowling but every author needs to market themselves and that does not make them less of a writer. If you're choosing traditional because you're scared /don't want to market, you're screwed either way. Money. Traditionally you can get anvances, less risk, but self gets more profit percentage and overall control. You want to have an input on your cover, do it. Hire professionals to help you and market that book. This whole don't ruin your debut moment is rubbish and I hope aspiring authors do more research and ignore this video.
I think you as a agent are to biased to make this video, you should make a video on the advantages of traditional publishing instead.
"Tucked into a bottom drawer. It takes time ti get good." This jerk is your worst teacher, he expects more than is human, and it's a reason to back away from his judgment about anything.
conscience aginBlackadder There was nothing incorrect about his statement. A writer will never be any good on their first novel (unless they're some sort of prodigy, but those are exceedingly rare, and not worth talking about). It's one of the reasons people complain about agents. An agent can see how bad the writing is, and thus reject it. Then the author feels defeated by the industry and self publishes. Hence the massive pile of awful books on Amazon. If that author had instead chosen to continue writing and improve himself, in a few years he might actually be able to produce something of value.