I really love traditional publishing...all that waiting time for it to be out on the market....hey.... editing... revisions...and grabbing a marketing plan!!!
I’m a hybrid author and I started in traditional publishing. I wanted to go that way first because I needed someone in publishing to tell me I had the craft down. I grew up only knowing about traditional publishing, so it seemed the right way to me. I self-published my third story after a smaller publisher went under and I got my rights back. I’ve stayed hybrid because it fits my style, but if I was younger and just starting out…I’d go self-publishing all the way. I make more money on self-publishing than I do traditionally. Publisher love the newest book, so your book is quickly forgotten after a few months. And it takes them up to 18 months to publish, when in self-publishing it can take a month! I don’t think readers care who publishes your book, if it’s good they will read it and talk about it. And we won’t even talk about R&R from a publisher. You can be stuck in those for a year or more before they even decide if they want your book. I once went three rounds of R&R with an editor and finally when I realized she was trying to change the whole story, I was like what the heck am I doing. I told her no thanks….and self-published.
I have a friend who took 20 years, and wrote 23 novels, before he got a trad deal. Someone on Twitter recently announced they'd got an agent - after 18 years. They were so happy. I would literally be dead if I had to wait that long. Also watch out - some trad publishers forbid their authors to create their own subscription lists. It's in the contract. (Friend of mine is trad published, he has this problem.)
It's startling how often Lindsay's random asides are exceptionally useful. ;-)
I really love traditional publishing...all that waiting time for it to be out on the market....hey.... editing... revisions...and grabbing a marketing plan!!!
I’m a hybrid author and I started in traditional publishing. I wanted to go that way first because I needed someone in publishing to tell me I had the craft down. I grew up only knowing about traditional publishing, so it seemed the right way to me. I self-published my third story after a smaller publisher went under and I got my rights back. I’ve stayed hybrid because it fits my style, but if I was younger and just starting out…I’d go self-publishing all the way. I make more money on self-publishing than I do traditionally. Publisher love the newest book, so your book is quickly forgotten after a few months. And it takes them up to 18 months to publish, when in self-publishing it can take a month! I don’t think readers care who publishes your book, if it’s good they will read it and talk about it. And we won’t even talk about R&R from a publisher. You can be stuck in those for a year or more before they even decide if they want your book. I once went three rounds of R&R with an editor and finally when I realized she was trying to change the whole story, I was like what the heck am I doing. I told her no thanks….and self-published.
I believe Dawson & Blatch have started a side company where they publish works by deceased authors on behalf of their heirs.
I have a friend who took 20 years, and wrote 23 novels, before he got a trad deal. Someone on Twitter recently announced they'd got an agent - after 18 years. They were so happy.
I would literally be dead if I had to wait that long.
Also watch out - some trad publishers forbid their authors to create their own subscription lists. It's in the contract. (Friend of mine is trad published, he has this problem.)
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