Oh, there are SO many reasons that I decided to take the plunge, so I will set forth some of my reasons, ponderings, and conclusions here:
- We are all friends here, so I will be honest about this: I am impatient. Seriously impatient. The idea of querying, and waiting is exhausting. Also, so many wonderful writers have a PILE of rejections slips. There are tons of stories of now famous authors who could have wallpapered their living room with their collection of rejection slips. It did not mean that their writing was bad; it simply meant that the person who read it did not "get" it. Rather than waiting to find a publisher who "gets" me, I want to get my book directly to my readers.
- Another issue is longevity. The bottom line is that when a book is out of print, it isn't making the author any money. And the book just sits there...in some kind of torturous Book Limbo. However, if I make my book available as an e-book, it is available to readers for as long as it is available to purchase on a blog, a website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, etc.
- Also, I have control issues. I want to have a say in my books cover, in the release date, in the price.... Maybe it is a "first book" thing. Perhaps when I have several books under my belt I won't feel as emotionally invested in the font, or the spacing, or the formatting. (Ok, maybe I am not quite that obsessive...)
- I will also be blunt. As an "unknown" writer, there is the potential to make more income from e-books. (And, believe me, I would love to be able to eventually make enough to write full time, so if e-pub looks like it will get me there quicker, then I am all for it!) Sure, it takes time to "find" your audience no matter which route you go, but if you have a good book, and you make it available for people to find (creative, no-hassle marketing), then by going a route that allows the writer to retain a greater percentage of their profits, the author has the potential to earn more than he/she might in other forms of publishing.
Just so everyone can get a brief overview of the arguments surrounding e-publishing, I am including links to a very concise (if tongue in cheek) list of arguments decribing the problems with TRADITIONAL and ELECTRONIC publishing. Feel free to add your two cents to the debate!
And, just so no one misunderstands that I really, truly ADORE print books, I thought I would show my idea of Heaven on Earth:
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| Book Lover's Paradise |
These are some fantastic points. The traditional vs. Selfpub is a huge debate. I know where I stand on it, but I think it's moved to a very personal choice. I think every writer needs to think about where and how they want to publish their books because, let's face it, there's major draw backs to both.
ReplyDeleteI agree...both definitely have their pros and cons. And for some, they may not know what is the right fit for them until they jump in and try it. I am old enough to remember when "self-published" had a certain stigma to it, and it was hard for me to shake that. But eventually I had one of those "Eureka!" moments when I realized that I was holding myself back, and I needed to change the way I was thinking.
ReplyDeleteThose are two great links.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the epub front. It's the route I've chosen, but I'm not convinced that print will die out ever. The publishers and stores need to find a way to use/sell ebooks or offer someting that ebook sites can't offer.
Oh, I desperately hope that "traditional" books NEVER disappear. There is something immensely satisfying about turning a real page...I even love the SMELL of old books.
DeleteAnd I agree, stores need to find a way to offer more. I have this mad idea that if I ever won the lottery (or "hit it big" with a book...which, in my world, would be akin to winning the lottery), I would use a chunk of the money to open a quaint and quirky book story with my dear friend, and we would use another chunk of money to pay the "speaking engagement fee" for some amazing writers and have them come speak at our little book shop in our small town.
I have this vision of Neil Gaiman (speaking fee $55K, I think I read) coming to town to speak at our quanit little book shop...and we auction off tickets and then donating all the proceeds to a worthy charity.
(sighs wistfully...)
That sounds like a great idea. Count me in...if I ever win the lottery or make it big.
DeleteI'm pretty sure I'm going to go with self publishing, too! And I love your idea of Heaven on Earth... the only thing I'd add to it is my computer :)
ReplyDeletePart of me really likes the 'traditional publishing' option, as it seems more validating, somehow. But you're right that the chances of getting published that way are very slim. I would definitely consider self-publishing too, though I'd never expect to make huge money off it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and because I love print books so much, I'd probably choose the options where you can have print versions as well as eBooks.
ReplyDeleteOh yes - the smell of old books, that musty & dusty air they whip up with each turn of a page.... but you are right, we have to consider ALL options and pick the one we believe will serve us and our work best.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I'll do when I finish my current book-length manuscript. I like the fact that there is a growing body of "in-between" options, like the smaller companies that work like a traditional publisher and can help with things like publicity and marketing, but follow an e-pub model.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry about missing the paper book option. Since you're maintaining control, you can always put out a print version later.
Such good comments! I also want to dispel a common myth that if you e-publish it, no "traditional publisher" will ever touch it. Simply NOT true. If you get a book deal that is too good to pass up, they could well be interested in the e-published books. It happens.
ReplyDeleteThose are all incredibly accurate reasons that I think nearly all writers share. That's just about what my paradise looks like.
ReplyDeleteSo... what I'm hearing you say is you and I need to hurry up and get these novels finished so we can lure the reading world into our stories, thereby funding our book store. Right?
ReplyDeleteThat is PRECISELY what I am saying, my dear friend! All those peanut butter sandwiches while we wrote over are lunch hour shall NOT be in vain!
DeleteOh, btw I tagged you on my blog!
Deletehttp://writeskatedream-jmckendry.blogspot.com/2012/03/page-77-line-7.html
Your idea of writer heaven is my idea of writer heaven. Oh to have all those books, and a room like that to put them in! I came to you from Jayne Ferst's blog. You make some good arguments for ebook publishing. I've got one book on Kindle, but I still want to break into the print market, even while I try to keep up with what's going on in e-publishing.
ReplyDeleteHi, I came to your blog via Jane Ferst's blog. You make some good points for e-publishing. I have one book on Kindle, but I still want to break into the print market. Still--I'm learning all I can about all the possibilities, si I enjoyed this post ver much.
ReplyDelete