My apologies for the lapse in blog entries for A Writer’s Journey! I have been on a journey all right! Getting novels completed, edited, and out to the public!! Whew! Journey is an understatement! Oops--not to mention the demands of the day job!!
So, as many of you know, with my debut novel, Painted Windows, I decided to self-publish--or as the publishing industry refers to it “independently publish” or “indie publish.” Interestingly, there are many, many indie publishing platforms out there. It is mind boggling. However, I chose Kindle Direct, an Amazon.com company. Am I hearing cringes from my audience? That’s cool.
I have done a great deal of research on whether to hold out for a traditional publishing opportunity or to self-publish. I submitted Painted Windows to countless (well, I won’t bore you with the numbers, but I did actually count them) agents with traditional publishers. I got four rejections. But the rest? Crickets. Agents don’t generally respond, unless they have an interest. I have weighed the pros and cons. Each method has them.
One of the biggest complaints out there regarding indie published books is: QUALITY! Yes, quality. There is a perception that, if an author has self-published a book, it lacks quality. It will be full of grammatical and spelling errors. The content will be of inferior quality. The plot will be lacking. And, for some books out there, that unfortunately may be true. Indie publishers do not have automatic access to professional editors, like those who go through traditional publishing platforms. If a professional editor is needed, they hire one and dole out a chunk of money. (Yes, book editing is big business. If you’ve got the skill, there’s plenty of opportunity and “chingolas” ($$) out there!)
The thing is, traditionally published books—those edited by professional editors—have their errors also. I have read several books lately put out by big publishing houses, and…yes…I have found typos. I have found improper word use. Grammatical issues. From the Big Guys!! (Maybe I am more aware of these errors now because I am constantly searching for them in my own work.) But editors are people. And people are not perfect. So, one thing I recommend: as an avid reader, if you come across an error in a book, reach out to the publisher or the author and let them know. Errors can be corrected.
But one of the features I like about Kindle Direct, is that if there is an error and it is brought to my attention, I can quickly fix it. And because my books are not mass produced, the next copy ordered will have the correction. Yes, I find Kindle Direct’s print-on-demand feature phenomenal! Every person who orders one of my paperback novels, gets a copy printed solely for them! There are no boxes of books standing around collecting dust and cobwebs, waiting for the next book signing or the next bookstore to place an order. Or that can’t have errors fixed!
Another feature I like about Kindle Direct, is the eBook feature. I once was like so many and swore I would never become one of those people who read eBooks. I had to have a physical book in my hand with pages to turn rather than swipe. That is until my husband and I went to move. We were downsizing, adopting a more minimalist lifestyle, and when we realized that the moving truck was half-filled with simply boxes of books, we knew they had to go. There just wouldn’t be room. We realized by having these books just sitting on bookshelves--or worse, never making it out of the boxes—was keeping others from getting use and enjoyment from them. We donated SO MANY BOOKS! Now, we still have our absolute best favorites on our shelves, but anything new we read now clutters our Kindle Fires! No trees are killed! eBooks are not a fire hazard, don’t have to be dusted, and they are environmentally friendly!
In fact, from start to finish, when I am working on one of my novels, a piece of paper is never touched. The entire process is completed on the computer, digitally. The writing, the editing, the design of the cover. Everything. Instead of trees lying in piles ready for the papermills, I am surrounded by standing trees that convert the ozone depleting carbon dioxide into oxygen! That clean fresh air! Not only do I breathe that in, but there are whiffs of this philosophy in my writing! There is a fulfilling sense that comes from being minimalist and environmentally conscious, and I am secretly planting these ideologies in my books! LOL!
Anyway, while I been remiss in actively promoting my debut novel, Painted Windows, I do want to thank those of you who have read and embraced my sweet girl, Ruby, the unforgettable protagonist. Your reviews are blessings and much needed for ratings for this book!
And I am happy--no, PERFECTLY DELIGHTED--to announce the release of the next book in the Gunpowder Series: Dashboard Lights. It is now available as an eBook and will be available in the next couple of days in paperback!
The third book in the Gunpowder series, Ruby Ring, is not far behind! Going through the ‘final’ round of edits, it should be hitting the indie publishing scene sometime in March or early April!
Keep reading people! And spread the word! Tell everyone you know and meet about Ruby and the challenges she overcomes! It is the readers—each and every one of you--who make authors known to the public!
Kommentare