The View from Outside the Print Box

It's a jungle out here.

There is so much to learn and be aware of. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and completely incapable of finding my way. My old maps - specifically formatting guidelines for print submissions - are pretty useless in the realm of e-publishing. So I've had to leave them back at base camp. And it's kind of unnerving to be wandering around out here, wondering which way to turn next.

There are others who have gone before me, so I'm trying to use the paths they blazed as a guide. JA Konrath's blog has been a gold-mine of advice and encouragement. The big difference is that Mr. Konrath already has a reputation forged in the fires of print, and I don't. That will mean I have to find my own way when it comes to marketing my book (and myself, for that matter).

For technical advice, Smashwords has a pretty cool style guide available for free download. I don't know if this is the Bible for formatting, but most of what it says makes sense, so at least it's a good jumping off point. Amazon's Kindle and PubIt from Barnes and Noble have formatting info on their websites, but I haven't really found nuts-and-bolts guidelines regarding spacing, paragraph formatting, etc. I'm working on it, though. What I will probably do is format as if I were uploading to Smashwords, and see how it looks once I've submitted it to Amazon and B&N. Then I'll go from there.

I'm still undecided as to what other vendors to sell through. iBooks would be great, but I'm hearing mixed reactions as to how successful people are at selling through them, mainly because of complaints with how hard it is for users to navigate their selection. I happen to agree with these complaints, which is why I have the Kindle and Nook apps on my iPad. What I may do is upload to Smashwords as well and shoot for their premium catalog, which does the hard work for me and makes my book available on multiple vendor sites. It means taking another cut out of my royalties, but it might be worth the convenience. Apple doesn't sound like the easiest vendor to go through, so a third party might be best for them. We'll see. I have a Mac desktop, so I might do it myself once I've uploaded to Kindle and Nook.

Then there are the details like ISBN numbers and cover art. Most places don't require you to get your own ISBN number (iBooks being a notable exception). But it is usually strongly recommended. So that should be fun times. I don't know if I need different ISBN's for all the different platforms or not. I do know that if I use my own ISBN for Smashwords, they want it to be different from any other platform. But if I go Premium with them, they'll issue one for me.

So many choices! I think this probably sounds more like a rant than anything useful. Hopefully it gives you an idea of all the considerations you have to make after the writing is done and you're ready to sell on your own. In the meantime, I've put my agent search on hold. This stuff takes a lot of time, and work and school take even more. And I have a lot of editing to do before I will have a manuscript that I feel comfortable sending out, in the event an agent requests a full read.

Speaking of cover art, which I mentioned in passing a while back, I highly recommend either learning how to do you own, or commissioning someone to design cover art for you, if you know someone who has that talent. I tried designing my own book cover. It's okay... no, actually it's pretty lame. But I know some very talented graphic artists, and I commissioned one on Friday, which was very exciting for me as I've never commissioned art before. As luck would have it, my artist then had a baby on Monday, so I'm not really sure where I stand at the moment. But baby trumps book, so congrats to Michelle and her husband Kyle, and welcome to the world, Elliot!

Why Am I Doing This?

It's a question that goes through my head at least once a day: Why am I doing this? It's probably just the insecurities and self-doubt of a introvert creeping in. But it can be asked on several different levels, a few of which are even practical. For instance, it's a very practical question to ask when it comes to self-publishing. Because as exciting as modern technology is, and as accessible as applications like the Kindle store, iBooks and PubIt are, it's still self-publishing if I as an author put my work on those sites without the backing of a publishing house. I have a couple of reasons for exploring this route. Hopefully they'll make sense.

The novel I am planning to sell electronically is called "Days of Reckoning." It's a thriller. If you picture the character Mack Bolan (from "The Executioner" series) as a hot female police officer, you've got a basic idea of who my main character is. "Days of Reckoning" and I have had a rocky relationship. For a few years, we didn't even speak to one another. But I still love this book of mine, and I think it's worth offering to the public. "Days" served as my thesis novel at Seton Hill University. Without it, I wouldn't have my MA, or be in a program working towards an MFA. One of my writing friends was aghast when I suggested I might try publishing it myself, suggesting that it deserved another chance at being sent to agents. In theory, I agree. I'd love it if this book were picked up by an agent and a publishing house. But I've already tried that route.

I realize I am violating a cardinal rule of writing: "If at first you don't succeed, suck it up and send it out again, dammit!" So everything I say here will probably sound like an excuse. But indulge me and hear me out, please. First, I have a practical problem. As I said, I've already sent "Days" out to several agents. The problem is, the list of agents queried is one document that I didn't have backed up, and was lost when my old computer was wiped out. I remember a few of the agents I've queried, but not all of them. So I don't want to revisit old ground. Second, I think this could be an instructive exercise. I've taught a writing class, and it sure would be nice the next time around if I could give a first-hand account of what the e-book world is like, from an author's standpoint. I'd love to try the same type of path that writers like JA Konrath and David Morrell are exploring. Third, while I have regained my love for my book, I also want to be able to move on. I have two other novels that I've written since I finished "Days," and I want to be able to give them the attention they deserve as I look to market them. And right now, both of them are slated to make the rounds with traditional agents and publishers.

So those are my reasons for testing the waters of ebooks with "Days of Reckoning." Why am I doing this? Honestly, because it's exciting, it will be a valuable learning experience, and because I think my book is worth it.

Entering the Publishing Fray

Rejection sucks. I don't think it's something to which one ever gets desensitized. At least I haven't. And I've been through it plenty of times, especially as a writer. In fact, I've been so disillusioned by it that I haven't submitted anything in three years. But here I am, back at it again, some masochistic glutton for punishment, I guess. Either that, or maybe deep down I actually do believe in myself and my work.

Whatever the case, I've decided to make this round a little bit more interesting, at least for me. I have three novels completed which I feel are - or soon will be - publication-worthy. One of them I am going to send out the traditional way, querying agents and hoping to here the magic words "I'd be happy to represent you." Followed by the even more magical phrase "We've sold it to..." The other novel has already been through numerous agents. So I'm going to access the marvels of modern technology and make it available through Kindle, possibly iBooks, and Barnes and Nobles PubIt, if it ever launches. I'll go into more detail about my thoughts re: self-publishing - and how it is changing - later. But for now, I'm just putting a general battle plan on the table.

My goal with this blog, and with my Twitter feed, will be to track how each one is doing. Maybe give a running tally. X-number of rejections vs. online sales, or something like that. I'm not sure. I'm still new to this whole blogoshpere / social media thing. But maybe this way, I'll be able to look at things like rejection and acceptance a little bit more objectively, regardless of whether it comes from an agent or the reading community at large.

As for that third novel, it is still undergoing some heavy revising. Right now I have a list of agents to whom I'd like to send it. But maybe my mind will change during the course of this adventure.