From MFA, to agents,
to indie publishing (and why I think it’s great)
Thanks, Michele, for
inviting me to guest-post on your blog. The idea is to talk a little about
writing so I thought I’d say a few words about “indie” publishing and how much
I’ve been enjoying this experience I wasn’t particularly open to not long ago.
A few years back, I
completed an MFA program (hey, Michele, didn’t I see you there?) and, within
the same year, was offered agent representation for my first novel. The stuff
of writer dreams and I felt sure I was on my way to securing a traditional
publishing deal. A brilliant, hopeful, exciting time in my life while emails
flew back and forth and revisions were made to the manuscript, preparing for
the big day. Eventually, it was time to submit the novel to editors. I waited,
fingers crossed. Then, radio silence. When I finally inquired, I learned that a
few editors saw the manuscript (five or six). Some said nice things but they
passed. I never heard from that agent again. Yep, really. So, I dusted myself
off and decided to push on and keep writing. Before too long (a few years but,
hey, we’re talking the writing world, after all), I was offered representation
again, this time for a YA novel I’d been working on. A really nice agent, very
well-known agency! So, the first round was a dud. No biggie, right? My moment
had definitely arrived. A writer couldn’t possibly snag two agents for two
novels and still have nothing happen. No way. Well, guess what. You got it. The
process wasn’t quite as absurd as the first time around (in other words, the
agent didn’t suddenly vanish into thin air) but the result was the same. A few
editors saw my book and that was basically it. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am
simplifying here to a degree. My second agent was a nice person who I enjoyed
working with. However, when she suggested that I put the novel on the back
burner for a while and move on, I decided otherwise (but we did part ways
amicably). So, I was back to square one.
The fact is, I
wasn’t sure I had the heart to start the process all over again. And, while I
did start sending queries, in the meantime I kept hearing about writers gaining
a readership through indie publishing. Yeah, I know it’s self-publishing but I
like the “indie” designation since (at least, to me), the term signifies a
writer who’s taking every step possible to professionally publish his or her
work. So, I started looking at independently published writers in a totally new
light. As a result, I read some fantastic (and, in some cases, very successful)
books (for example, Annelie Wendeberg’s The Devil’s Grin and Hugh Howey’s Wool, the holy grail of
indie publishing success). Soon, any remaining doubts about self-publishing
were history. In fact, the more I looked at it, this looked like the new model.
If not the definitive future of publishing, certainly a part of future
publishing that wasn’t going to recede into the background again.
Fast-forward to the
day I published my YA novel, Jump When Ready, on Amazon. No, it wasn’t
the lifelong dream coming true. All the same, it was still a very exciting
moment. People, actual readers out there in the world, were experiencing one of
my novels! I had made that happen, without anyone’s permission, without waiting
several more years. Amazon allows for free promotions, and on my first promo Jump
When Ready hit the top 100 free list. Thousands of people downloaded the
ebook version of the novel, which just amazed me. To keep this reasonably
short, I’ll just add that I love setting my own deadlines, choosing my own
cover art, the fact that I can add new reviews to my back cover or interior
whenever I’d like, or change front or back matter as new ideas occur to me (for
example, adding a link to a new mailing list or blog). And, when my next novel
is ready (I’m working on another YA to follow the first one), I can send it out
into the world too. I’m excited about that, although I’m editing just like I
would if I was about to send it back to my agent for an editor to consider. So,
it might be a few more months. Then, maybe I’ll publish that other novel I
finished during the MFA program. Who knows, but the future remains wide open.
So, that’ how it
went for me. From MFA to agents to indie publishing. To be honest, I was almost
thinking of bailing, starting to wonder if my books might not, in fact, have
what it takes. Evidently, not the case (knock wood), at least based on the
reviews Jump When Ready has received so far from readers, bloggers and
book reviewers (all of whom, I thank very much for their kind words).
In fact, here are a
few of those review quotes below. How’s that for a segue? Thanks again,
Michele! And to my fellow writers, whether published traditionally or
independently, good luck!
"Whether you're 14 or 24, this is a fun read with
endearing characters and a quick-moving plot. Jump When Ready is not a book to
miss."
- Portland Book Review
"An engaging, poignant book that stayed with me long
after I read the last word."
- Tracy E. Banghart, author of By Blood.
"I loved this book and am looking forward to seeing
what the author will come up with next!"
- A Little Shelf of Heaven
"The combination of coming-of-age, philosophical and
thriller story comes together to make a fascinating and engaging book."
- The Real Bookshelves of Room 918
"It impacted my thoughts in a serious way, and I will
most likely spend the next few days going over it, and over it, in my
head."
- Bound by Words
"There are few books out there that have characters
that make you wish you had friends like them."
- Book Nerds
"This was a great story. I personally have never read
anything like it."
- Reading is Better than Real Life
To buy a copy of Jump When Ready on Amazon
Enter to win a print copy on Goodreads
Jump When Ready blog
Jump When Ready on Facebook
David - congrats on the success of your new YA novel! As for indie publishing, I'm a fan as well. I've had the opportunity to do both -- traditional and indie -- and, from the standpoint of most readers, I've found that they don't really care who's published the book, just that it's a story they'll enjoy. IMO, it's a very exciting time to be an author ;). Best of luck on your writing journey!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marilyn! Despite some initial reservations, my experience has been entirely positive. It would seem that as long as a novel is carefully crafted, readers (including bloggers and other reviewers) aren't particularly concerned whether the novel is trad or indie. I agree; it's a fantastic time to be an author. Best of luck to you too!
ReplyDeleteI agree on both counts. I'm so happy that David could talk about his experience here. It's weird that a form of publishing that I so feared has become lucrative and mainstream with the expansion of the internet. It's great. I think it makes everybody work harder and write better.
ReplyDelete