A Quick Take on Indie-Publishing

Unlike some others, I've come a little late to the indie-publishing revolution.  I got a Kindle about 18 months ago and primarily read traditionally published books on it.   It took me a while to wean myself away from paper.  It's only in the last six months that I've branched out and have started to read some indie-published novels due to so many people offering free books.  And I've noticed a few things that I'd like to share with you. 

Creativity & Individuality

When I was shopping around my soon to-be-published novel, St. Anne's Day, (shooting for a late July availability date) to agents, I intuitively felt it wouldn't find a home with neither an agent nor a publisher because I had never read another traditionally published book similar to what I had written.  My novel is set in Pittsburgh, features a nurse and has some Catholic/Christian overtones, making it not an exact fit in any genre.  I read scads of writing manuals while drafting it, and they all said not to do certain things.  They said not to set your story in certain places, feature certain types of characters, or embrace certain issues.  

Well, I've just finished a novel set in Pittsburgh featuring a nurse, not one of the "approved cities and occupations" and liked it.  My sister just read a book featuring a rock star as the protagonist, and coincidentally, she found out a good friend had read it too.  They both liked it.  The writing experts said neither agents nor publishers would touch a book with "celebrity types" of characters.  I also read a "Catholic" fiction novel that advocated natural family planning.  I doubt a publisher would touch that sort of theme.  Most likely none of these books would have made it past the "gatekeepers" who rule the traditional publishing world.  

Storming the Gates

Well, I say who needs gatekeepers!   It is refreshing to read non-homogenous novels.  I like being my own gatekeeper.  If the story is good, to me, that's all that matters.  Sure, I've come across the occasional typo, but I've seen them in traditionally pubbed books too.  Sure, I downloaded one poorly written book, which I abandoned after a chapter, but because e-books are more reasonably priced, I have no guilt putting a clunker down.  However, when I pay more for a hardback and it stinks, I feel trapped into reading it to get my money's worth.  I have more freedom to choose what I like with indie-published books. 

 Indie-publishing enhances the symbiotic relationship between writer and reader, eliminating the middle man--and that's a good thing. 

Buying My Own Set of Clippers

Hi Faithful Readers!

Herman Cain, the GOP presidential candidate, has been in the headlines a lot lately.  He's surging in the polls and recently won the Florida straw poll.  I'm not here to discuss the presidential race, but something I learned from Herman Cain that writers and anyone, really, can use.

Herman Cain has a biography coming out, and although I haven't read it, I did read one review.  The reviewer related one episode in the bio about how Cain, when he was a young man, went into a barber shop for a haircut.  The barber refused to cut his hair because he was black.  So what did Cain do?  Did he call the NAACP?  Did he call for a boycott of that barber shop?  Did he call the media?  No, Cain bought a pair of hair clippers and learned how to cut his own hair--something he still does.

Now, I don't care what your political persuasion is, you have to admire someone who encounters an obstacle and devises a way to surmount it.  Cain didn't become a victim but a victor.

This type of can-do attitude is what has brought me to the decision to independently publishing my novel, Not Every Girl.  The obstacle has always been getting an agent to represent my book. Several months ago, I revamped my website and posted the first chapter to the novel in hopes that one of the agents would stumble upon it and bestow their favors on me.  I also linked it to Facebook.  

Well, something better happened.  I went to a neighborhood function and several of my neighbors (thanks Peggy & Patti) asked where they could buy my book? I also had a relative message me as to where they could get my book.  I told them it wasn't published, that I was still shopping it around to agents.  They all thought my book would be something they would like to read.  Their comments sparked a revelation--I had found my market.   Without the help of an agent!  Most of the agents I queried were young NYC professionals, and I doubt any of the "Sex and the City Crowd" would relate to what I write, but others do.  That's another reason why I'm going indie.


So I'm buying my own set of clippers, so to speak.  If you are thinking about it too, here are two great websites:

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing  Joe Konrath pens this blog, and he has convinced me that going indie is the wave of the future.

http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

The Writer's Guide to E-Publishing   The site has many resources

http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/




Enjoy whatever remains of September!

Janice








    

Here's to Heroes

Did you see the recent story about the NYC subway slasher who went on a violent spree killing several people  He set out to create more carnage, but he ran into Joe Lozito, a regular commuter from Philly.  When the slasher threatened him, Lozito knew he would most likely die if he didn't do something.  Drawing on the moves he'd seen while watching mixed martial arts matches, Lozito fought back, saving his life and possibly the lives of others on the train.  Afterward, Lozito was very humble, brushing off any credit.

In 1996, a Penn State University student opened fire on her fellow classmates, killing one and wounding another.  As she stopped to reload, student Brendon Malovrh ran over and tackled her.  During the struggle, she pulled a knife on Malovrh, but she inadvertently slashed her own leg.  Malovrh used his belt as a tourniquet to save her life.  I remember watching Malovrh while reporters interviewed him.  He was very low-key, humble and seemed to shrink from the attention.

In this day when so many are clamoring for attention (i.e. Lady Gaga), it's refreshing and heartwarming to know that humble heroes still exist. 

Heroes have always been a staple of literature; readers can't resist them.  Perhaps we love them so much because they appeal to our higher nature.  We look upon them and hope that in the same circumstances we would perform as admirably. 

One of my favorite fictional heroes is Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.  Fraser is honorable, brave, and self-sacrificing.

Who are some of your favorite fiction heroes?  What makes them stand out in your mind?      

A New Breed in Publishing

The American Kennel Club recently recognized three new breeds of dogs--The Entlebucher Mountain Dog, the Norwegian Lundehund, and the Xoloitzcuintli.  According to the AKC, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a high-energy breed, the Lundehund has six toes on each foot, and the Xoloitzcuintli, besides having an odd name, is hairless. Six toed and hairless?  High-energied?  What kind of strange pooches are these?

There are some other new breeds on the scene that have yet to be recognized by the authorities, but these aren't canine breeds.  They are new ways of publishing manuscripts.  With the advent of revolutionary technologies, the standard scenario of acquiring and agent who then procures a publisher to purchase and produce a book is being challenged.  Today, more people are sidestepping that traditional process and taking their manuscripts directly to the market via vanity presses and e-publishers. 

In many cases, these books are odd like a six-toed paw or even downright homely like a hairless dog.  But like the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, there is a lot of energy pouring into this new style of publishing.  As a writer, instructor and editor, I've been approached by several people, mostly former students, to edit their manuscripts, which they intended to self-publish, and honestly, the few times that I've agreed to do so, the experience has proven to be quite painful. 

There is no way to stop progress.  The new methods of publishing are here to stay, but without agents and publishing houses acting as gatekeepers to good writing, readers may be seeing many dogs when it comes to manuscripts. 

Now you know what's on their mind

What serious writer hasn't wondered what agents and editors want or what are they thinking?  I can distinctly recall many times sitting with the members of my critique group and trying to read between the lines of the rejection letter in question, wondering just what the agent or editor meant by "while your writing has merit, I don't think I'm the one to best represent your work." or some similar phrase.  In such situations someone in the group sighs and ponders, "If I only knew what they were thinking when they wrote this rejection letter."

With the advent of social media and its embrace by agents and editors, writers now have more of an insight into what agents and editors are looking for.  I'm finding it very refreshing and helpful to read their blog postings and twitters.  Social media is more intimate and agents and editors are very candid in their postings.  If writers are wise, they will study these postings.  They are telling us how to approach them and what they want--it's up to us to listen.