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
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