I have dilemma about trying to publish my book

[pixie]

I have a dilemma about trying to publish my novel. I am writing a novel and I am not sure what to do with (where I want to publish it) after I finish it. Do I want to submit it to a publishing company like Cemetery Dance or Journal Stone. (I heard about the annual writing contest that Journal Stone runs each year. I think you get a $2,000 advance publishing contest. I did not make the deadline this year but I would like to try to enter the contest next year.)

This is the very first novel I have ever tried to write. I have no idea what to do. Or should I submit my novel to an e-book publishing places like Smash Words.com? Should I try to go the e-book route at all? There are publishing companies like Lazy Day publishing and Solstice Publishing. I would like to try going the e-publishing route first, because I want to get feedback and critique for my work. If I go the e-publishing route, will the rights to my novel go to me or the publishing company? I would like to wait until next year to try to enter the Journal Stone contest. If you have any ideas please help me.

[C.W. LaSart]

Cemetery Dance is closed to submissions, and most mid-level like them are agent only. Smash-words is self-pub. I would recommend atleast paying a professional editor to do a complete edit on it before going that route. If you want to go small press, you are better off submitting it to them BEFORE you go for an e-book, because many don't want it after you've done that. As for rights, it all depends on the contract. Most small press will ask for both print and e-book rights for 1 year to 3. After that, it's up to you if you want to renew. Anything bigger than small press requires an agent, which is not an easy thing to get. As for the contest, I have never heard of it. Hope that helps and good luck!

[JJ123]

What is a typical cost for a complete edit? I agree, an edit is requisite (I too am thinking of self-publishing, probably CreateSpace), but I am worried about paying too much since generating a ROI is unlikely even without many upfront costs to begin with.

[C.W. LaSart]

I don't know. I publish with small press, so they take care of that end. I have sonce heard of the Journalstone's contest and can tell you it's a solid deal. They are the largest sponser off the Stoker Weekend featuring the HWA in New Orleans in 2013. Best of luck!

[billymarsh]

A book should be able to stand on its own merits regardless of whether it's in a trilogy or not. If your book starts slow, then the problem is the book, not because it's in a trilogy. If a reader/editor/publisher gets bored in the first chapter, no one will care that it's a trilogy or a ten book series.

[RJK1981]

A book should be able to stand on its own merits regardless of whether it's in a trilogy or not. If your book starts slow, then the problem is the book, not because it's in a trilogy. If a reader/editor/publisher gets bored in the first chapter, no one will care that it's a trilogy or a ten book series.

What is this in response to? I see no mention of a trilogy here. Is this just misplaced?