Originally posted by Draven Ames
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A question for the "real" authors
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Originally posted by C.W. LaSart View PostWell I will make the martini's I guess-dirty or otherwise! I am the professional...bartender that is!It ain't braggin' if you can do it. . .
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Originally posted by RJHubbard53 View PostI used to be but now just an afficionado - my specialty is the margarita, fresh squeezed and no triple sec!
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Originally posted by Pooks View PostOzmosis7, why do you say that self-publishing will taint you with agents and traditional markets? I would think that they would like to see a following for a book and see the possibilities that nationwide/worldwide marketing could do?
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Thinking on this more, rather than post links I've found, I'll just state what it was. There was an article about Hocking, discussing how she made so much she was untouchable by publishers. Recently, she did just sign with a publisher.
Jeff Strand used to self-pub, and was picked up for a publishing deal. One of the guys he co-authored a self-pubbed book with is still doing so successfully, claiming he will make over $500k this year. Whether or not some of his success comes from having co-authored a book with a Stoker award winner is up in the air.
Many others who have been kind enough to share their earnings from self-pubbing, are reporting 20 or copies sold per a month of their books. That isn't quite as successful. A lot of that could be due to marketing techniques, as the one author above that is doing well had a strategy he lived by. I have seen another self-pubbed author use the same marketing techniques and be successful as well. So there is something to that.
So a very successful author might do fine, and get a traditional contract. I've just been told by a lot of authors with bigger names that is a bad idea to go that route. They claim that there are several publishers/agents who won't even look at you once you self-pub. And again, everything I put here is from articles, research, and word of mouth, so its fallible to a degree. But as much as there are some that won't look at you, I am sure there are plenty that will if you are successful. And that last part has been proven.
Hope that clears up some and helps. Good luck.
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Originally posted by ozmosis7 View PostJeff Strand used to self-pub, and was picked up for a publishing deal. One of the guys he co-authored a self-pubbed book with is still doing so successfully, claiming he will make over $500k this year. Whether or not some of his success comes from having co-authored a book with a Stoker award winner is up in the air.
I don’t know about agents or publishers dismissing authors who’ve already self-published. Seems a tad bit extreme. Most the agents and publishers that I’ve spoken with would love to represent or publish someone who comes with a successful selling record. People hate to take risks.
My friend John Rector actually published his first novel through Amazon as an E-book just as an experiment. He got tired of the novel getting rejected. Turns out it was a bit of a success. He then got a publishing deal with Tor for his next book. Now he’s done a major deal with Amazon’s publishing house. Pretty awesome for him. He still recommends going the traditional route. There’s nothing like having your work vetted by a professional publishing house to validate you as an author.
MLD
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Wow, that's awesome. I think it depends on who you ask or what you read, as to what you hear. Like I said, I think this was once the case, and in the modern day, no one really knows for sure. Seeing someone get a deal that way first hand though, is great. Tor is certainly a pretty big name too, so it's good to see, but they also aren't all thats out there. My statement just said some. So the idea is that you would be limiting your audience. Could this all be some old hoopla, that has been carried over into an age where it isn't really true? Who knows, but there is also a reason why you see so many authors publishing their books with small presses, rather than going the self-pubbing route.
I believe you are correct about the name of the guy I was talking about too. I wasn't saying he was a model, so much as his marketing strategy was if you are going that route. I doubt any of us would shake our heads at making $500k a year. So, if you are going that route, it's worth reading his blog, because he talks about what he has done. I would read others too.
This is also what I meant by the no two roads to the same end thing. Those words come from an article where the author proposes you just do what you do, because you have as good of a shot making it regardless of which path you take. I will say that I have come across more of the 20 per a month types, than the other though--so it is just as difficult a road. I think some of that is due to not having an editor--maybe.
From everything I have heard and seen though, I would exhaust all of your avenues through the traditional route first. Give it a real god shot, and try to get better as a writer. If nothing else, you prepare yourself better for self-pubbing. But I guess it also depends what you want to get out of your writing career. If you don't care about such things, than why bother worrying about it? Heck, if I was a rich man I'd have all the CD books and be throwing my stuff up on Amazon for $.99--maybe.
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Originally posted by mlouisdixon View PostMy friend John Rector actually published his first novel through Amazon as an E-book just as an experiment. He got tired of the novel getting rejected. Turns out it was a bit of a success. He then got a publishing deal with Tor for his next book. Now he’s done a major deal with Amazon’s publishing house. Pretty awesome for him. He still recommends going the traditional route. There’s nothing like having your work vetted by a professional publishing house to validate you as an author.
MLD
Good luck, whatever route you take.
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