Don’t Write and Self Publish A Book

I’ll bet that got your attention. Please don’t write and self-publish a book? This from a self-published author? Yup. In a world of self-publishing proliferation, I’m here to say you probably shouldn’t write a book, and I have a several reasons why not.

Lately, it seems everyone is into publishing their book. Ex-White House staffers, current and past Olympians, people in jail, people out of jail, famous, infamous, Hollywood stars, musicians, a rescuer, the rescued, the housewife who discovered how to budget, the lady who lost weight, the homeschooler who dabbles in poetry, the cute kid who made thousands selling lemonade. On and on, ad nauseum, it seems that people everywhere are jumping on the bandwagon to be known as a writer, and more specifically, an author. Many of these folks have the benefit of a large publishing house who expects to make money off their clients fame (even fleeting). This is especially true of people who live online.

Then there are “the others” — the lesser knowns probably more recognizable to the common masses like you and me. Check out the podcasts where the hosts are now writing books. Look at Facebook and Pinterest where people are deciding to turn their social life into books. Success and failure is making people decide to write. Had 15 minutes of fame? Self-publish a book. And the result is there are too many people diving into the publishing pool and most of the resulting books are terrible, making the entire pool feel cheap and stinky.

Yes, I went there and no, I’m not sorry.

There are lots of publishing companies (vanity and hybrids) waiting for you to pay for a publishing package and all you have to do is write the words. We’ll market and advertise and make you a “successful author,” they promise. Oh my, it’s too much to resist and the books are flying!

Problem is most of these self-published folks haven’t a clue about writing or how to write well. Most of these would-be writers don’t know what makes a good cover or what trends are passé or which ones are hot. Most novice authors haven’t build up a list of credits to their resume to bring weight to their upcoming “bestseller,” but they are certain all 17 of their family members will buy their book (only to discover that most of them expect a copy for free or else aren’t really interested).

Most author wanna-be’s think that they have a great idea for a cookbook and expect to write a Martha Stewart-esque in demand volume and make the bestseller list. Instead they publish a book with crappy pictures and their mom’s old recipes only to find there isn’t much of anything exceptional about their book and maybe they should have hired a photographer, a ghostwriter, and a taste tester.

There are some publishing companies that don’t care about your credits and promise to make you a star. All you have to do is agree to a contract and they will make your book shine with a slick cover and a professional interior. And they will edit your work too, give you some marketing, put your book in some book conferences and promote. All for a tidy fee of about $5-$10 thousand dollars. And before you gasp, you can get financing and ten copies of your book for friends. Look, the company will say, now you can promote yourself as an AUTHOR.

And so it happens. Another crappy 400 page, poorly written, edited by friends, with a cover showcasing a personal photo hits the Amazon self-publishing arena and muddies the water.

Yes, it irritates me but it makes me sad too.

I remember my long time desire to be an author. I didn’t think it would ever happen for me because I wasn’t a Stephen King or a Daphne du Maurier. But I studied the writing craft, I devoured books, I read “how to” and “how not to” books,  and I wrote and wrote and wrote. I tried publishing through regular channels. I sought an agent too. I was either off trend, too trendy, too inexperienced or too late. I finally self published in 2013 because this was a new possibility that didn’t exist when I first started! My first book came out in 2008. I was 54. I’ve been writing since I was five.

When a 22 year old publishes a book I can’t help but lift an eyebrow. There are few folks who are phenoms and publish brilliant works so young. Yes, there are some who succeed early and are wildly successful – V.E. Schwab comes to mind. She published at 24 and is now 31 and is a USA Today and NYT Bestselling author (and wow is she good). Most of us will never be her. And that is hard truth for many. But hope rises and young people, eager to get in the tide flow, jump in before they are experienced, seasoned, learned, practiced and oh…dear….I do wish they wouldn’t.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be published or even that you must not if you are only 19 or 23. If you have stories to tell, write them. Enter story contests, seek out venues for your work, and along the way study your craft. If you feel this terrible burn to be published, then work it with small presses, newspapers, magazines, contests. If becoming an author is all you desire, then go with that passion and prepare for the realities of writing, specifically that you probably won’t be rich or famous. 

Why do you want to be an author? IF the reasons include because your friends are doing it, or because you’ll feel more important, then please don’t publish. If your reasons are because it will add to your professional resume or make you look smarter, then don’t do it. If publishing and being an author looks like exciting fun or because your mom thinks you should, please don’t! 

There is only one reason to write a book and self-publish. It won’t matter who else is doing a book. It won’t matter how many of your friends have published. It won’t matter if your boss did it or if your resume will seem empty without it. The only reason you need is that you have a story to tell and you NEED to share it.

And I know you will have studied how to write, you will understand that there is no free road to publishing, that there is trial and error and in the end, the likelihood is that you will never be on Good Morning America or sell 10,000 copies. (How I wish Oprah would read me!). 

But if you’ve studied, if you’ve researched, if you’ve found your way into trends, and have a good designer and formatter, if you’re prepared to work and sweat and cry and bleed. with an understanding that being an author isn’t all million dollar royalties and an easy life…then become an author because you are a writer and are compelled to write.

And nothing else matters. You are going to give the world the very best of you for no other reason than a desire to write the story.

Unless you do that, you should not write and self publish a book. And that’s the truth.

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Happy October! Fun things coming this month so stay tuned. What are you doing for Halloween? Be sure to drop me a note and let me know. This month we’ll look at some fun reads to celebrate the changing season.

Don’t forget my latest book, LOVE AND BLOOD, is now available. You might want to check it out if you want to be a part of the upcoming TRIVIA CONTEST.  More on that next time.

Until then…

I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

New Release!!

I’m delighted to announce my latest novel LOVE AND BLOOD was released Sep 18 (ebook and print). This paranormal romance is chock full of murder, chaos, surprises, and twists plus laced with some things sassy, some humorous, and some downright sexy. This is the continuation of the Evening Bower series begun with prequel, The Gypsy Thorn, then officially open in Time and Blood. Join Rhea and Amor-el along with their son, Destin, and friends, as they must renew their battle against deadly enemies intent on the destruction of the phoenix, of a prophecy, and any hope for the future.

Cover by Cover Me Darling LLC

The reviews are looking good, so please get yours before the price goes up. You won’t be disappointed, I promise! This is one paranormal romance that will leave you wanting more.

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Lessons in Perspective

You know the expression that says (in paraphrase), your view of the world depends on what side of the fence you stand? Well I learned this lesson well over the last few weeks.

I’ve been away because my body has been ill. I had surgery on Sept 10  to correct an ongoing ailament that previously made me very lethargic and often unable to do certain tasks. I won’t go into great detail about the fix but here’s what you need to know — I am horribly afraid of hospitals, doctors and dentists. Now I had to deal with an emergent situation in a hospital, several doctors and all the panic over fears I dreaded. My blood pressure soared, my fears rose to the surface, and I was a mess all the way around.

Now, I do not have any terminal disease nor any grave or serious illness. What was wrong with me was an often common thing though my ailament was more complicated than expected. My stay in the hospital was brief (2 and a half days) and when released, I would have run to the car to get away if I could have!

Now to perspective. I have friends who have survived a plethora of hospital visits, endured numerous surgeries, radiation treatments, chemotherapy and suffered terribly. I felt foolish with my baby fears when I thought of them and I chastised myself for my benign fears. But my perspective of the incident remained tainted with my fear and my lingering anxiety. I could not see the bigger picture when I was stuck in the middle of my singular problem.

But fears they were and I could not shake them. Instead I tried to keep them “in perspective” but began to realize that my fears were no less valid or real, no matter how small they compared to others. I needed to allow myself to have the fear and not feel ashamed of it simply because my situation didn’t measure up to the horrible enduring of others. Perspective comes when you see the field before you and you deal with what you have yet you must allow there are greater fields beyond yours and they aren’t all solid ground. That does not diminish your personal field but it helps you to regain solid footing.

As a writer, I paid attention to my anxiety, my fears, my depression, my loneliness, and stopped beating myself up and apologizing for my lack of bravery or stiff upper lip. Those who love and know me, shared compassion (even when they didn’t understand my fear) and helped me to cope.  Their warmth sustained me and eased my trepidations.

Perspective is not having to understand, but must acknowledge the reality without judgement. The mountains are real and you cannot change them. But you learn to deal with them and live with them.  That was me and that represented those who helped me through my weeks of healing.

Perspective is understanding that what I felt as a patient isn’t what the nurses feel or what the doctor understands. My pain (or in my case, my lack of pain!), is true to me. Those in my shoes may not see or feel about the situation the same. We must not say things to others like “you should, or you ought to” because that is assuming that you know more than other person about the situation. That is a directive that is without understanding or allowance.

I’m on the mend now and still coming to terms with me. I hope when you write your characters you go deeper into their emotions, find the things that scare them, that worry them, that define and confine them, things that repress them and paralyze them. Characters are the way they are from experience and not everything is always explainable. Those foibles are also not always weaknesses. They are learning experiences for your characters just as mine was for me. The best fiction is rooted in reality. What you see isn’t always what is real or the whole picture. Never short-change the other person because your perspective is limited. And so is your character’s.

Perspective gives me information, forgiveness, experience and improvement. I am a better person with it, and my writing will improve because of it. What you see at first, isn’t always the only (if ever), the truth. Or, it may only be a partial truth.

It may decide on your vantage point, or, on which side of the fence you stand.

I hope you can examine the larger moments in your lie and find the deep roots to give your life and your writing greater perspectives too.

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It feels good to be back. Please take this moment to join the newsletter (links on the right) and be the first to know insights about new books and projects, plus have first dibs on freebies! Thanks for stopping by! 

I remain Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

After Publishing — are you prepared?

I’m so excited to announce the new book, Love and Blood, is finished and the ebook is available for pre-orders. This book forced me to dig deep and work the trail of breadcrumbs that I have been leaving for a while. I spent months being sure I collected all the old ones and incorporated them into the new book before I began leaving new crumbs for the next book. Writing a series is hard work! If you write a lot of stand alone novels, it would be so much easier but then I love being able to weave an intricate tapestry that blends together the lives of several characters. JK Rowling was a master and I’ve tried to learn from her. I may die before I get it done with the same style and majesty as she managed, but I’m giving it the novice college try!

With Love and Blood put to bed, of course I realized that I’m not actually finished. Now begins the hard part, the part I hate with a passion – advertising and marketing. Ugh. Let’s say it together — UGH.

Fortunately, I had the blessing of a friend who worked as my PA guru over the last two years and she pointed me in the direction of some good marketing and promo information. She is now writing and publishing novels of her own (more on that later), so I’m forced to market myself again, doing all the things that she once managed for me. I hate it. There, truth is told.

There are many marketing and promotion opportunities out there. Some are more successful than others as I have discovered over the years. For me, I like having others help me but this does insist that I trust others to manage promotions. Thankfully, through networking I have met professional and wise folks who will help me by managing blog tours and facebook promos, solicit readers and do facebook and twitter blasts for reasonable prices. I have met some wonderful podcasters who have been kind to me and have helped me by allowing me to advertise or be interviewed and that helps promote my work. I’ve found websites that do newletter blasts to thousands of audience/readers and that saves me gobs of emailing.

Many of the best promotions cost money. Whoever said self-publishing was a cheap way to go, never wrote and developed a quality product or spent the effort to find and advertise to various markets. Promotions cost money. Yes, $10 here or $15 there, a $45 for a month of this or $77 for a huge blast of that. It adds up and for someone who doesn’t sell thousands of books (though I hold hope high), the money is mostly unrecouped. Though I will say with each new book, my visibility improves, my reputation spreads and the want to help promote is stronger. 

So why do it? Well, if I want to be seen and heard I have to try. If I want any audience to spread the word, I need to be seen. And if I want to be seen, then I need to get there the best ways I can. Spending money is a necessity but I try to spread it across the best platforms for me.

Advertising aside, the rest of the marketing must be managed by self through individual posts across social media. The worst of this is the time it takes. Well-managed (a bit every day or scheduled once a week), and it doesn’t eat up your other duties (like life or writing), but again, it requires focus and dedication given to one purpose.

It’s obvious to me why people have secretaries, personal and virtual assistants, spokespersons, managers, etc. Because most people don’t want to do this stuff. It’s a pain. Had I the money I’d hire it off permanently. But, oh well.

Back to the point. Love and Blood is out. I’ve programmed and hired those I need to help me, arranged for emails and promos and the like. I’ll start my own ads and promos this week. And then I cross my fingers and hope for the best.

You can pre-order and get the ebook while it is .99cents. It will go up in October. The print book should be released on Sept 21. You can order signed copies through my Contact page.

If you are self-publishing, be prepared for what comes after the delight of finishing and publishing the final product. The work – the real work – is only beginning! Be prepared to meet it with knowledge of your responsibilities and your wallet. Go into the “afterward” with focus and preparation. As you learned about publishing your book before you did it, take time to learn about marketing before you get there. It will pay off in royalties and dividends. Good luck!

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OTHER NEWS:

The Instagram #pinyourpen campaign is over. I did 57 or so weeks, over a year of Monday morning pens both exotic and novelty. Hard to believe. I’m sure there will be a pen or two coming up but the steady stream is over. It was great fun.

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CONGRATULATIONS TERRI!

My friend and once PA, Terri Wilson is now an author! She has one novella published and a new book releasing Aug 28! Here’s your link. Follow her on Amazon and do check her out. I love this new cover. (I feel like a proud teacher!) This is an up-and-coming author, so invest early!

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What’s coming up for me?

     FIRESIDE WITH THE PHOENIX, monthly LIVE Facebook chat is Aug 30, noon. Come to my Facebook Author Page and share 15 minutes with me.  It goes by very fast.

     I’m doing a live poetry reading on Aug 31 at 10am for The Andi Thought Ladies Thoughtful Book Festival. It’s a free Virtual Festival from 10am-6pm. There are all sorts of goodies going on during, so check it out. Here is a link to more info. I’ll be reading social issues poems. My reading will be on Zoom and there will not be a recording.

     Be sure to sign up for my newsletter because my readers get goodies and info that isn’t anywhere else. Want to be in the know? That’s the secret. Next newsletter is due out in a few days!

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I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry