tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post2460087732466268957..comments2024-03-19T06:42:24.329-04:00Comments on Literary Rambles: Guest Blogger Geoffry Young Haney: Self-Publishing: Your "Demo" Tape?Casey McCormickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787815672519189433noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-57072952284714741762010-04-03T11:40:22.455-04:002010-04-03T11:40:22.455-04:00I think most of this discussion is missing the lar...I think most of this discussion is missing the larger point that Geoffry is trying to make...there is a revolution acoming. Things ARE going to change. How they change remains to be seen. But this train is barreling down the tracks and gaining momentum by the day. It's pointless to argue about whether it's going to crash or not, at what speed, in whose backyard, etc. The real question is - will I, as a writer, be ready when it does? Will my agent? My publisher? And what does "being ready" even mean? I, for one, can't wait.MMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07625070202816051895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-41661365013967447182010-04-01T07:09:11.696-04:002010-04-01T07:09:11.696-04:00Good point Thomas. I never really even thought abo...Good point Thomas. I never really even thought about it like that. Mike's point is valid, that self-pub may never lead to traditional pub, but you make a good argument in favor of at least giving it a go. And that's all my article was saying as well.<br /><br />Great comments guys!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-54058190560700562882010-03-31T20:54:26.687-04:002010-03-31T20:54:26.687-04:00Holding up my left hand and sharing the pinky with...Holding up my left hand and sharing the pinky with you! Unless you're sown by Indiana...<br /><br />Great post. I had no idea about the possible benefits of self-publishing, nor the American Dream story of Owl City. Still hate the music, but have let my ignorance turn to respect. same thing for self-publishing.<br /><br />Good luck with the parenting, my niece just turned one today!<br /><br />Also, you forgot del.icio.us re: weird site names.Jonathon Arntsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17366218140886892757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-4276299665938193222010-03-31T17:44:24.569-04:002010-03-31T17:44:24.569-04:00I really appreciate the perspective and helpfulnes...I really appreciate the perspective and helpfulness of this blog in promoting one's writing and in the forum idea of multiple contributors to share the wisdom.Paul Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01836602667355512504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-16587144344840080112010-03-31T17:30:34.049-04:002010-03-31T17:30:34.049-04:00Thomas:
The only point I was attempting to make i...Thomas:<br /><br />The only point I was attempting to make is that most self-published work sells very few copies and does not lead to a traditional publishing career. Yes, there are a few anecdotes otherwise(Paolini, for example). But the data I linked does support both those statements.<br /><br />If you're happy with low sales and a non-traditional career, by all means, self-publish. But you're far, far less likely to get a traditional publishing contract this way than by the standard agent/query model.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15705584247681883936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-66388732422979155572010-03-31T16:32:08.530-04:002010-03-31T16:32:08.530-04:00Mike:
You really are butchering that statistic.
...Mike:<br /><br />You really are butchering that statistic.<br /><br />Here are the REAL statistics:<br /><br />If you pursue traditional publishing, in 999 cases out of 1000, you will sell 0 books. Zip. The odds are probably worse than that, actually, but we'll leave it there for the moment.<br /><br />What's my evidence for this? The size of the slush pile relative to the number of people who get published. Add to the size of the slush pile the number of people who gave up.<br /><br />It's absolutely absurd to compare the 200 books figure to the 12000 books figure. The appropriate number to compare the 200 books figure to is 0.<br /><br />200 is more than 0.<br /><br />Jim Hines' data is worthless because he only solicited the views of authors who were eligible to join the SFWA. Well, since the SFWA bans self-published authors, regardless of their total number of sales, that would tend to skew the data a bit, don't you think?<br /><br />"Hey, if I ask traditional published authors how they broke into the business, they overwhelming report that they did so via traditional methods!" Wow. Woopity-do.<br /><br />If you have never sold anything, and are deciding this very moment whether to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing, the facts are that pursuing traditional publishing means that the odds are overwhelming that you will never sell a single book, that you will never have the opportunity to offer a single book for sale, and that you will simply be rejected until you give up. If you ultimately are published, the road between you this very moment and future publication is measured in <i>years</i>.<br /><br />If you self-publish using Smashwords, the Kindle DTP platform, and CreateSpace, the odds are 1 in 1 that you will be able to offer your book for sale, and your book will be up for sale within the week.<br /><br />The higher average sales figure for traditionally-published books does not statistically balance out the extremely low chance of attaining publication, especially when you consider the time value of the money you're foregoing by not making sales immediately, or the long tail of sales from material you'd end up throwing away or putting in a drawer somewhere for ten years.Thomas Brooksidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05433216364139756149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-56665245927750795532010-03-31T15:15:56.373-04:002010-03-31T15:15:56.373-04:00Mike - Thanks for those links! As my article state...Mike - Thanks for those links! As my article states, I'm in no ways delusional about self-pub and it's returns. My post is simply about exploring other options if what you really wanna do is share a story, not sell a million copies and land a movie deal. I wish to do that, sure, who doesn't. But in the meantime, why not share some well-presented work with people who already are interested in you? Thanks for your thoughts!<br /><br />Solvang - And that's exactly my point. It doesn't work now, and certainly authors with ready established platforms fair better with it. But it MAY work in the future. And we shouldn't count it out or dismiss it as useless simply because, right now, it seems to be littered with junk! Thanks for your comment!<br /><br />Ann Marie - Thanks so much for the well-wishes! Michelle and I are having a boy, Carter Edison Young... at least that's the name for now. Mic is convinced it could change if he doesn't "look like a Carter." What does a Carter look like?? :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-1040795066019915122010-03-31T14:40:09.109-04:002010-03-31T14:40:09.109-04:00CONGRATULATIONS GEOFFRY and MICHELLE on the 'a...CONGRATULATIONS GEOFFRY and MICHELLE on the 'almost being parents' news. Hope everything goes well. Boy or girl?<br />Now, I've read your post twice and I'm still not sure where I stand on the whole thing. Being a traditionalist in most things, I quiver when I try to imagine trying to swim against the current. On the other hand, Buddhists believe that nothing is permanent and the world constantly changes.<br />I'll have to ruminate a bit more I think...<br />Thanks for the post and thanks for posting it Casey.Ann Marie Wraighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524746255813452836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-65906029511530391362010-03-31T14:01:56.513-04:002010-03-31T14:01:56.513-04:00I think self-publishing works primarily for author...I think self-publishing works primarily for authors who have already published books traditionally or for authors who do a lot of public speaking where they can sell books after a lecture. There are very few real world examples of people who have used a self-published book to get a foot in the door of traditional publishing. But hey, the times are changing. Maybe if enough people can make it work, it will change the industry.Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-3214476848564462372010-03-31T08:56:14.743-04:002010-03-31T08:56:14.743-04:00I've read and ignored a lot of posts like this...I've read and ignored a lot of posts like this one around the blogosphere lately, that suggest using self-publication as a path to traditional publication. The one thing all these posts have in common: they're supported solely by anecdotes.<br /><br />Let's look at the data. The best recent survey of how authors actually got published is here: http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/survey-results/. Takeaway: You're over 100 times more likely to succeed with the traditional approach. Sales data? Check out this post http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/09/self-publishing-great-idea-or-worst.html. Takeaway: The average traditionally published book sells 12,000 copies. The average self-published book sells less than 200.<br /><br />Self-publishing recommendations fail a simple logic test, too. If you spend all your time publishing and promoting your book, you'll become a better publisher and promoter. Instead, consider spending your time becoming a better writer, by (gasp) writing. This is why 99% of all self-published work is utter dreck, because the authors didn't care enough about their craft to spend the thousands of hours needed to perfect it. Do you really want your novel in that low company?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15705584247681883936noreply@blogger.com