Everyone says that publishing a book can be mind-boggling. After doing a bit of research and starting this on this journey myself, I can’t help but agree. There are so many more paths someone can take compared to ten years ago, and there is enough information out there to overload even the most competent of thinkers. Do you submit your manuscript to a traditional publishing house? Go for the old-school glory. Do you pursue the path of the ‘vanity publishers’? You pass them your manuscript and your cash, and get a fancy book at the end. Or, do you go the full, self/indie publishing route? Do you work with your manuscript from the ground up and make all the decisions needed to get your book out there? Well, if you’re like me, it seems you take the hair-pulling route of self-publishing. I have to admit, I have spent many hours going down a google-spiral researching my options. Only yesterday, I had a one hour conversation with a vanity press, and then spend five hours researching traditional publishers and submission guidelines.
For me, a vanity press isn’t an option. While I would love to deposit my manuscript and withdraw a published book, the financial commitment is overwhelming.
I also found several traditional publishers that may be suitable for the Derivates Rising trilogy. I could easily have met their submission requirements. I could have taken that chance. I figured, at the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to try. But I stopped myself just as I opened a word document to start tapping out a query letter. Why?
Why give up a chance at the opportunity to get paid to publish a novel at no upfront cost to me? I realised that it was because they may need to change my story to fit their market needs. That thought alone is more concerning to me than the possibility of having to handover or share copyright. Anyone who has spent years and tears on any project knows that the thought of change can be as heartbreaking as it is terrifying. Every word in those novels came out because I wanted to tell a story, and I feel it is important to stay true to that. So, here I am, committed to getting these novels self-published on my own terms. Anyone who knows me, knows that I tend to take on monumental projects that I probably shouldn’t. The extra effort required to do thi
ngs yourself is huge, but only I know my own mind. Anything else would be an interpretation, and I don’t want a single thing lost in translation. Here’s to you, sleepless nights and research rabbit holes, I know our journey together will be long. Hopefully it is also productive.