22 Aug ASK JACQUIE: Pondering THE PATHS TO PUBLISHING…
QUESTION:
Hi Jacquie,
Where is your book being sold? Did you self-publish or get an agent/publisher? I am on the verge of querying my novel, so any words of wisdom about your publishing decisions/journey would be greatly appreciated.
~ Novelist
ANSWER:
Hi Novelist,
Thanks for your question and congrats on completing your book! My book is available on Amazon.com in ebook form as well as in paperback. For the ebook version, click here, and for the hard copy, click here.
I decided to self-publish my book right off the bat so I did not even attempt to find an outside agent or publisher. By all accounts, those who should self-publish are people who are control freaks or impatient…I fall into both categories apparently! Once you are picked up by a traditional publisher, it can take about 18 months to see your book in print and also, they will have control over the title, cover and contents.
The major advantage to having a publisher is in marketing and sales. They will get you publicity and will get your book to be carried by major retailers.
Also, if you choose to self-publish, it is very difficult to go the traditional publishing route with your next book. In the US, they will not even give you a second look unless your self-published work has sold more than 10 000 copies. I’m not sure what the number is in Canada.
I would suggest that you research this question very carefully and you will find many articles on line on the subject of “Traditional vs. Self-Publishing.”
As far as my own experience, we decided to self-publish using Create Space and it has been a relatively simple process. In this day and age of “print-on-demand” a self-publisher no longer needs to order thousands of books and store them in the basement while trying to market them. Hope this helps.
I wish you much success!
~ Jacquie
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