tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post5503288293302159561..comments2024-03-28T22:21:46.973-07:00Comments on Tossing It Out: Dee Ready : Self PublishingArlee Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-37651900154286159802012-06-20T10:01:42.469-07:002012-06-20T10:01:42.469-07:00You give such sound advice. The next time I write...You give such sound advice. The next time I write a new series, I'm going to really research what's selling. <br /><br />This section also struck a chord with me :)<br /><br />"First perhaps, we need to read the type of book we want to write. We need to note how writers we admire write that genre. We need to study writing styles."<br /><br />Thanks, Dee.Crazy Life of a Writing Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16064939499412649850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-22016150076669971882012-06-16T21:56:13.202-07:002012-06-16T21:56:13.202-07:00Dee, thanks again for the visit and my thanks to a...Dee, thanks again for the visit and my thanks to all who left their comments.<br /><br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-1763862192594717312012-06-16T12:26:22.464-07:002012-06-16T12:26:22.464-07:00I am not looking to publish, but I do know others ...I am not looking to publish, but I do know others who have self-published, sold small, & caught on in a bigger way, picked up by a larger entity. The self-publishers I've known had such a great love of writing that even if the reading was confined to Aunt Mabel & a few neighbors, they were OK with it. .. but of course a bigger following is always welcome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-46061179183270021352012-06-16T09:21:39.223-07:002012-06-16T09:21:39.223-07:00This is a great article. Arlee, thanks for having ...This is a great article. Arlee, thanks for having Dee on! And Dee, your article had a wealth of information that was both helpful and straight forward without sugar coating anything.<br /><br /><a href="http://thewritersexperiment.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Sarah @ The Writer's Experiment</a>Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08131822804248899680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-54374075265131175162012-06-14T13:20:52.960-07:002012-06-14T13:20:52.960-07:00I'm about to self-publish my first book. I'...I'm about to self-publish my first book. I'm hoping it is successful enough to attract an agent/publisher. Regardless, I loved writing my novel and am so excited about its release. This was a great post. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-51328385676289825212012-06-14T11:12:55.498-07:002012-06-14T11:12:55.498-07:00Excellent post. I'm about to start my journey ...Excellent post. I'm about to start my journey into self-publishing this year. I tried for a number of years to go the traditional route with no luck, and now that my family must come first, I decided that self-publishing would be best for me right now in life. I like the control and the fact I'm accountable to no one other than myself with deadlines. Yet even if I never published, I'd still write! It's part of who I am. :)Christine Rainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-47957898660749066592012-06-14T07:44:09.445-07:002012-06-14T07:44:09.445-07:00I'm not self-published yet, but I hope to be s...I'm not self-published yet, but I hope to be soon. I published two books the traditional way before I decided to try my hand doing it myself. I see very little difference in terms of promotional work, but I do see a lot of difference when it comes to rights and returns. I figure that if I do most of the work, I should make most of the profits and be able to do with the material whatever I choose. <br /><br />Lovely cat books. Thanks for the great post.cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-58078852663269829612012-06-14T07:37:57.273-07:002012-06-14T07:37:57.273-07:00Nice, thoughtful post! I think the issue of self ...Nice, thoughtful post! I think the issue of self versus traditional (or somewhere in between) is really one where you consider GOALS (readership versus money--traditional reaching more people, self letting you keep more of the profit), personality (are you a person CAPABLE of getting a fabulous professional product out there without a publishing house?) and GENRE--some genres still sell HUGE through bookstores and traditional routes. And these genres are easier to find agents and editors for. I write cozy mystery and the publishers want them so badly they reach out TO WRITERS for books not even written yet (this is how I got my contract and first agent--a referral for a series they had set out parameters for). Other genres are unique enough that if they aren't TOP 10 material, agents think 'I wouldn't know how to sell that or who to' and editors think 'I have to invent the bloody wheel to get that marketed'. Those will do better with a small publisher or self-published. I've also seen some people do really well with a hybrid model--I love that Talli Roland did her first two with a publisher to learn the ropes, then is doing the rest self-published as she felt she could put out a lot mroe books that way--cuts out the red tape layer, if you will.<br /><br />I am sticking with traditional for my cozies and YA (I have a second agent repping my first of those) but may self publish some of my other stuff once I feel like I have my legs under me.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-28503932976268070752012-06-14T06:03:44.607-07:002012-06-14T06:03:44.607-07:00Thank you, Lee and Dee, for sharing this. I am alw...Thank you, Lee and Dee, for sharing this. I am always interested in hearing about author's journeys.<br /><br />I've self published a booklet for homeschool parents; I did more marketing when it first came out 6 years ago. Lately, though, I haven't done much. My plan is to revise and update it and make it available in ebook form.Karen Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177923284595298347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-68434840576425019302012-06-14T05:49:21.668-07:002012-06-14T05:49:21.668-07:00no success with traditional yet, but i am still tr...no success with traditional yet, but i am still trying. i will self publish when i feel i'm ready too. a ways to go yet. its amazing how many authors are out there!Tara Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587802105993889515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-53530515692205120382012-06-14T04:00:56.847-07:002012-06-14T04:00:56.847-07:00I haven't self-published anything, and I don&#...I haven't self-published anything, and I don't have an agent either... well okay I'm still in the beg stage, but in my little experience in trying to get an agent with my first book, you're right that it's very difficult... It's a hard one..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-8650897557196296022012-06-13T17:52:46.205-07:002012-06-13T17:52:46.205-07:00Dee, this was a great post and really hit home. I ...Dee, this was a great post and really hit home. I self-published my first book a few months and have been experimenting with trying to get sales. I used Amanda Hocking blog posts as a blueprint of what to do, but obviously, not everything translates. You had some great ideas of getting out from behind the computer to promote.<br /><br />Lee, thanks for hosting and thank you for the comments on my blog.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03060064276650474244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-76857080897618440912012-06-13T17:30:46.668-07:002012-06-13T17:30:46.668-07:00Dee, your advice is super! Thank you for laying i...Dee, your advice is super! Thank you for laying it out so well with its pros and cons.Susan Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09834094675218254410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-42990431424365360442012-06-13T15:10:24.001-07:002012-06-13T15:10:24.001-07:00A lot of us are on the same journey. Good to know ...A lot of us are on the same journey. Good to know we're not alone.writing and living by Richard P Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814139767151989286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-13775517293030393782012-06-13T15:08:10.664-07:002012-06-13T15:08:10.664-07:00i am glad to see her cut to the chase--fascinating...i am glad to see her cut to the chase--fascinating and helpfulLynn Proctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16349867270815243053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-40205838884877643992012-06-13T14:24:44.769-07:002012-06-13T14:24:44.769-07:00Asides from my yearly excursion into the world of ...Asides from my yearly excursion into the world of NaNoWriMo I don't get much writing done and I never plan to make any kind of career out of it. I don't really have the first clue about publishing or anything like that! On the other hand, I do find it a fascinating process to see how a novel can go from draft to fully published book and love reading about different aspects of it and ways in to the publishing world. So, thank you for this post, I really enjoyed it!Inkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09380232402476427450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-32955977002330534112012-06-13T13:11:57.853-07:002012-06-13T13:11:57.853-07:00Dee -- Thank you for the wonderful post. I'm ...Dee -- Thank you for the wonderful post. I'm sure there are more visitors to come.<br />I think any success is partly right place/right time/ right content, but we can'd discount action taken either. If you hadn't been out there getting your book into the hands of the publishers then not of the other ingredients would have matter. One has to persist with a dream.<br /><br />Thanks to all of the visitors who have stopped by so far.<br /><br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-85442505322861036712012-06-13T12:00:20.808-07:002012-06-13T12:00:20.808-07:00Dear Lee, thank you for inviting me to guest post....Dear Lee, thank you for inviting me to guest post. I learned a lot from reading the six comments above this one. And I so agree with Robin Levin that getting published and selling enough books to make a little money is mostly a matter of luck.<br /><br />Getting Dulcy's first book published was a fluke. The editor I sent it to just happened to love cats. That's the only reason she asked to see the complete ms.<br /><br />So I wish all your readers great luck in getting published.<br /><br />Peace.Deehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00612299013780771262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-75171674334532634562012-06-13T10:26:48.210-07:002012-06-13T10:26:48.210-07:00I self published my first book and it's on Ama...I self published my first book and it's on Amazon and Kindle, but I don't thinks it has sold much. Another Indie Author told me that his science fiction book,My Half of Tomorrow, which had several good reviews and was actually quite good, had totally stalled. I tried to help him out with five star reviews on Amazon and Good Reads. I don't think that there is any magic formula in making your book a success.Given the tremendous amoung of competition in todays' marketplace, I think there's a lot of luck involved. A right time at the right place type of thing.<br />RobinAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12465516035611981794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-7603210593330977542012-06-13T09:55:22.066-07:002012-06-13T09:55:22.066-07:00I'm pre-published so this information is inval...I'm pre-published so this information is invaluable for me. My hope is to go traditional - agent to publisher. The thought of going solo and self publishing is too scary right now.LD Mastersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01202135756299574972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-25420404488574395542012-06-13T07:40:04.428-07:002012-06-13T07:40:04.428-07:00I don't have any answers but I enjoyed your ad...I don't have any answers but I enjoyed your advice. There is so much to consider when it comes to publishing.Southpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539290964546504171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-23228762778447926732012-06-13T05:19:44.830-07:002012-06-13T05:19:44.830-07:00Hi Lee -
I am flattered that you actually visited ...Hi Lee -<br />I am flattered that you actually visited my A to Z blog yesterday - you must be an amazingly busy man and yet you are still visiting those sites. I look forward to following you here. This blog business is fun!<br /><br />I have never self published anything. Are you kidding? I am miles away from that. I don't imagine that the drivel I write is worth the effort but also I work full time (and then some) and that takes much of my energy. Perhaps someday when I have a) more confidence and b) more discretionary time I can explore this.<br /><br />I think it is as you suggested: at this point, I just want to play with the writing challenge. What the heck. Glad to be following you. You always have cool things to say! JTGraciewildehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00142582724233027386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-27938551672487963242012-06-13T04:29:57.760-07:002012-06-13T04:29:57.760-07:00I was lucky enough to find a wonderful home with s...I was lucky enough to find a wonderful home with small publisher for my romances. They have been wonderful. My first book debuts this fall, but I can see many more coming after that. <br /><br />Writing isn't the hard part of what we do. If you ask me, it's the easiest thing we do. Everything that comes AFTER that will be the biggest struggle of our lives. And those struggles will determine if we have the guts to ride it out and make a success out of ourselves (whether with self-pubbing or with traditional publishing). It's such a selective world out there, and while that's sad because so many great books go unnoticed, that's the way it works. The only thing we can do is keep doing what we love: writing. <br /><br />Best of luck to you with your writing/publishing goals! ;-) <br /><br />~JDJEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12390400360357693403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-25988988674457316162012-06-13T03:18:58.193-07:002012-06-13T03:18:58.193-07:00I'm content with my small publisher right now....I'm content with my small publisher right now. Both books have been Amazon Best Sellers and I doubt I could've done that on my own.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com