Let’s talk about quantum mechanics, shall we? What, you say you’d rather have a root canal? Ok, how about the wave-particle duality?
Stick around. It’s worth the trip.
Light is a wave, a part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Light is a particle, a little bullet of energy.
This is one of the major insights of the last century — the realization that light is both.
Writing fiction is every bit as hard to break into as it always has been.
Writing fiction is a new game with no rules and the concept of breaking in is gone.
They are both true. This is one of the major changes brought about by the information revolution of the last century.
The State of Fiction
Fiction publishing is both as restricted and hard to break into as it always has been, and it is wide open, a playing field with room for everyone and the only limits those the writers impose on themselves.
This shift from pure print to electronic has been the subject of millions of words as readers and writers everywhere struggled to figure out what it all meant. Bookstores will die! Publishers will go bankrupt! “Print is dead!” (Egon In Ghostbusters, in1984.)
Barnes & Noble is still there. The Big Five publishers are still alive and well. The Hacette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster are happily grinding out new titles every year. Print isn’t dead — it’s everywhere in 600 million blogs read daily, and some of those blogs contain serialized novels, and wouldn’t Dickens have loved that, racing in a Hanson cab through London, scribbling the next installment of David Copperfield? He would have understood.
For you the writer, that is good news and bad news. In the good old days publishers and to a lesser extent libraries were gatekeepers. They evaluated stories and passed judgement. The publisher had to think “Will this sell enough copies to justify the cost of production?” The librarian had to decide whether to use part of a limited budget to buy copies of the book.
A story, like a wave, goes out and either reaches readers or it doesn’t. A story, like a particle, goes on forever, always seeking new audiences.
Restrictions off
Now the gatekeepers are no longer all-powerful. They still control big-time publishing, but that “big-time” is no longer the only outlet, there are literally countless electronic ways, blogs like this one, that allow writers to find a voice. Simon & Schuster et al. are only there if you and they come to agreement.
Responsibility On
Now you have to figure out what you want to say. Unless you hire one, you no longer have an editor to say “I don’t understand the character’s motivation in Chapter Three.”
You have a story to tell. You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. Friends and neighbors, that is the first, and most important step. You have the responsibility— now what?
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
One. What do you want to say?
Is it a serious exploration of 21st-century angst? Is it entertainment? (It can be both but that’s a tough assignment.)
Two. Package.
Do you want to self-publish, find an independent publisher, or look for traditional publishing?
In reverse order — traditional publishing.
You are on the right track reading this blog. You will find literally all the information you need. Write the book, find an agent, let the agent find a publisher. The steps are not a mystery. There are publishers out there. One advantage of traditional is that it will be easier to get your title into bookstores. Your publisher will design the book, create a cover, establish a marketing budget, and send the title out, one wave among thousands rolling up the beach.
Independent publishing.
Do your homework! Look online, find small presses that publish books like you write, buy a couple of them and assess the quality. Take your book to one that looks good. There is a wide range of services provided by indie publishers, so it’s difficult to generalize. It’s not an easy decision so I’ll share that I based mine solely on enthusiasm. My publisher loves the books. Once I realized that, I quit thinking about how much promotion they’d be able to do, or what kind of cover artists they had available because I knew we could create the best book possible, and that purely subjective judgement proved one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Self-publish.
Again, do your homework. There are countless ways to do it. Plan on a lot of additional non-writing tasks as you edit, design, and promote your book.
I have read that the publisher loved Stephen King’s magnificent novel The Stand, but said the cost of publishing a book of that length was prohibitive, and did he want to make the cuts or did he want them to do it?
It’s as if when the unknown storyteller who created Beowulf sat down around the campfire and his friends said, “Talk fast. We only have an hour.”
Has it gotten harder?
Well, in many ways yes, because as the creator you make all these decisions yourself. The package has changed; the center, the story is the same. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Spider-Man’s uncle told him that and it’s true of novels in this era. If your book goes out with typos (and I speak from experience) it is painful to be told about them — and guess what? It’s your fault!
So the story waves run up the beach to vanish into the sand, while the bullets keep going as your words become part of the incomprehensibly huge universe of words.
Writing is important and you should think of it that way. It has consequences, often beyond those you plan.
I’ll close with two examples of the effect stories can have, and why they are worth every bit of the effort to create.
After I self-published my first novel I got a letter from a reader. In my novel my hero’s wife is killed and the story is, in part, how he deals with it. The reader wrote to me to say that his wife had just passed away, and that my book had helped him.
Six novels later I met a reader at a convention where I was appearing and he told me how he’d been given a set of Surf City Mysteries while he was flat on his back hospitalized after spinal surgery and that they kept him going.
So whatever path you choose, it’s worth it. You never know who you will touch.
Now it’s your turn. Tell us about where you are on the journey and what your next steps will be, or share an anecdote about how your work reached someone in an unexpected way. Thanks for being part of the discussion.
* * * * * *
About James
James R. Preston is the author of the multiple-award-winning Surf City Mysteries. He is currently at work on the sixth, called Remains To Be Seen. His most recent works are Crashpad and Buzzkill, two historical novellas set in the 1960’s at Cal State Long Beach. Kirkus Reviews called Buzzkill “A historical thriller enriched by characters who sparkle and refuse to be forgotten.” His books are collected as part of the California Detective Fiction collection at the University of California Berkeley.
I've self-published seven books, each of which surprised me.
In junior high, I wrote scripts for The Man from Uncle (a favorite TV show) and sent them to the network's address in NYC. In college and after, I hoped I'd write novels someday.
That day came after retirement. Prowling for an idea hadn't worked; instead the idea found me. It took years to self-publish book one of what became a five-book series. I never intended to write for kids. Now, I can't think of anything better.
One day, after speaking with a class of elementary school students, a mother in tears thanked me for giving her son the gift of reading. He would not read, but after my book, he asked if they could visit the library. I count that as my success, more than the money or the awards my books have earned. I'm now at work on a fantasy series for teens, again surprised by an idea that latched onto me.
I enjoyed your analogy of story as a wave and a particle, as well as the dichotomy that today writing is as difficult and easy as it has ever been, only in a changed environment Ben Franklin would have appreciated. "Talk fast. We only have an hour" is a gem.
I stopped writing for a time, asking "What's the point? The publishing companies are only interested in the money and anyone can self-publish, glutting the market with trash." I'm writing again because I need and want to write, hoping my story will flow like a wave among all the others and accelerate like a particle to one reader (after another) who will enjoy it.
Thanks for your post, and I look forward to reading your books.
(By the way, I am struck by the serendipity of finding this post while also enjoying _In Any Lifetime: A Novel_ by Marc Guggenheim about particle physics, quantum theory, and love lost--a good book so far.)
Hi, Gale- First, I apologize for how long it took me to reply. I had the wrong pub date for the essay! Oops!
Anyway, what a great story you shared with all the WITS readers. You will help to inspire others. Meanwhile, back at the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle . . .
Thanks for sharing!
James
Hi James,
Thank you for this encouraging post on the current options in the publishing world.
It feels like you've summed it up well and I appreciate the electromagnetic analogy too! Spec fiction's my favorite.
My journey includes traditional publishing and indie. Currently, I'm dabbling with the idea of traditional again for my latest sci-fi novel that reads like contemporary.
As you say, anything is possible in publishing right now. We just need to keep on writing. 🙂
Kris
Spot on, Kris. None of the avenues are any good until you have something on "paper" (ok, it can be photons).
One of the very best things about Writers in the Storm is the community. Please keep us posted about your publishing decision, and good luck no matter which path you choose.
A most interesting post, James. I published my first book in 2013. I self-published four full-length novels, a book of poetry and art and eleven short stories. I've had a trilogy published by a trad publisher and am now working with a hybrid publisher, so I've seen the entire spectrum except for working with an agent. It's a hard business and if a person does not have a passion for storytelling, they can't maintain.
You said it, Jan. You have to care about the story. I just read Janet Evanovich's Now or Never -- and I will not reveal any spoilers whatsoever -- but she talks about how she started writing and how she loved stepping into the world she'd created, hanging out with her characters. The passion is what is most important. It's also the joy of meeting your friends, but that's another essay, isn't it?
Thanks for sharing.
James, you nailed it. Writing and publishing are entities with many facets. But the line that really got me was this: "the only limits those the writers impose on themselves." A truth I need to engrave on my forehead and computer so I always remember it. Thank you.
LOL. Lynette, I appreciate the kind words so much. Yes, and yes again. Technology has provided us with an outlet; it's up to us to use it. It's up to us to put in the work, nailed to the chair, asking "Now what happens?" (Send in two men with guns, of course.)
However, forehead-engraving might be a bit extreme, but if you do it please send me a snapshot.
Thanks,
James
Why, Jennifer, thank you very much. I'm glas the essay got you in it's coils.
Now, what's happening with your story? I know you have one. Type faster!
Best,
James
I have made my living writing fiction for over 40 years. I loved this article on so many levels, but especially the last paragraph. You never do know who your words will touch. I am still friends with the first person who wrote me a fan letter (before computers), I have made friends of readers who wrote to tell me about a typo, I found out that my books have helped people who are lonely to fill their time with characters who become real to them. Great tips on planning the journey, but even better reason on why we should continue to write: the human connection.
Now that's interesting, Jenny. What other art form offers connection to another life? That's something to think about, isn't it?
Any WITS contributors want to take that on?
Rebecca, you are one of a select group who make a living writing fiction. Thank you for the kind words about my essay. I remember the very first book club that invited me to speak and how their questions, all of them, were about my characters and their lives away from the page, as if they were flesh-and-blood. I almost said, "Ladies, they have no life beyond what you see," but I realized I was wrong. If I were a gambling man (and I am) I'd wager you believe your characters are out there somewhere, carrying on.
Great comment!
Thanks!
Hi. I have several novels, three poetry books and a recipe book out there. Most of my novels are fantasy, but two are historical.
I am published by an independent publisher. I originally self-published, then was recommended this publisher by an author who was already with them. I submitted my WIP, which they accepted and said they would like to republish my self-published books.
I've been very happy with their work. They have produced superb cover designs, written the blurb, done an edit,and do quite a bit of marketing.
I think that, for me, this is a good deal. I do a bit of marketing, but the main thing is that I don't need to shell out large amounts of money for cover design and ads.
Novels, poetry, recipes! V. M., you're widely-talented, and it sounds like you have an indie publisher that recognizes that. Good for you, and I'm glad to hear you like the covers. (I am getting a new one for my first novel and I like it very much.)
Thanks for commenting!
If our blogs and books can change even one heart, or bring healing to one soul, or brought light to one confused individual, we have not written in vain. I keep honing my craft, hoping to touch more lives. When I laugh and cry while writing, I sense my work will help others, whether it's fiction or non-fiction. When my publisher tells me she loves my book and it made her laugh and cry, I know I'm in the right field of work, and must keep going. Marketing is more difficult for me because I'm a caretaker spouse living in a small, isolated town far from radio stations or book fairs. But I am finding ways to grow my audience with my limited opportunities. I know God has called me to write, so I continue, trusting him to use my words to help others, whether I ever know them or not. It is enough.
And you are right, Sheri. Your words will find their way to readers and you will touch hearts and minds. Thank you for commenting and stay with the Writers in the Storm family.
Best,
James
Some are small press, still require an agent, and use the trad formula.
Some are vanity press, aka hybrid, where the author is paying a hefty fee, with little or no guarantee.
Boutique press which focuses on one or two genres and many times follows the trad formula.
There are other small press publishers which don't require an agent, but they may have different pay tiers and royalties for unagented and agented authors.
Some small press are also digital first, possible POD, but not guaranteed.
Some indie press focus on just anthologies or other small projects or goals, too.
University press, which isn't always exclusive to tenured publishing--many will publish other genres not related to the university or course teaching.
It's more than doing research, it's understanding the industry, terms used in the industry, the contracts, how royalties work, etc...
This is a great breakdown, Denise! And then there are a few tiny presses that have their own models. I've seen some that span from a trad model to a hybrid. Be aware that some modern hybrids are not the same as older vanity presses. The true vanity press will publish anything. Some modern hybrid presses have agreed to follow this criteria: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/hybridpublisher
There's also a great breakdown of types of publisher's here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/PublishingMAP
Because you're very right. One of the hopes for this Disruptive December is to clear away some of the confusion in the industry and help authors see new paths.
Excellent, Lisa, and thanks for the links. I found conferences can be good for talking with other writers and getting opinions on publishers, but of course, there is time and expense involved.
Thanks again,
James
Wow, Denise, thanks for the detailed breakdown. I think the message is: Do your homework! If possible, before settling on a small press of any kind, try to talk to other authors they publish. Most writers have web pages, and email addresses. (Hint: they will be more willing to share information with you if you but hreir book first.)
Truth!! Everything you said is right on the money (that money we hope to make as writers!). Thanks for presenting it so succinctly (if somewhat painfully!).
As always your blog is inspiring and beautiful. Write on.
I've self-published seven books, each of which surprised me.
In junior high, I wrote scripts for The Man from Uncle (a favorite TV show) and sent them to the network's address in NYC. In college and after, I hoped I'd write novels someday.
That day came after retirement. Prowling for an idea hadn't worked; instead the idea found me. It took years to self-publish book one of what became a five-book series. I never intended to write for kids. Now, I can't think of anything better.
One day, after speaking with a class of elementary school students, a mother in tears thanked me for giving her son the gift of reading. He would not read, but after my book, he asked if they could visit the library. I count that as my success, more than the money or the awards my books have earned. I'm now at work on a fantasy series for teens, again surprised by an idea that latched onto me.
I enjoyed your analogy of story as a wave and a particle, as well as the dichotomy that today writing is as difficult and easy as it has ever been, only in a changed environment Ben Franklin would have appreciated. "Talk fast. We only have an hour" is a gem.
I stopped writing for a time, asking "What's the point? The publishing companies are only interested in the money and anyone can self-publish, glutting the market with trash." I'm writing again because I need and want to write, hoping my story will flow like a wave among all the others and accelerate like a particle to one reader (after another) who will enjoy it.
Thanks for your post, and I look forward to reading your books.
(By the way, I am struck by the serendipity of finding this post while also enjoying _In Any Lifetime: A Novel_ by Marc Guggenheim about particle physics, quantum theory, and love lost--a good book so far.)
Hi, Gale- First, I apologize for how long it took me to reply. I had the wrong pub date for the essay! Oops!
Anyway, what a great story you shared with all the WITS readers. You will help to inspire others. Meanwhile, back at the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle . . .
Thanks for sharing!
James
Your post popped into my inbox this morning, so as a fellow writer and memoirist I'm here to say Hi.
Thanks, Marian, and hi back at you. Glad you liked the post. Now get back to those memoirs!
Hi James,
Thank you for this encouraging post on the current options in the publishing world.
It feels like you've summed it up well and I appreciate the electromagnetic analogy too! Spec fiction's my favorite.
My journey includes traditional publishing and indie. Currently, I'm dabbling with the idea of traditional again for my latest sci-fi novel that reads like contemporary.
As you say, anything is possible in publishing right now. We just need to keep on writing. 🙂
Kris
Spot on, Kris. None of the avenues are any good until you have something on "paper" (ok, it can be photons).
One of the very best things about Writers in the Storm is the community. Please keep us posted about your publishing decision, and good luck no matter which path you choose.
A most interesting post, James. I published my first book in 2013. I self-published four full-length novels, a book of poetry and art and eleven short stories. I've had a trilogy published by a trad publisher and am now working with a hybrid publisher, so I've seen the entire spectrum except for working with an agent. It's a hard business and if a person does not have a passion for storytelling, they can't maintain.
You said it, Jan. You have to care about the story. I just read Janet Evanovich's Now or Never -- and I will not reveal any spoilers whatsoever -- but she talks about how she started writing and how she loved stepping into the world she'd created, hanging out with her characters. The passion is what is most important. It's also the joy of meeting your friends, but that's another essay, isn't it?
Thanks for sharing.
James, you nailed it. Writing and publishing are entities with many facets. But the line that really got me was this: "the only limits those the writers impose on themselves." A truth I need to engrave on my forehead and computer so I always remember it. Thank you.
LOL. Lynette, I appreciate the kind words so much. Yes, and yes again. Technology has provided us with an outlet; it's up to us to use it. It's up to us to put in the work, nailed to the chair, asking "Now what happens?" (Send in two men with guns, of course.)
However, forehead-engraving might be a bit extreme, but if you do it please send me a snapshot.
Thanks,
James
I was quantumly entangled in this delightful, earthly/earthy, and witty treatment of writing paradox. Well done, James, and surf's up!
Why, Jennifer, thank you very much. I'm glas the essay got you in it's coils.
Now, what's happening with your story? I know you have one. Type faster!
Best,
James
I have made my living writing fiction for over 40 years. I loved this article on so many levels, but especially the last paragraph. You never do know who your words will touch. I am still friends with the first person who wrote me a fan letter (before computers), I have made friends of readers who wrote to tell me about a typo, I found out that my books have helped people who are lonely to fill their time with characters who become real to them. Great tips on planning the journey, but even better reason on why we should continue to write: the human connection.
I agree with you, Rebecca. I've had my life so very enriched by writers and readers. You can't find the same connection almost anywhere else.
Now that's interesting, Jenny. What other art form offers connection to another life? That's something to think about, isn't it?
Any WITS contributors want to take that on?
Rebecca, you are one of a select group who make a living writing fiction. Thank you for the kind words about my essay. I remember the very first book club that invited me to speak and how their questions, all of them, were about my characters and their lives away from the page, as if they were flesh-and-blood. I almost said, "Ladies, they have no life beyond what you see," but I realized I was wrong. If I were a gambling man (and I am) I'd wager you believe your characters are out there somewhere, carrying on.
Great comment!
Thanks!
Hi. I have several novels, three poetry books and a recipe book out there. Most of my novels are fantasy, but two are historical.
I am published by an independent publisher. I originally self-published, then was recommended this publisher by an author who was already with them. I submitted my WIP, which they accepted and said they would like to republish my self-published books.
I've been very happy with their work. They have produced superb cover designs, written the blurb, done an edit,and do quite a bit of marketing.
I think that, for me, this is a good deal. I do a bit of marketing, but the main thing is that I don't need to shell out large amounts of money for cover design and ads.
Novels, poetry, recipes! V. M., you're widely-talented, and it sounds like you have an indie publisher that recognizes that. Good for you, and I'm glad to hear you like the covers. (I am getting a new one for my first novel and I like it very much.)
Thanks for commenting!
If our blogs and books can change even one heart, or bring healing to one soul, or brought light to one confused individual, we have not written in vain. I keep honing my craft, hoping to touch more lives. When I laugh and cry while writing, I sense my work will help others, whether it's fiction or non-fiction. When my publisher tells me she loves my book and it made her laugh and cry, I know I'm in the right field of work, and must keep going. Marketing is more difficult for me because I'm a caretaker spouse living in a small, isolated town far from radio stations or book fairs. But I am finding ways to grow my audience with my limited opportunities. I know God has called me to write, so I continue, trusting him to use my words to help others, whether I ever know them or not. It is enough.
And you are right, Sheri. Your words will find their way to readers and you will touch hearts and minds. Thank you for commenting and stay with the Writers in the Storm family.
Best,
James
Independent press needs to be broken down:
Some are small press, still require an agent, and use the trad formula.
Some are vanity press, aka hybrid, where the author is paying a hefty fee, with little or no guarantee.
Boutique press which focuses on one or two genres and many times follows the trad formula.
There are other small press publishers which don't require an agent, but they may have different pay tiers and royalties for unagented and agented authors.
Some small press are also digital first, possible POD, but not guaranteed.
Some indie press focus on just anthologies or other small projects or goals, too.
University press, which isn't always exclusive to tenured publishing--many will publish other genres not related to the university or course teaching.
It's more than doing research, it's understanding the industry, terms used in the industry, the contracts, how royalties work, etc...
This is a great breakdown, Denise! And then there are a few tiny presses that have their own models. I've seen some that span from a trad model to a hybrid. Be aware that some modern hybrids are not the same as older vanity presses. The true vanity press will publish anything. Some modern hybrid presses have agreed to follow this criteria: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/hybridpublisher
There's also a great breakdown of types of publisher's here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/PublishingMAP
Because you're very right. One of the hopes for this Disruptive December is to clear away some of the confusion in the industry and help authors see new paths.
Excellent, Lisa, and thanks for the links. I found conferences can be good for talking with other writers and getting opinions on publishers, but of course, there is time and expense involved.
Thanks again,
James
Wow, Denise, thanks for the detailed breakdown. I think the message is: Do your homework! If possible, before settling on a small press of any kind, try to talk to other authors they publish. Most writers have web pages, and email addresses. (Hint: they will be more willing to share information with you if you but hreir book first.)
Truth!! Everything you said is right on the money (that money we hope to make as writers!). Thanks for presenting it so succinctly (if somewhat painfully!).
Thank you for the information. I am constantly learning and I try not to be overwhelmed. But trust me, there are days.