Serial Fiction Podcasting: the New Frontier? by Joanna Roddy

Some of the great literature of the past came to readers through serials. Charles Dickens published most of his novels as newspaper serials, and nearly all of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries were published one by one in the The Strand.

Media today is vastly different, and where once a small handful of editors held the reins to popular culture, now with blogs, podcasts, and self-publishing, it's a big wide world of creative output. But it seems we're moving back toward old ways of publishing as creatives write serialized fiction. 

Lots of now big name authors have published their novels serially by blog before wider publication, including Andy Weir's The Martian and E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey. And In the podcast world, NPR's Serial, which followed a murder case in its first season, became a cultural phenomenon as listeners reached over 80 million. Fans channeled their inner detective and developed their own pet theories about whether or not the man convicted was actually guilty. 

It's a time of pioneering and groundbreaking in many ways, but it's interesting that we hearken back to old formulas that still work. The serial format can be addictive. How often do you hear the term "Netflix binging" these days? Dumping an entire television program season made of cliff-hanger episodes onto its site at once has made Netflix a must-have for in-home entertainment.

My kids, ages 5 and 7, have recently become addicted to a kids fiction podcast: The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian. Here's the description from the site: 

He can’t sleep, he can’t shake the feeling someone is following him, and he can’t stop the monsters who show up to smash his cake. In other words, it’s turning out to be more exciting than he expected. That’s all in the first few episodes of this serialized, sci-fi podcast for kids. Finn, his friends and their pet robots aboard the Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station discover uncharted planets, help aliens in far-off galaxies, and take tips from listeners back on Earth as they try to solve the universe’s great mysteries. 

Now, my kids have never been interested in podcasts or audio books. They love to be read to, but I haven't been able to get them interested in audio media. But with this podcast, they are begging for more, laughing out loud, wanting to go to the website to see artwork and listener contributions, and recording sound effects to send in and hope to hear on a future episode. I feel like we've been plunged back in time to the days of Little Orphan Annie on the wireless. It's awesome.

There are lots of podcasts for kids out there, but I haven't been able to find any others that are serial fiction. I would hope that they do exist, but finding them isn't easy. I'd love to hear of any others that readers or Mayhemmers are aware of. Finn Caspian is targeted at kids 5-10, so lower middle-grade at best for our demographic. Maybe this is a market hole just waiting for the right story to fill it. Maybe the new frontier is really just old-fashioned good story-telling that leaves the reader wanting more--in audio form. 

Have any of you thought of doing a serial podcast? Let us know in the comments!

Chris Eboch Interview with L. E. Falcone on The Voices Upstairs

Chris: I’ve worked with hundreds of writers, through workshops, in private paid critiques, and through courses with the Institute of Children’s Literature. Some of my clients plan to submit to publishers, while others are interested in self-publishing. Today I’m going to share a conversation with middle grade novelist L. E. Falcone, who recently released The Voices Upstairs. Here’s the book description:

When 14-year-old Jason Myers gets suspended for fighting with the school bully, he thinks he’ll just kick back and relax at home while his parents work all day. Unfortunately, a week off from school turns into a week-long stay with Grandma in her smelly house, cleaning out her closets as punishment. With no freedom, no TV, no video games, and no friends—life can’t get any worse for Jason.

Until the dead start talking.

Something is wrong in Grandma’s house. It holds a dark secret. As Jason digs into the past for answers, he uncovers disturbing truths that put his life in danger. How far is Jason willing to go to solve the mystery behind the voices?

Chris: Doesn’t that sound wonderfully creepy? For starters, L. E., tell us a little about why you wrote The Voices Upstairs.

L. E.: Well, I love ghost stories. But this story came after reading a book about a murder trial from the late 1920s where the young man who committed the crime claimed to have heard voices. It was also inspired by a line in a song by The Clash. The two together sparked the idea and the main character, Jason, showed up, bags packed, ready to go.

Chris: You first contacted me for editing in April of 2011. Why did you decide you needed a professional critique?

L. E.: I had already revised it umpteen times and shopped it around to agents. I had some good comments but no takers. Something wasn’t working but I just didn’t know what. I joined a writer’s group hoping to make connections but I wasn’t feeling it. I revised some more but it was more like banging my head against the wall. I wanted someone who knew writing, not only as a reader but as a writer, so I put a call out for editors and found you.

Chris: Looking back at my first critique letter, I opened by saying, “Jason has a great voice -- clever and casual and a bit snarky. The humor is wonderful. The novel’s premise is interesting and creepy, and the plot builds to a dramatic conclusion. You have a good balance between action and dialogue to keep things moving, and the writing is smooth.” So a lot was working – but I then gave you several pages of suggestions, such as escalating the problem, clarifying Jason’s emotional reactions, and explaining the villain’s behavior better. I also made detailed comments on the manuscript. How did you react to all this feedback?

L. E.: Overwhelmed! But, I loved it. I had lost all objectivity with the manuscript and needed someone to give it to me straight. I liked that you were no-nonsense about it and clarified for me what wasn’t working about it. You hit on everything I felt wasn’t working, by the way. Weird, isn’t it? (Not really) Once I began to see the bigger picture more clearly I felt more confident in making bolder choices for Jason.

Chris: You contacted me again in October 2012 for a second critique of the revised manuscript. Wasn’t once enough? Are you a glutton for punishment?

L. E.: Why? What have you heard? No, once wasn’t enough. The reason for the first time was to find out what was wrong so I could present a more polished product to agents/editors. Then technology changed things. The second time I contacted you was to polish it even more because I had made the decision to self-publish.

Chris: I’m always impressed by writers who are willing to really dig into their manuscripts and make major changes through multiple revisions. I think it’s one of the best indicators of success. In my second critique letter, I said, “You’ve made a lot of good changes. You have strong characters, nice humor, and an active plot with good complications.” And then I followed with more suggestions. By that point, the suggestions were more “small picture” things, like cliffhanger chapter endings, eliminating any wordiness, and clarifying cause/effect and goals. How did you feel after that critique?

L. E.: This was the letter where a lot of things came together for me. I had read so many how-to books, followed writer blogs, hung out on message boards, but some things weren’t sinking in. It helps to have someone work on your manuscript with you. You hit on the nagging questions I had about my writing and the Ah-ha! moments began. This fine-tuning period was when I felt like my manuscript had become a book.

Chris: By the second critique, I felt your work was getting close to publishable, or ready for submission. Why did you decide to self publish rather than to submit to agents or editors?

L. E.: Self-publishing fits my personality. I’ve always been a DIY kind of person. I like the business side as well as the creative side of it. I’m going to have to work on the marketing side of it though. It’s something I wanted to do long ago when I first started writing but the technology wasn’t there. And, my writing wasn’t anywhere near ready either.

Chris: Getting professional feedback is definitely recommended before self-publishing. I like your cover, too, and the final title. They are nicely creepy together. Did you do the cover yourself? What other steps did you need to take?

L. E.: Yes, I did. Once I settled on a title (which is hard for me), the idea for the cover came to me quickly. I have basic web design and Photoshop skills that helped. Formatting, and uploading, seems to be the biggest hurdle. Sometimes technology doesn’t want to cooperate with you and it took me a few tries to get it right. Setting up the business end of it has been a lot more time-consuming than I had anticipated. If anyone is interested in taking this route, be prepared for that. So far, it’s been fun. Busy, but fun.

Chris: Self-publishing isn’t easy. I blogged about the process earlier, here and here. I also have an “Indie Publishing Worksheet” on my website that offers an overview. Good luck with your novel, and feel free to report back later about additional things you’ve learned from the process!

For more about Chris Eboch critique services, see the “for writers“ page on her website.

L. E. Falcone began her writing career writing songs for her stuffed animals. She later took up writing something that sort of resembled poetry, and really short stories before moving onto writing for young people. During that time, she managed to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Ever in search of a ghostly mystery, she currently occupies space ten miles outside of the middle of nowhere and is convinced the woods behind her house are haunted. Her website redcollarbooks.com is under construction. Find her on Twitter @elliefalcone.

The Voices Upstairs is available for the Kindle for $3.99. A print on demand version is in the works.

Chris Eboch on Self-Publishing and Middle Grade Novels: Should You or Shouldn't You?

Yesterday I discussed self-publishing as it applies to children’s books, sharing my experiences as both a traditionally- and self-published author, and mentioning some of the challenges and benefits to self-publishing for middle grade readers. Let’s continue the analysis.

Back in Print

Self-publishing can be especially appealing to authors with out-of-print books. Even if sales are low, you have the satisfaction of knowing the books are still available, and you can bring copies to sell at school visits. In addition, if you have 10 backlist books each earning $500 a year, that adds up. You may have to have the book scanned or re-typed, though, if you don’t have the final digital version. New art and book design also add costs, unless you can get permission to use the originals.

I also know several authors who are interested in continuing series dropped by their publishers. Fantasy novelist Joni Sensel published the third book in her Farwalker’s Quest trilogy, The Skeleton’s Knife. She cared less about sales numbers than about making the book available to her fans and finishing the story she started to tell. Still, she recently reported that sales had significantly exceeded her (low) expectations. She is still pursuing traditional publication, but also considering self-publishing new works that may not be high concept enough to interest a publisher. 

I recently published the fourth book in my Haunted series, about a brother and sister traveling with a ghost hunter TV show. I had written The Ghost Miner’s Treasure before there was a changeover at the publisher and they dropped the series. In the week before I released it, I had e-mails from a librarian, a teacher, and a kid, all asking where book 4 was. Having the first three books traditionally published is like free advertising for the fourth.

As a side note, my best indie moneymaker so far is Advanced Plotting. Since I have some reputation among children’s book writers as a workshop leader and critiquer, I drew on those contacts for sales and publicity. Although the book hasn’t sold as many copies as The Eyes of Pharaoh (209 e-books and 102 POD in 2012), it’s priced higher and thus has a higher profit margin. People are used to paying more for a writing guide than for a paperback novel, so at $10 print, $5 e-book, this seems like a bargain.

Good questions to ask yourself if you are considering self-publishing are: Who is my audience and how will I reach them? What’s the competition and will readers want my book instead of/in addition to others available? How will I price this book, given production costs and perceived market value?

What the Future Holds…

I don’t think the choice between traditional and indie publishing is clear right now. A good contract with a publisher definitely has its advantages, if they can get your book into schools and libraries. However, I expect the balance to shift in the next few years, as self-publishing becomes more accepted; review journals and blogs help people find the best books; and e-readers become more common for all ages (the latter is important because e-books can be priced much lower than print, encouraging readers to take a chance on an unknown author, and hopefully increasing book sales overall).

So what to do? People who successfully self-publish may wind up earning more money per book in the long run, because of higher royalties. They may also be able to release more books more quickly, avoiding publishers’ two- to five-year lead times, and publish books that publishers may not believe are marketable. (You can find plenty of examples of publishers being wrong about this.)

On the other hand, self-publishing requires an enormous amount of time, and the learning curve can be steep, especially for those who are not technically adept. (You can download my Indie Publishing Worksheet from my website, for an overview of what is involved.) Many authors do not want to handle the production and marketing side of publishing; they want to be writers rather than businesspeople (although every author who hopes for publication should really be both).

Self-publishing can be expensive, especially if you do it right, which typically means hiring a professional editor, proofreader, cover artist and book designer. Publishing books that are not yet ready for prime time can damage your reputation and waste your money.

Plus, self published authors have the most success when they have multiple books out – like more than five – because each book advertises the others. If you only have one or two polished manuscripts, it may be better to submit them traditionally while you produce new work. You could hold onto your manuscript and plan to release them in the future, but keeping your rights has to be balanced against starting to build a fan base now (and maybe getting some advance money so you can afford the time to write more books).

These are tough questions, and no one path is right for everyone. The typical author of the future may be a hybrid – releasing some books traditionally and others independently. Though indie publishing may not be the best answer for everyone (especially with children’s books), it’s opening new avenues. That’s good for authors, so long as we study the possibilities and make smart decisions. 

See Chris Eboch’s children’s books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords.

See Kris Bock’s romantic suspense books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords.

Who Should Self Publish:

• Traditionally published authors who want to make out-of-print titles available again.

• Published authors who wish to release books in a series that a publisher has dropped.

• Professional writers who have a book that doesn’t suit the current market, but may still find a modest audience.

• People who have a marketing platform for distributing their books, e.g. they do a lot of speaking on a professional topic and can sell books at their talks (best for nonfiction).

• Amateur writers who want to make a title available in print form for their family, such as memoirs or family genealogy, or a child’s favorite story.

• First-time authors who have studied writing for several years and gotten professional feedback on their manuscript, who also:

• want complete control of the publishing process

• prefer the work of self-publishing to the work of researching and querying publishers

• enjoy marketing and have experience with it

• and/or feel they don’t have time to wait on the traditional publishing industry

Advantages:

• You retain all rights to your work. You can earn more per copy sold.
• You get to make decisions about cover art, pricing, content—basically everything.
• If the book does extremely well, you may interest a traditional publisher.
• You get to see your book in print in a few months, instead of several years if ever.

Disadvantages:

• You get no advance. You may sell few copies and make hardly any money—ever.
• You have to make all the decisions about cover art, pricing, content—basically everything.
• A poorly written/edited/designed book can hurt your reputation as an author.
• To produce a professional-quality book, you will have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars and dozens or hundreds of hours of time. You have no marketing support from a publisher.
• Your book will not be available in bookstores. Self published books don’t count toward membership in most professional organizations. Many conferences won’t let you sell them in the bookstore.

Helpful blogs on self-publishing:

Chris Eboch and Guests Blog on Self-Publishing

Susan Kaye Quinn has posts on the indie publishing business, with a focus on writing for young people

The Writers Guide to E-Publishing has many resources and tips

David Gaughran has an article on Self-Publishing Basics, with links to other articles and information

Top Ten Self-Publishing Blogs of 2012, from The Future of Ink.

ebookery:101, downloadable from Booknook.biz, is user-friendly with lots of images, showing what ebooks look like, how they function, etc.  

Haunted: The Ghost Miner’s Treasure ebook is discounted to 99 cents today through Friday at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Jon and Tania are traveling with the ghost hunter TV show again, this time to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona, where the ghost of an old miner is still looking for his lost mine. The siblings want to help him move on—but to help him resolve the problem keeping him here, they’ll have to find the mine. And even then, the old ghost may be having too much fun to leave! It’s a good thing Tania can see and talk to him, because the kids will need his help to survive the rigors of a mule train through the desert, a flash flood, and a suspicious treasure hunter who wants the gold mine for himself.

Author Choices: Traditional, Self-Publishing, or Hybrid

As Chris Eboch, I’ve been publishing children’s books since 1999, when my first novel, The Well of Sacrifice was released. Two years ago, I started writing romantic suspense for adults under the name Kris Bock. For various reasons, I decide to self-publish those books. (I won’t explain why here, but I’ve blogged about it before.)

While self-publishing seemed like a good choice for Kris Bock, romantic suspense writer, things aren’t quite so simple for Chris Eboch, children’s book writer. Young adult novels – aimed at teenagers with crossover potential for adult readership – have had indie success (Amanda Hocking sound familiar?). However, I haven’t heard of any breakout books for authors writing for middle grade kids.

For one thing, print is still king for kids. Younger kids are less likely to have their own e-readers, though that is changing as parents get the latest version and give their hand-me-downs to the kids. Some schools are also transitioning toward giving upper elementary and middle school children laptops or e-readers for classroom use. As more children get access to e-readers and get into the habit of using them, electronic book sales will grow. (And as color readers get cheaper, even younger children who primarily read illustrated books will join the trend.)

Jeremy Greenfield of Digital Book World has written about e-books for children a lot; find some links to his post here: The Future of Children’s Books.

Another challenge for indie writers is reaching children. Children’s book publishing has long depended largely on school and library sales. Librarians and teachers often read review journals for guidance. Plus, schools are limited in how they can order books for the classroom. (Although some teachers use their own money for classroom books.)

Illustrated books face additional challenges. Hiring a talented illustrator is expensive. Print on demand costs skyrocket for books with color interior illustrations. Even with novels, children’s books are more likely to need illustrated covers rather than cheaper covers using stock photography.

That’s not to say children’s book writers aren’t interested in indie publishing. I’ve heard a lot of curiosity, and some authors are diving in. After all, it’s better to be ahead of the wave than behind it.

 Teachers Say Yes, Publishers Say No

I had a middle grade mystery set in ancient Egypt. The story had gotten great feedback from publishers, along with either “Historical fiction isn’t selling well” or “We already have an Egypt book.” And yet several teachers told me they wished I’d get the book published, so they could use in the classroom.

I sensed a market that publishers weren’t recognizing. And I had a manuscript I loved that wasn’t doing anything but sitting on my computer.

I traded a manuscript critique for professional proofreading and another critique for fully illustrated cover art and design from artist Lois Bradley. I know enough about design to do the interior layout for print on demand myself. Within two months of making the decision, I brought out The Eyes of Pharaoh in POD and e-book versions.

The Well of Sacrifice, an adventure set in ninth-century Mayan Guatemala, is used in many schools when they teach the Maya in fourth grade. I’ve done school visits or had other contact with some of those teachers, so I let them know about the new book. One e-mailed back that she’d ordered six copies for her lit circles. Most teachers still want print books for the classroom. That may be one reason why print on demand has sold substantially better than the e-book for The Eyes of Pharaoh (330 print copies versus 67 e-books in 2012).

If teachers find that The Eyes of Pharaoh works well in the classroom, they’ll tell others, so this book could gain popularity slowly, by word of mouth. Plus, many kids love ancient Egypt. If they go looking for books on the subject, they might find mine. There are a few other Egypt novels out there (though not as many as publishers imply), but the niche isn’t as crowded as, say, fantasy novels. It would probably be harder to gain attention for a self-published book that had more competition, from an unknown author.

Tomorrow, I’ll be back with a discussion of bringing books back in print, what the future holds, who should – and probably shouldn’t – self-publish, plus resources.

Haunted: The Ghost Miner’s Treasure ebook is discounted to 99 cents today through Friday at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Jon and Tania are traveling with the ghost hunter TV show again, this time to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona, where the ghost of an old miner is still looking for his lost mine. The siblings want to help him move on—but to help him resolve the problem keeping him here, they’ll have to find the mine. And even then, the old ghost may be having too much fun to leave! It’s a good thing Tania can see and talk to him, because the kids will need his help to survive the rigors of a mule train through the desert, a flash flood, and a suspicious treasure hunter who wants the gold mine for himself.

Can You Make a Living from Writing?

On a library poster with a recent novel.

There are a lot of myths about writing, not least of which is the amount of money involved. This myth goes in two directions – one, that's impossible to make a living as a writer, and two, that it's easy money, especially writing for children. Chances are you know it's not easy money. And it is possible to make a living – though most of the writers I know who are doing so are not surviving just on writing fiction.

Since I just finished organizing all my tax information, I thought I'd discuss my financial breakdown. (Not breakdown as in "Oh no—my finances have broken down!" but rather breakdown as in “an analysis; division into parts.”)

I am a full-time, working writer with no other source of income – well, at least if you count all the writing-related activities like teaching, critiquing, and giving writing workshops as part of the larger category of "being a writer." This means I can't just write what I want, when I want. I have to find ways to make money, while also considering how best to advance my overall career and find time for the writing I love.

2012 was a pretty good year. Without getting into specifics, let's just say I made somewhere between 70% and 100% of the per capita personal income average for New Mexico, where I live, depending on the source you use. New Mexico has the fifth lowest per capita income in the US, but it's also relatively cheap to live here. (Tip: if you are depending on freelance income, living someplace cheap is a big advantage.)

Let's look at my sources of income:

Magazine Articles: 22%. This includes about 20 articles, paying from $100-$600. Many were for Children's Writer or Writers Guide to 2013. I also did several for a New Mexico publication, one for a science magazine, and a few online articles.

Critiques: 21%. I did about 25 individual critiques, material ranging from synopses to 300+ page novels, plus a set of critiques for a contest. (Learn more about my critique business.)

Work-for-Hire Books: 13%. I wrote three short nonfiction books, plus one longer one, but only half the income for that came in before the end of the year.

Self-Publishing: 13%. By the end of 2012, I had five books published in e-book and print on demand, but the amount earned per book varied dramatically. I may follow up on this in another post, if there's interest.

Teaching: 11%. I taught two in-person classes through a writing organization and also taught students one-on-one through a correspondence school. In 2011, I did a lot of workshops at SCBWI conferences around the country, but not in 2012.

Royalties: 9%, all from The Well of Sacrifice, the first novel I ever sold. It came out in 1999, but it’s still in print and used in many schools as supplemental fiction when they teach about the Maya. None of my other royalty-paying work has earned out yet.

Educational Test Passages: 8%. I think I did six or eight passages, some of them in two related parts. This seems to be seasonal work with short deadlines.

School Visit: 1.5%, and this was actually from a visit done a previous year. Some authors make a lot from school visits. I don't particularly like doing them, and they are not really convenient or well-paying in my area, so I haven't pursued this, but I will do them when asked.

Novel Advances: 0%. I did not sell a new novel in 2012. In fact, I haven't sold original fiction since 2008. (Part of that is the choice to write more novels for adults under the name Kris Bock and self publish those.)

A couple of things stand out for me in looking over this information. First, no single source of income dominates. I couldn't afford to lose any of them, except maybe that one school visit. In addition, the two biggest categories, articles and critiques, involved dozens of separate projects. Your mileage may vary, but for me, I need a lot of types of work, and a lot of individual projects, to make a living.

Nonfiction is a major part of my work. It looks like about half my income was nonfiction, with the rest split between fiction and teaching/critiquing. (I haven't broken it out in detail, but briefly, one of my self-published books is nonfiction, Advanced Plotting; the other four are fiction. Some of the test passages were fiction. I've done some work-for-hire fiction, but this year was mostly nonfiction.)

Again, other authors may make more of their money from fiction, or school visits, or whatever. Some may get big advances or have lots of books paying royalties. There is no single path or right path, but I hope my "breakdown" has at least been interesting, and at best has given you some ideas for your own career or insight into what it means to be a writer.

Chris Eboch

A New (Publishing) World

Do you have tunnel vision when it comes to publishing?

I must tell you up front that I am one of those writers who has never really thought of—or at least, never consciously recognized—anything other than traditional publishing. It’s always been the *only* way to do it in my eyes, like I have tunnel vision and can only see the traditional route. As a writer, it goes something like this: write a book, edit & revise, get an agent, edit & revise with your agent, have your agent sub to publishers, get a book deal, see your book in print. Then repeat. 

I think I still see it this way. I…think.

The thing is, I got a Kindle last year and I thought I'd hate it. Nope, I ended up loving it. Now I do perhaps 80% of my reading on my Kindle. One simple device severely changed how I read in one calendar year. Pretty impressive. And this forced me to view the publishing world in a new way. Lately, I’ve been observing (and attempting to analyze) the many changes that are occurring in publishing. I’ve had discussions with my agent, my writing friends, and other people in the industry who are much more business-savvy than I, and we are all in agreement that publishing is changing. Drastically. Quickly. I have to be honest, though, that as I type this I am not sure how I feel about these changes. But it doesn't matter how I feel, or anyone else, since we are now in the midst of a new (publishing) world. And we better embrace it.

Let's start with self publishing. The self publishing realm not only has become more accepted by those in the industry, but it has also become a place to scout for new talent. Agents and publishers are now keeping an eye on self-published books (and authors) to see which books (again, and authors) have developed a following. Amazon is now a place for agents and publishers to visit and see who might be ripe for the proverbial picking. Not all agents and publishers, mind you. Some still look at those who self publish with the stink eye. But more and more, things are changing. In fact, I challenge you to visit the websites of some of your favorite BIG literary agencies—try visiting, say, 10—and see how many have some sort of e-pub or self-pub division. You might be surprised. Oh, and when it comes to publishers embracing self-publishing, perhaps you didn't see that Penguin has actually moved into the self-publishing world.

Getting back to that strange combination, literary agencies mixing with self-publishing, some authors say it is a conflict of interest for a literary agency to have one foot in the traditional-pub pool and one foot in the e-pub/self-pub pool, yet I say it’s simply a sign of how different things are, and how agents need to embrace this difference and help their authors better function—and succeed—in the new marketplace. Because let’s be honest, if there were ten pools, I would wish my agent had ten feet, one in each pool.

And while there once was a stigma attached to self publishing—and there still is for some people—that stigma has begun to fade as self-publishing success stories continue to surface. Yes, I know that many of you might be saying that those self-pub success stories are nothing compared to the many, many self-pub authors who have barely sold any copies of their books. “Few and far between” and all. But here is the thing: I have seen waaayyy too many traditionally published authors who have barely sold any copies of their traditionally-pubbed books. Even with the backing of that “Big 6” publisher, I’ve seen authors literally begging people for reviews, or begging for people to buy their books. So it goes both ways.

Anyone who has been “aspiring” for more than a couple years knows how slowly things move in publishing. Traditional publishing, that is. But there is a vast difference between the traditional route and the self route. First off, while things move very slowly on the traditional end, self publishing moves as fast as you want it to. For authors who write slowly and perhaps put out a book every few years, the glacial speed of the traditional route might be a good thing. The slowness might not bother those types of writers. For those who write quickly and pound out multiple books a year, the slow-motion traditional process may seem intolerable. Sometimes I shudder when I see a book deal announced on Publishers Marketplace and I see the pub date three years from the date of the announcement. It’s hard to imagine waiting that long for your book to appear on shelves. But the waiting aside, it’s hard to imagine NEEDING three years to get a book ready. Is that really necessary? And by the way, is it even good business?

Speaking of good and bad business, I have noticed that some publishing houses don’t have electronic versions of their books available, which severely limits the ability to get the book in many eager hands. What about people who read on e-readers exclusively? You've lost that segment of the market, which I mentioned is growing every day. Or sometimes the problem is that the e-book version comes out eons after the print version comes out. That's bad business as well, because you're not taking advantage of the buzz while it's at its height (on release date). And then there’s the inflated price of e-books through traditional houses, which seems to be the biggest disadvantage, in my mind. I mean, to spend $10 or more on an e-book is tough for some people to do when they have a family to provide for. Personally, I have no problem spending a couple dollars on an e-book, but the average price of most traditionally-published e-books is in the double-digits, so they lose my business, sorry to say, until there is some sort of sale or a drop in price. I just can’t rationalize spending that much money on an e-book. I hear authors gripe about this all the time, and they should. Some publishers are hiring e-marketing & e-pricing experts because they desperately need to have someone who specializes in the electronic market; they need help staying competitive electronically. 

And I’m sure these e-experts are noticing, as many people who sell electronics are as well, that sales of e-readers are blowing up. As a teacher, I have seen more and more of my middle-grade students sporting e-readers, as have some writer/teacher friends of mine out there, like Tracy Edward Wymer.

All this is to say, there are multiple ways to go about this crazy publishing game, and there are new and exciting changes taking place every day in this "new" world. In fact, the idea of writing a serial novel is intriguing. I’ve seen some news recently where writers have signed on to write a series of “chapters” that will be published at set periods of time. A lot of news. Did I mention I've read news about serial publishing? Other individual authors and small presses alike are trying out similar methods, where each “chapter” will be sold individually, and then when the entire book is complete there will be a full-book option for purchase.

Then there are other start-up publishing companies trying out other methods, and many of these companies I see in the vein of the throwback dot.com type ventures. And I love that! It gets me excited to see innovative people getting a read on the changing climate and then developing a new and fresh approach. Coliloquy is an example of a company trying out the exclusive e-book format, but they are attempting to make reading more interactive, as featured in Publisher's Weekly. A different approach, yes. And to that I say, "Go for it, Coliloquy! Take this new [publishing] world and put your stamp on it!" I hope it works, and I hope it fosters more innovation and growth.

Someone who has recently decided to write a YA novel in serial form is a writer I think has a wealth of talent, Shaun Hutchinson, author of DEATHDAY LETTER (SimonPulse) and the forthcoming A TALE OF TWO PARTIES (SimonPulse). The difference with Shaun’s serial novel, called THE DARK DAYS OF ME AND HIM, is that Shaun’s is completely free. He is writing what I call an “important” story in serial format, and has decided to put chapters up on a website every two weeks. The series began this past Wednesday with the first two chapters, and I encourage you all to visit the site and take part in his experiment. The website is HERE.

So now that I've had a chance to paint a picture of this new world, any thoughts from you out there about the changing publishing landscape around us?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...

There was a time when publishing a book pretty much meant one thing for an author: find an agent (optional, but helpful), get a publisher to say “yes” (never easy), and then wait for your “baby” to grace the shelves (usually at least a year in the waiting for this step). For many authors, this is still the preferred road to take, but let’s face it, the times they are a-changin’ (thanks, Bob Dylan). Nowadays, thanks in large part to the convenience and user-friendliness of modern technology, many authors are choosing a different road, “the one less traveled by” (thanks, Robert Frost), and that road is self-publishing.

While there are many authors who have found success via the traditional road, the field of authors who are finding success using the self-publishing road is growing every day (traffic is picking up). With this in mind, I wanted to invite an author who recently made the decision to jump from one road to the other and self-publish. To that end, take it away Anita Laydon Miller. Tell us about your journey on the road “less traveled by.” 

Anita Laydon Miller

Thanks, Michael. First of all, I want everyone to know I respect people who dream of traditional publication. It’s a beautiful dream and I wish everyone the best in making that dream reality. And I do not dislike or mistrust agents, editors or publishers…these people have given me treasures in the form of books I’ve read.

Here’s my story:

You know how sometimes when you view a situation through someone else’s eyes, the situation becomes clear? That’s what happened to me.

A couple years ago, I decided I wanted to be a published author, and so I began researching. I learned I needed to write a great book with a unique premise and likeable characters. Then I needed to find a kick-ass agent who would provide me with suggestions to make the manuscript more marketable. Once the suggestions were incorporated, the kick-ass agent would find a publisher for my book. I’d work for several months with an editor at the publishing house, and about a year after the book was edited, it would appear on the shelves of the major bookstores. Then I’d work my tail off marketing the book, but I probably wouldn’t make much money.

I explained the above to my husband, a pragmatic FedEx pilot (with an honest-to-God degree in rocket science) and he was like, “What? You’ve got be kidding me.” I assured him I must follow the publishing rules, and he shrugged and watched the kids, and I wrote.

Lucky me (and I know that sounds sarcastic, but it’s not), I hooked a great agent…she was professional, savvy and fun. We made some changes on my middle grade mystery and she submitted it to about 15 editors. They all said, “No,” but with some positive feedback like, “I want to read everything else she writes.”

Still, I started getting a little suspicious of the process at this point, because in the comments that accompanied the rejections, the editors were often in complete disagreement with each other. I knew it was a subjective industry, but when one editor says something like, “It’s too scary,” and another editor says, “It’s not scary enough,” it gives a person pause.

My husband was especially thrown off by this, but I assured him that’s the way things are done and that I must move on.

So, not to be dissuaded, I started work (also as part of my MFA requirements) on another book—a middle grade science fiction. When it was time to submit, my agent and I decided to send it to only a few editors. The manuscript got rejected, but with some great comments. One editor (at a big house) even had several other editors look at the book. Ultimately she decided not to send it to committee, because (among a couple other reasons), aliens weren’t selling in house—meaning it was difficult to get an alien book sold within the company.

My husband was like, “What? But kids love aliens.” And I started looking at my husband like maybe he was right.

My agent and I reviewed the manuscript again (we both thought this book was a winner) and she suggested some changes. Now, I’ve been a freelance writer for over a decade, and when the person in charge says to make a change, I make it and I make it fast. But not this time. I totally disagreed with the change. My agent and I discussed it and she said that if I didn’t want to make the change, we could shelve the book and move forward on a YA that I’m writing.

My husband was like, “What? You love that sci fi. There must be another way to get it to kids.” And everything became clear to me, because there was another way: epublishing.

My agent and I had a few polite discussions via telephone and email, and we decided (I like to believe amicably) to part ways. I still think she’s a great agent, incidentally, and highly recommend her to anyone seeking an agent.

11 days later, EARTHLING HERO was for sale. Sales have been steady and the marketing experience has been fun. I feel like I own a small business. And I like it.

Here’s what I think: Every writer should investigate independent epublishing before signing with a literary agency or publisher. Buy an ebook in your genre, so you can get over the notion that indie writers’ books suck. They don’t. Read JA Konrath’s blog and Google “Jane Friedman.” Find out the number of sales of Nooks and Kindles. Then you’ll be in a position to make an informed decision.

Below is information about my inexpensive kids’ ebook, a $.99 middle grade science fiction titled EARTHLING HERO. It’s a great family read-aloud. I’m the book columnist for the COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE, and I’m always pleased to find family read-alouds to recommend. I had that in mind when I wrote the book.

Imagine waking one summer night to see someone standing beside your bed. The “someone” is a complete stranger, but looks exactly like you. That’s what happens to eleven-year-old Mikey Murphy. The next few days are filled with adventures—breaking into a high-security military installation, engaging expert assassins in hand-to-hand combat, searching for an evil alien’s hideout in the middle of a national landmark—all with two new alien friends at his side. Can Mikey and his friends survive their adventures and save the world?