Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Personal Choices


I’ve read a lot of traditionally published books that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve also read traditionally published books that, to me, were clunkers. The same thing applies to self-published books. Some good, some clunkers.

For years, self-publishing has been given a bad rap. It’s time for that to stop. I wish I had a way to change minds, but other than talking the talk, I don’t know how to do that. So for today I’ll do a little cheerleading.

 
I will say that I know a number of authors (including me) who had traditional publishers and decided to take a different path. You can relate it to someone changing jobs because they didn’t see eye-to-eye with their boss, or maybe they simply want to be their own boss. That’s the way of life sometimes.

I’ve started doing something different. When I read the book of an author who’s new to me, I find myself checking to see if they’re self-published or traditionally published. We all have different tastes, and you might rave about a book that I don’t care for, so the writing isn’t always the issue, nor is who published the work. In the end, I have to say I’ve read some books I truly enjoyed that were written by self-published authors. There were others that were well-written, but not to my taste.

You might complain that you’ve found typos in self-published books. Fair enough, but I’ve found typos in the books of well-known authors. It happens.

There’s another issue which many people wouldn’t think of, and that’s the fact that traditionally published authors have a publisher to promote their books. Self-published authors don’t have that luxury. Many of these authors can’t afford to hire a publicist, either. Thank heaven for social media.

Word-of-mouth is an important factor. If you read a self-published book that you truly enjoyed, tell your family and friends about it. Do a review for it. And try another book by that same author.

I once submitted a book to a traditional publisher and was told that since I’d self-published when I started writing, they’d never handle my work. I was told they’d never, ever publish a book written by a self-published author. When I started writing, I knew nothing about the process and a relative told me about this “new process” called self-publishing. What a cool idea! Wrong. It seemed to be the kiss of death. Years have gone by. It’s time to step up to the plate and try some new, self-published authors. If you don’t like the book you’ve chosen, try another author. It’s simple. With ebooks being so popular, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a book, either.

By the way, the book that the snooty publisher wouldn’t look at? I ended up finding a different publisher who was happy to work with me. I did okay. When I started self-publishing, I reissued the book and did better than okay. I’ll never be rich, but that’s okay. I’m not writing for the money. I’m writing in the hope of entertaining readers. So far, so good.

Patricia Gligor, Evelyn Cullet and F.M. (Marilyn) Meredith have self-published some books, and they’re all authors whose writing I enjoy. As time goes by, I’ll add names here and there, and if you find a self-published author you enjoy, by all means, spread the word.

It’s time to enjoy good books for what they are, no matter who they’re published by. Let’s get rid of the stigma attached to self-published books.

Okay, that’s my cheerleading effort for this week.

Until next time, try something new. Read a self-published book and see what you think. If one author doesn’t float your boat, try another.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Speaking of trying a self-published author, you might try One Adventure Too Many – A Sandi Webster Mystery. It might give you a chuckle while you try to figure out the mystery.

A Well-Kept Family Secret and Bubba's Ghost are both now available in audio format.


14 comments:

  1. I have several self-pubbed books--but the biggest seller is a cookbook I wrote years ago.

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    1. I'm glad to hear you've had success with your cookbook, and happy to know you've worked with the self-publishing process. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  2. First of all, Marja, thanks for the mention. Secondly, I applaud your effort to enlighten readers about self-publishing. For far too long, there's been - I'll use your word - a "stigma" attached to self-published books. But those days are gone (or they should be) as more and more talented writers make the decision to self-publish. I recently, as you mentioned, made the transition from a small press publisher to publishing with KDP. And I am SO glad I did!

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    1. I'm glad you're happy with your decision, Pat. It's a whole different world when you do it yourself. We don't just write the books, but we do the work, too. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  3. Amen to that! I find that no matter what some people think about self-publishing, I love it and I'm going to keep doing it. I wish it didn't carry any stigma, but I do think that stigma is eroding and people are more willing to take a second look at self-published books now than ever before. And without the publishing house and agent gatekeepers, there are more books available than ever before, too. I think it's all a great step in the right direction. Thanks for your cheerleading!!

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    1. I enjoy your books so much, Amy, and you make some good points. I guess we self-published author have take a leap of faith. Sometimes that's what it takes. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  4. I, too, chose the self-publishing route for my mystery series after a frustrating year of trying to land an agent in order to land a traditional publisher. I have self-published four books in the series and have begun writing the fifth. The only regret I have is the amount of time spent self-promoting. On the plus side, I have connected with some wonderful fellow self-publishing authors, including Patricia Gligor and Amy Reade.

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    1. I understand your frustration about trying to get started and about promotion, and I'm glad you persevered. Like me, you can take pride in the fact that you're doing it ALL yourself. I wish you much success. And thank you for commenting!

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  5. The ability to publish our own books I think is a wonderful thing! It's opened up a whole new world to so many authors, and changed many lives in a very good way. Excellent post, Marja!

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    1. Thank you, Madeline! The whole process, while frustrating sometimes, leaves one with a feeling of fulfillment. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  6. I agree, Marja, it's time to stop judging the product by the process. I've read self-published books that are the equal of those put out by the Big Five and I've read some that were clunkers. It all depends on the dedication of the person/persons producing the books. Most of us want to put out the best book possible. Unfortunately, there are still too many who don't care about such little things as editing and writing ability.

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    1. So much of it is a learning process, John, and I think a few people are just too eager to see their books in print. Plus, I think when we self-edit, we sometimes read what we meant to write instead of what we actually wrote. I have to say, writing, publishing, promoting and everything else we deal with ain't for sissies. You're right, though, dedication is the key. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  7. Very nice, Marja. I think you've said it beautifully. As you know, I started out just like you with self-publishing my first book when that was was looked down upon by the traditionally published world. Then I got accepted by a publisher and I was so happy until it turned into a nightmare. That's when I got out, and I'm so glad I did. While self-publishing is a lot more work on my part, being in control of every aspect of it gives me a lot of satisfaction. Plus the knowledge that I can change anything I want about my books at any time without having to argue with a publisher is wonderful.

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    1. Thank you, Evelyn! It's kind of nice to be our own boss. I don't have to clear anything with anyone. If I do it right, great. If I make mistakes, it's my own fault. Any way I look at it, I'm glad I chose this path. Thank you so much for commenting!

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