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| Planning to fail is stupid, hence the reason few would undertake such an unrewarding enterprise. Failing to plan is so much easier and requires little effort or forethought and is by definition equally stupid. Yet we can get stars in our eyes and just gallop ahead following any such method or course that in the end steals our dreams and money. We never plan to fail but we often fail to plan. |
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As artistic types, we are handicapped (sometimes) with a world view that is skewed towards the Pollyanna when it comes to making money on our creativity. “But I don’t intend to lower myself to such pedestrian pursuits”, you might say. Good, don’t quit your day job. But for those wanting to earn a living, earn some extra cash, or make a name for themselves writing, read on.
Last month I wrote about having a business plan for any endeavor we undertake to get published. The traditional route isn’t going to do everything for you. By buying the rights to your work they are lending their name to your title and that should be enough. That book signing you’d like to do in Akron, Ohio is there waiting for you to book the travel and accommodations yourself. If you are going to self publish, the “self” in that title means even more of an investment in time and treasure to see things through.
I think we all go through a span of phases where we are taken with our own potential as creatives. Wouldn’t we all like to be like Tom Clancy and just write books for a living? I’ve been there. We are taken in by the “how to” articles on getting published and the success stories meant to entice. We see that nothing can stop us but our own imagination. We begin to believe that the publishing world is a place of magic and wonder because in our fantasy everything comes easily and on cue. Armed with a list of how to write query letters we embark on hours spent crafting a letter per the market we think we want to hit. We read that rejection letters are the norm so collect them with pride. Yet we are convinced being discovered is a matter of time. There has to be someone out there with my best interest in mind who can feed the fire of my fantasy of the easy life.
Eventually we come down to earth and actually learn something of the business of publishing. Our world view is altered, disjointed from the fantasy with rude abruptness or slow tectonic motion opening our eyes to reality. I’ve gone from doe eyed enthusiast to jaded skeptic in matters of weeks. But, we are told to press on and keep submitting. We are told this by the markets and by “successful writers” whose success is at times a thing of self definition. We see them as successes because, anyone who’s published is a success, right? Perhaps you kept on despite the setbacks or perhaps you gave up. No matter what you did, you discovered that the publishing world is not a Magic Kingdom.
If you are still in the early stages of seeing dollar signs and stars by your name whilst lit in neon or emblazoned in cardboard cut out book displays perched in front of book store entrances, then all I can say is be prepared for a jolt. For whatever reason, we begin thinking that the world owes us for gracing it with our creative perception. It looks so easy, does it not?
If you are at the place where you think it is all a global conspiracy lead by famous authors, disgruntled failure-as-writer editors, and stuffed shirt literary journals keeping you and others like you from sharing in the fraternity of the exalted published, be prepared for that jolt once again. It’s time to get serious about being published or quit the playground.
By serious, I mean laying aside that pie-in-the-sky fantasy of the easy life or paranoid conspiracy theory and get interested instead in the adult world of business. That is what it is, a business; there is nothing evil going on, nothing wrong with profit and investment, and nothing wrong with being discovered or working your way up with sweat and tears. I know the ads in the magazines are tempting and work to build that fantasy world we so love to frolic in. That is why they are ads. They are designed by those who understand human psyche and a writer’s vanity. Lay them aside until you are ready to use them as resources. It’s time to come down off the mountain and rub elbows with regular folks.
There is a naiveté about creative types that seems to say, “take advantage of me”. Perhaps that advantage is signing that deal with an agent or a publisher who buys your work for the exchange of a pittance and the giddy thrill of having your books appear in a small section of Barnes and Noble. Perhaps it is the vanity press or the printer where you have to purchase what they print for you and do everything else yourself. None of these would I label as predatory. But, if you don’t know what it is you want and have a plan then any of these will eagerly take your money or your creativity and profit from it leaving you holding the bag. This isn’t kindergarten, no teacher is going to step in and bail your sorry butt out of the jam you find yourself in with any of these scenarios. This is business.
That is why it demands a businessman’s view and planning for there are plenty of people who want your money. We as writers find joy and fulfillment from our craft. It is the way we are wired. But, that ends once we get the notion of being published. It isn’t a game. There is real money to be had and lost. I used to think that publishers and editors were just selfish egotistical ogres who took delight in crushing the spirits of those wanting the status only they could convey. If they really were, they’d be out of a job. It really isn’t about making a name for someone, it is about making money. It is about risk taking and investment with reasonable chance of return. Fail to make money and they will be no more (for those anti-capitalists out there or I only do "A"rt for the sheer pleasure of it can stop here. I know there is more to life than money and more to writing and art than making it, but if you want to play the game you have to know the rules).
So, why rattle on and on about this? Because I sometimes do not get it myself and know there are hundreds like me who have that sense of fantasy still dancing around their vision like Christmas sugar plumbs waiting for the Santa of the publishing industry to hand them a big fat royalty check. You need to know what it is you want. I know that sounds simple, but it is hard to come up with even in writing. So, here are some practical things you can do to prepare yourself to switch hats and get serious about making some money on your creativity if you crave being published.
Find someone who can drag out of you what it is you are passionate about and why. It will be that passion that will propel you through the dark hours. Knowing this will save you lots of pain and treasure if you know early on what it is you expect to get out of being published.
Understand the business of the business. Traditional publishers give you world wide distribution, editing, cover design, and warehousing but you only get a fraction of the profit, hence why publishers will not take unsolicited works, the risk is too great for the investment. Print on Demand gives you basics for a low cost printing on sometimes inferior paper and cover stock; but save you having to warehouse thousands of copies and you get to keep more of what you make while doing more of the other work yourself. Regular printers give you a price break on what you print making it cheaper to print more per run but you have to warehouse, market, and distribute it all yourself. There are also hybrid companies that use a little bit of all of these models. All of these things have pros and cons. It is easy to get caught up in the snobbery of “I’m a traditionally published author” as you look down your nose at the other plebeians scraping around “pretending” to be “real”. If that is the only reason you are publishing, then it will only take you so far in this life. It isn’t about status, it’s about money. The sooner you can let go of stigma and grasp what you want and how you want it, it makes choosing a model so much more gratifying. They all take work and treasure and investment of your own, so choose wisely.
Form a dream team and surround yourself with people who will give you honest, real world advice while protecting your dream from dream killers.
Partner with someone, a sibling or a spouse, to accomplish what you cannot do alone.
Save money, lots of money. The worst thing you can do is mortgage your dream, in a sense, by selling it to a creditor. Citi Bank is a creditor just as much as your local bank selling business loans. That book signing in Akron won’t book itself but can you afford it? Obviously, as you work backwards in my list, you need more capital to start out with. This should be part of your planning and your dream filling.
Finally, have fun where it is appropriate and be shrewd when taking steps towards being published. Remember there are people out there who make a living by taking your money. Some are honest and some are not. Blink a few times to get the stars out of your eyes when making decisions.
For those who have walked this path before, share some of your insights and stories.
My wife and I are partnered up to see my novel and home school curriculum published by a printer. We have a business plan, a dream team, and a two year schedule to meet. We are doing it to make money and see a passion of mine fulfilled. We are going to do it debt free and feel that is the smartest way to see it through no matter how long it takes to get there. You don’t need to follow my plan or course, but know why you are following the one you choose.
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I pulled a variety of articles from the site dealing with the various modes of publishing out there. It is easy to get caught up in the stigmas of title, i.e. traditionally published author, self pubber, etc. Choose what best suites your desires and wants with an eye on earning something back for your labor and creativity. Random House doesn’t care what you call yourself after they publish a title; they are in it for the money. If they are in it for the money, shouldn’t you be too? Divorcing the stigma of being published from the desire to see something in print should be your first step in choosing which is best for you.
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Question from the 7/28/07 NL
What is your “business model”? If you are planning to self publish you have to have some plan to see you through the rough spots when nothing seems to be going right.
If you aren’t going to self publish and go the traditional route, you still need a plan for you will be doing most of the marketing work anyway.
Dorianne 
Submitted Comment:
This thought has been on everyone's mind for sure, "to self publish or not to self publish." The answer is indeed a great formula W + P + M = $ or writing plus printing plus marketing equals money. The M can have two varibles SP or TP (self publishing , traditional publishing).
I guess it depends on what kind of a writer-mathematician you are.
Also I believe in the dream team versus dream killers statement 100%. The motto should be: when in doubt about that person's sincerity throw him/her out!
Great article!
Voxxylady
Submitted Comment:
Hi Pookie, I enjoyed your newsletter, and particularly the way you pointed out that using a second company (POD) may be more expensive, but also provides services the author doesn't have to bother with, freeing writing time. Writing time is valuable and can be eaten away with details of publishing work on top of marketing.
Thanks for including the On Our Own link! Planning first is so important. Best of luck!
{suser:mariadiary)
Submitted Comment:
Nice! It helped understand some unknown facts. Thanks!
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For Authors: August 22, 2007 Issue [#1905]
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