At a crossroad…
It’s been an interesting time lately. I’ve had some conversations with friends. I’ve also talked with a handful of self-publishing ‘vanity’ houses (AuthorHouse, Pegasus, xlibris) Now I am uncertain which direction to go. For the last 6-7 weeks, I’ve driven headlong into the writing process, finishing book one in the Legacy of Leithu series. During that time, I have kept at the back of my mind the idea of seeking a literary agent. I know eventually I will want to find a publisher. But all of that changed this week, and I am seriously a little overwhelmed with the idea of which direction to go.
Pros and Cons
It seems like it comes down to two fundamental principles: Time and Money. Now, with this very oversimplified comparison, the “time” is bi-directional, as in effort or time spent, with the other end being the total time it will take to publish. Self-publishing is extremely time-consuming as you, the author, will be in charge of doing most, if not all, of the work.
As for the Money, well, as a self-published author, you are in charge of all of the costs. These costs can be anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000… and realistically, you can spend a lot more than that when you start to factor in the actual printing and distribution (read ‘shipping‘) costs. Travelling down the Traditional route may cost less up front, but the royalty scrape and the ROI on the whole thing is truly a lot less. So, due to the lack of return, you end up paying an opportunity cost.
Creative control
This is the big one for me. Not factored in the example above, the control of the book and direction it takes is worth considering. I’ve read articles and posts on other blogs about authors losing out on the cover design. I’ve heard of them losing editorial freedom or even the screen rights when going the traditional publishing route. This alone is enough to scare me. However, on the other end, going the self-published route and taking all of the liberties and decisions on my own, I don’t know what I don’t know. I may have an idea of what I may like for a cover design… but will this be the design that helps it sell? Perhaps a trusted guide may be worthy of a chance?
Closing
In the end, the idea of being published, weather self or traditional, is the goal i am aspiring for. The immediate concern is editing the rest of the manuscript and getting the line edit wrapped and getting a few beta readers on order should be the goal. A decision to be made in 6-9 months is not a decision to worry about at the moment. With time on my side, I guess I can still keep reviewing options until it feels good. The right way will reveal itself. I hope.
