IWSG: Out of the Closet

Ok, not THAT closet, I'm still heterosexual ;).  Today I'm talking about my fairly recent decision to go Indie published.

 
Yes, folks, I'm going free range!

 
Some background.  I always envisioned myself with an awesome, amazing agent who sells my books to equally awesome editors.  Then going into a nice bookstore and seeing the amazing cover and title that I love on the shelf (face out of course ;)).

 
Over the years, as my writing skills have increased my belief in that dream has decreased. The publishing world is changing MASSIVELY.  But to be honest I question whether it was ever really a favorable situation for the author.  Except for the 1% group, those best seller, million dollar contract folks, most writers are treated not so great in the publishing cycle.

 
Small advances for their work, covers they hate and have no say in, horrifically binding contracts, limitation on the number of books per year, unreasonable changes to a story to suit a whim.  Basically, very little control or respect.  Now, before those of you lucky enough to have awesome editors/publishers start yelling- YES there are exceptions. ;) But they are becoming fewer as the industry itself changes.

Every time I’d hear or read about another series of editors-behaving-badly (or agents) I was making another “tic” in the “hmmmm…maybe self-publishing might be a better idea” side.

But I still had fear.  That’s a lot of work to do it right, and I plan on doing it right.  There’s also a fair amount of money involved in doing it right-and I don’t have a lot of that sadly.  However, when I really looked at why Indie Publishing was only a “maybe someday” option I came up with two main reasons: Vanity and Validation.

I wanted to be able to say I had that awesome agent who sold my books to an awesome editor.  I wanted that validation to others that I was a WRITER, letters big and bold like on Richard Castle’s bulletproof vest in Castle.

But ya know what?  I AM a writer. I know I am, and in keeping with the validation theme enough professionals in the biz have told me so ;). The best person to provide validation to me is me.  If I’m pinning that hope on others I’ve given away some of my power.  So after really looking at things, and deciding my reasons for not doing it were kinda silly (the money and time aren’t- but they are workable) I decided to jump in.

My first publication date will be March 1, 2015 with the first book in the Glass Gargoyle series.  Books two and three will follow at 2 months and 4 months respectively after that.  In the year leading up I will be writing, improving my craft (always ALWAYS improving my craft ), saving money, developing a business plan, hiring pros to help out where my skills lack, and reading everything I can about self-publishing.

Making this choice felt so right the moment I did it.  This doesn’t mean that I’m turning my back on traditional publishing forever- but right now, for the next few years, I’m going Indie. As long as my business-self and my writer-self stay friends (and one doesn’t have to fire the other ;)) this should work!  At the very least it will be a seriously grand adventure.