I’ve come to the fork in the road. Indie publish or traditional? I’ve been torn for months trying to decide whether or not to go the Indie publishing route or try, yet again, to knock on the doors of agents and editors. It seems impossible that I started my first novel, Touched by Darkness, back in 2002. I was green and excited about living out my dream to be a published author. I read every book on writing I could. I took classes, joined SCBWI, went to conferences, networked, joined critique groups, studied the market, and worked on my craft. Writing, reading, networking, I felt like I was doing all the right things. It felt amazing to finish the first draft. I loved spending months polishing it. I murdered my darlings and targeted agents and editors I thought were suitable. I was in my element. I sent my baby out the door to see if it would make its own way in the world.
My hard work seemed to pay off. I got requests for partials and full manuscripts and I felt on top of the world. Then the rejections came. Some of the rejections were form letters, some of them were personal, and none of them told me ‘don’t quit your day job, kid’. I felt encouraged so I kept knocking. A year later I finally got what I felt was a big bite. An editor with a major house loved the first three chapters, gushed about it, and wanted to see the whole manuscript. We spoke in person and made a connection. I loved her. We had the same taste in books and movies, same sense of humour, and I wanted to work with her more than anything. Nine months later and several e-mails later, she decided to pass. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why the story wasn’t working for her. I was devastated. I’d been rejected before, but this felt different. I let myself get disheartened and decided to put Touched by Darkness in the virtual drawer to focus on something new.
I started three new books over the next few years, but Quinn and Aaron’s story wouldn’t let me go. They kept screaming at me to let them out. I couldn’t concentrate on any of my new manuscripts long enough to get through an entire draft. I couldn’t move forward without some sort of closure, so I decided gives Touched by Darkness another chance. A few chapters in and the spark ignited in me. Flaws leapt out. A whole new subplot evolved and I found myself in the middle of a major overhaul. I’m now two-thirds through this re-write and can honestly say the book is a hundred times better. Was it bad before? No, I don’t think it was bad, but now it’s so much better. I feel like my maturity and growth in the craft along with letting the story marinate in that virtual drawer has really helped. So what do I do when the rewrite is finished? Do I go indie and publish myself, or do I try to send it out again? And if I do decide to go traditional, should I re-send to the editor who almost took a chance on me even if it’s been several years since I submitted? Which fork do I take?
Hi Heather,
Love your dilemma. I think you’ve answered that question already for yourself. In other posts, you mention that you now own a Kindle, you use a computer, you write YA… which way will you go? If I were you, I’d probably go indie and pursue ebooks. It appears to be the way publishing is going in the future. But it is your decision. Please let me know what you decide… I’d like to know your thoughts on the topic.
Best regards! Jean
Boy, does this sound familiar, Heather. You’ve been at it a bit longer, and sounds like you got a bit closer the first go ’round, but otherwise our stories are nearly identical. I couldn’t shake the characters of my first ms either (it’s actually a trilogy I started in ’05, after contemplating and researching for years–finished 3rd in ’09).
I set it aside, but my beta readers championed it, and kept recommending it to others. The advent of e-readers made it cheap and easy to pass it around. It’s still happening today. I just finished a draft of a ‘prequel’ to the trilogy, examining the backstory, and I’ve already got betas from the trilogy asking to read it (one has already finished, reading it in less than a week!).
I hired an editor for book one of the trilogy, and am getting ready to dive into her revisons package. I plan to start a rewrite soon. But I find myself asking the same questions about indy vs. trad. I know both would be fraught with difficulties, and both offer potential advantages. I hope you post your thoughts as you move ahead, and any decisions you arrive at. I’m still quite twisted over it.
Good luck!
Thank you both for your comments. Jean-I think you’re right in the fact that I am leaning more towards indie. It make sense. I’m willing to do the work it would take to build an audience. I know it won’t be instant fame and fortune. I feel I write well and understand the craft and the market. I know it’s the way the future is going, so what’s holding me back? Is it ego? I think part of me feels that there is still a slight stigma attached to the Indie author and that landing a trad publishing deal would somehow give me validation. It’s something I don’t like to admit to myself. I hate the fact that that little voice inside me says trad publishing means success in a way that self publishing doesn’t. Maybe it’s all those years I spent getting told that self publishing was the death of your career. I don’t know what the answer is and hate that I feel so conflicted about it. In the end, I will just need to take the leap.
Vaughn-It’s nice to hear your experience has been similar to mine. Keep me posted on your decision. I am in awe that you’ve completed a whole trilogy! I look forward to reading it myself. I would love to know your thoughts on why you would still consider a traditional publisher. Do you feel the same way I do about the validation aspect?
Hi Heather, I don’t anything about publishing but I do know you and the girl I know listens to her “knower” you will know what to do. I am hear cheering you on and will buy your novel no matter what form it is in! Love you my polka dot pal :>
Despite being the voice of dissent, I think I’d try traditional at least one moe go around. Pick out your top ten (or twenty) dream agents/editors. Send it to them. If you don’t land the deal you’re hoping for, then I think indie would be a good fit for you. I only recommend going traditional first because there’s a lot of support that route (editors, etc.) and it sounds like you were pretty close already. BUT, it also sounds like your story is “good enough” so maybe if no one bites it’s just not a good fit for their needs but would still do well independently.
My two cents. Good luck!
Hi! I haven’t been through all this – mainly because I started with a small publisher and then I just decided to also try indie publishing because I thought it’d be fun. Everything I read on the topic tells me that going the agent route isn’t for me – too much stress and heartache, so I am about to self publish my sci-fi novel. Good luck with your story, which seems to be great. *hugs*
I wish I could weigh in with some insight and experience, but I can’t. I haven’t yet submitted my manuscript to any agents to get rejected yet. I don’t know enough about the world of self-publishing to be successful at it. I also feel that being a traditionally published writer is more successful than a self-published one, although that opinion is lessening and destined to change in the near future. I follow so many writers who are self-published or started out self-published and then got picked up by a traditional publishing house.
I would say give your baby another shot at the traditional route. First, contact the agent that seemed most excited. Any of the others who offered you personalized rejections I’d resubmit to them as well. If the rejections still flow, then try the self-pub route.
In Stephen King’s On Writing he mentions writing your first draft – the baby you think is golden – and putting it away in a drawer for a minimum of 6 months to let it simmer. Then, once the story is no longer fresh in your mind, pull it back out and read it. You’ll see the plot holes and other issues more clearly. It sounds like you did that. I wouldn’t give up on the traditional pub until your sure you’ve exhausted the avenue.
Best wishes!
@Kristen- love you! Thanks for being so supportive. You rock! 🙂
@Lori-thank you for the advice. I’m not sure if I’m ready to give up on the traditional route yet or not. As you say, it couldn’t hurt to give it one more go. There are pros and cons to each.
@Chrystalla-I admire you for trusting your gut and going for it! I’m sure you will do well. Keep me posted on your journey and I look forward to reading your book when it’s released.
@Samantha Jean-Putting it away clearly made a difference. I love Stephen King’s On Writing. He is genius. Good luck on your writing journey and keep me posted on how it’s going. 🙂 Thanks to all of you for your comments! Any support I can give you guys, please let me know. 🙂
I tend to agree with Samantha. The rapport you had with the agent you seemed to like you, even if she wasn’t absolutely sold on your book, might be your best bet for a traditional route. Other agents who expressed sincere interest in your work might be worth a shot too. But you also sound confident enough to self-publish. Best wishes with whatever you choose to do!
I’m quite impressed with your persistence and willingness to overhaul your book, by the way. I think that tenacity is key to an author’s success.
Dear Heather,
I think you know what I know you know, you know?
Just the same, let me know. Now, off to reading your work. BTW I’ll see Lori’s two pence and double it.
Toodle Pip,
UJ
Hhmmmm.sometimes when I can’t make up my mind I look at it from a different point if view…which decision might you most regret? When your future self looks back at this ‘fork’ what will she regret not doing? It seems like deep in your heart you want the big company … So I think you would regret not giving that route one more try …I can see you wishing you would have tried them one more time….if they all say no again, then strike out on your own… I think there are less regrets if you give them one more shot ….and when you become a best selling author all on your own, after they all said no TWICE your success will taste all the sweeter 🙂 Conversely, I cannot see you regretting giving them another shot… Can’t imagine a future you saying ‘If only I had never tried that second time’… Which do u think you would regret the most?
@Sheryl-I think that’s a great way to look at it. Would I regret NOT trying traditional publishing one more time?
@UJ-you’re awesome 🙂 Thanks for supporting me.
@Julie- Main problem is that it’s an editor for a major house that doesn’t accept unsolicited queries or submissions. They only accept submissions from agents. I do still have her direct e-mail but I think it might be a bit cheeky to contact her after all this time. On the other hand, what do I have to loose? Otherwise, I think the only way back to this editor is through an agent. So I guess I would need to go the agent route.