All those dreaded rejections made my book better.
Then your editor and publishing team comb your manuscript and again, help you hone the prose until it's sharp and purposeful and every little piece of it has value.
When you're self-publishing? You've got yourself.
That's why I think it's so important to build an excellent, reliable publishing team of your own.
Make use of hard core critiquers. People who won't be afraid to tell you your manuscript sucks.
But more than that, find yourself some idea-people. It's great for your CP's to tell you what isn't working, but the real gems are the ones who are willing to throw out some ideas of their own.
Surround yourself with people you can brainstorm with, talk with, improve with.
At least, that's my game plan for not-sucking. I suppose you guys will tell me if it worked or not. ;)
What's your opinion on the vetting of a manuscript and your publishing team--whether traditional or independant?
40 karate chops:
I think you've got the right idea. I'm reading a self-pubbed book right now, and I wish I could have made a few comments to the author before it was published to strengthen the beginning. Vetting is essential. Good luck with BECOME!!
That's the one thing every self-publishing icon will tell you -- surround yourself with a team. And if you can't find one, hire one. I think that's why so many are so fearful of self-pubbing, they don't trust themselves or their crit/beta partners.
Best of luck with BECOME!
Yes, use all the help you can get! Some selfpubs even pay an editor to fine tune it. But you really want to go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it is error free, and your beta readers will help you with any plot suggestions.
Good luck! That is so exciting!!
Amen to that. A good team is essential. I'm also afraid that readers won't like my story. You'll do great, Ali. Can't wait to see BECOME in print.
that and their promtional work and connections are keeping me persistant to get an agent.
and those who dont realize and just publish when they think its good enough hurt the rep of self pub. just a theory, but i've started more than a couple who needed a good editor...
Excellent post! I've already decided that if I self-publish (and I have a project in mind that that there's a good chance I'll self-publish eventually) that besides my awesome test readers, I'll hire a professional editor. I just don't dare put the book out there without that final step!
Yup, I think you've got it exactly right. I think it's a pitfall of self-publishing that a lone person hiding in the attic can upload their never-read manuscript to Amazon. People are your greatest asset as a writer! Friends and crit partners and graphic designers and editors. Writing a book isn't the solitary act some people think it is.
Good luck, Ali! Seems like you're going about it the right way.
Good luck with your book! Let me know if you need a reviewer or if you want me to host you on a blog tour.
You are going to great with this Ali! No doubt!!!
I wouldn't think of publishing or submitting a story without having others review it first. After I've gone over the story myself, I upload it to a writing workshop I belong to and let my regular crit partners (or any other members) have at it. Once I've revised the story according to their comments, then it's off to the editor for a development edit, then a line/copyedit. I hired a freelance editor to go over my SF novella and am glad I did. She caught some details that weren't corrected and offered some suggestions that made the story stronger.
I think if someone is taking the self publishing route, they need outside help. Great post. Good luck with everything!!!
When I started writing my story. I told myself. When I get my story polished, whether or not an agent takes it, I will publish it.
Why? Because I want to publish my story for my sisters, and for my kids. My story is special and I want my family to have it.
Good job ali, you are great. I love you and I hope that you succeed!
Everyone needs a team, I think. :D It's impossible to step completely outside of our own heads and experience the story without "seeing" it the way we did as we write it. Good luck, Ali! :D
It's all part of the process, right? A team of people who support you and want you to be the most successful best you, you can be! For everyone that team is built a little differently and so long as you know you've got that team, I think you're bound for great success! :)
@Alison Thank you. I haven't exactly made my "team" official--so I hope they know I've got a lot of faith in them! (and you know, they don't buckle under the pressure, lol!)
@Anne I think you're so right. You've got to be able to trust your team. And yep, you CAN hire one!
@Kelly Thank you!
@C.K. Bryant I think, though, that the "readers not liking your story" part is the part that's so subjective. Everyone loves/hates every book. There is no book in history that was just LOVED. If YOU love your book, then someone else is bound to love it too! And I think a good team can help you ensure that MORE people will love it than hate it :)
@Tara I have mixed feelings on a traditional publisher's ability to do a whole lot for you publicity-wise. I think they CAN, but I also think that depending on your book's status on their list (is it mid-list? or top shelf?) determines how much money/time/resources they throw your way. But I 100% agree that too many people rush into self-publishing without properly vetting their MS.
@Stephanie That's a great plan! One I whole-heartedly agree with :)
@Shallee Man, you should have just written my post for me. You managed to say it so much better than I did! Thank you!
@Aubrie Thank you!
@Christine Thank you! ((hugs))
@Sandra Sounds like you have a great methodology. And of course you've found a gem in your editor!
@Carolyn V. Thank you!
@Mel Thank you! I love you too! (she's my niece, in case you're wondering! And she's unbelievably awesome!!)
@Danyelle Perfectly said. Thank you Dani!
And thank you, all of you, for the support and encouragement on BECOME!
On top of getting critical assistance on the substance of your book, I think it's also important to ask for outside PR help, too. There are a million hungry little PR majors/business students out there who would love to be able to say they helped launch a self-published book, especially if they could point to sales numbers as proof that their ideas worked. Even established people in PR are sometimes willing to work on outside projects if they're interesting enough (I have had two friends in PR do this -- one was in marketing for a publisher, but he helped promote a new startup business on the side; another friend does PR for a nonprofit, and she's helping someone else promote a new social networking program.) Just a thought :)
After sending my MS to Harrison Demchick, an editor at Bancroft Press who has a freelance business, my eyes were opened to my story big-time. He only charges $99 to read the whole thing and send a two-page letter of comments. He is worth his weight in GOLD. I swear! :-)
@Ru That's a fantastic idea! Thank you for suggesting it!
@Shannon Holy Moly that guys IS worth his weight in gold. I'm gonna have to get his name from you . . .
Self-publishing is a tough journey - possibly harder than traditional, even, but everyone's path is different. I think it's good to hire an editor, but that also depends on your situation. I wish you the best of luck! I know you'll do a beautiful job. :)
Well, aren't you glad you have good friends, and you aren't REALLY alone ;)
The truth of the matter is, agents and editors do put in a lot into a MS and then many of those books still flop. They aren't savoirs. Believe in yourself, your book, and the people you can trust that are in your life already.
Even though I'm with a publisher, the best thing I ever did was acquire my three awesome critique partners!
You can do it, Ali!
@Michelle Well, you would know! You did it so beautifully; I hope to do even half as well as you!
@ajkulig I know. I'm very lucky. You know, I've got friends like . . . YOU! And Christine! I'm in excellent company!
@Alex Thanks Alex!
I think you'll do great. But having a good team around you to work out everything before self-publishing is, IMO, vital. You'll rock it, though :)
Ali - It's going to rock. I completely understand your fears though. If you want to trade MS's, let me know. I'm sure yours will be a quick, fab read.
Do we have a cover reveal coming soon? Just curious. And Ali, I think YOU of all people have gone about this the right way and with the right CPs.
@Lindsay Thank you so much for the vote of confidence!
@RaShelle Thanks RaShelle! I'm not particularly worried about THIS MS because it has been vetted for many years. It's the future ones. ;)
@Christa Thanks Christa! And yeah, I kinda did a sly reveal last week with the cover contest (which I won! Yeah!) Here's the link: http://www.alicross.com/2011/08/design-your-book-cover-contest.html
I definitely think it can be done without traditional publishing - like you said, it's about finding the right CPs and betas to be as brutally honest as necessary.
Where self-publishers run into trouble is when they refuse to listen to anyone's advice, or even ask for it in the first place. Then they publish a novel riddled with errors and overbloated with unnecessary detail. OR underbloated with a gaping lack of the necessary detail. hehe.
You're on the right track!!
That strong group of critiquers is definitely key, whether you're self-publishing or not! I love my CPs. Sounds like you've got an awesome group, too!
I completely agree!! And the more wonderful people on your side, the more wonderful ideas and different perspectives you'll have to bounce. Gotta love the internet!! I can't imagine doing this kind of thing old school. It certainly wouldn't be as fun now would it? ;)
The fact that you even recognize this issue puts you miles ahead of the pack. Awareness is huge, I think, because it is easy to become lost in the story (at least for me).
Wow. I have to say self-publishing scares me silly. I did read a self-pubbed book this week though that somehow made it to our library. It possessed a quality of love that most, um, editor-reamed books lack, and I found myself loving it despite its OBVIOUS flaws. I wish you much luck!
Oh, and TAG, you're it.
http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com/2011/09/tagged.html
Having a good team would be essential if you are going to self-publish. I'm sure yours will do a fabulous job. I can't wait to read BECOME! :)
Oh I hear ya, girl! That would be my biggest fear as well. Getting a ruthless karate chopping editor friend to hack your ms would do wonders, I'm guessing!
Yeah, I think that team is so important! With your crit group and writer friends, I'm sure your book is amazing.
A team is important. So many eyes are on your manuscript over a lengthy period of time, making it more refined.
It sounds like you know what it takes when it comes to building a team. :)
An excellent critique partner/group helps tremendously in getting our work ready for the world at large. Although some people feel that too many eyes can get confusing, I like to have people with different strengths look at my writing. Everybody brings something unique to the table.
And oh yeah, I like people who come up with really cool ways of doing things. You know it's been done before, but there's a nice flair.
I am laughing hard-core about "my game plan for not-sucking." That is awesomesauce.
For me, it really does take a team of people to build your book into something better than you can make it. I guess I should say, than *I* can make it. Other people's ideas are generally good, especially if they've read and worked on a lot of books.
Good luck with BECOME.
It sounds to me like you have a recipe for success! Create the best possible product and I bet it will be awesome! And...let me know I can help.
Sorry to chime in late to this discussion, but I have to say that having gone both routes--nobody but you is going to lose sleep over the perfect blurb or title or marketing plan. It is nice to have a team of pros, but it's even more wonderful to have final say when it's your baby!
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