Thoughts on Self-Publishing

Plus! A Bonus Writing Prompt!

Hi Everyone,

I hope you’re having a good weekend. I’m going to start with the Bonus Writing Prompt. Some of you know I own a tiny chapel, officially known as The Tiny Chapel of Kindness. There are notes tacked to the wall, sent by people writing about acts of kindness they’ve received. These range from the whimsical to the profound. I just found out the chapel will soon be featured in Texas Monthly. I’d really love to have even more notes on the wall before the photo shoot next Friday. I’m most fond of handwritten notes mailed to me at 3409 Caldwell Lane, Garfield, TX 78617. BUT we are on a tight deadline. So if you want to post a story of kindness in the comments, I can print it up, mount it on nice paper, hang it in the chapel, and that will also be just fine. I do hope you’ll find some time to send your kindness story one way or the other. It can even be super short— a haiku if you wish! Advance thanks for your assistance.

Now, about self-publishing. This is a long discussion that I foresee as ongoing. Today we scratch the surface.

I have been published traditionally by publishers large (Simon and Schuster) and small (Seal Press). I have also self-published a few books. Both have obstacles and rewards. Self-publishing has gained a lot of ground in the past decade. Still, some people feel a stigma around it—calling it “vanity publishing” and suggesting that a self-published book “doesn’t count.”

It *is* rewarding to have a publisher pay an advance and do the marketing. On the other hand, these days they want writers to have “platforms” and “followers” and sundry social media avenues. It is also rewarding to self-publish, maintain control, and have the experience of process— designing a cover, finding a printer, etc. And let’s not forget there are also hybrid publishers that offer a combo of both, and require the author to pony up a pile of money instead of providing an advance.

Before I go any further, let me remind you—writing and publishing are very different processes. I love the writing part, even when the writing part is driving me crazy. Writing is my passion and whether I’m writing a journal entry, a substack post, a social media post, or a book, when I am in the process I experience a kind of freedom. Publishing involves considering an audience. If you go the traditional route it involves a lot of input from editors and publishers that might not set well with you. I encourage you to focus on the writing when you’re writing and not stress out over an audience until later.

I read a couple of articles in the past week about self-publishing authors who have experienced a bonkers amount of success—by which I mean financial success. One was about Brandon Sanderson who used kickstarter to raise—wait for it—nearly $41 BILLION dollars. What the what? Here’s a link.

The other was about 25 year-old Texan, Keila Sheehan, who has sold around 700,000 copies of her self-published book via TikTok. Here’s a link to that article.

I’m not suggesting any of us aspire to such crazy numbers. But I am fond of stories that highlight how there are different ways that work for different people. I, personally, have been experiencing so much satisfaction from feedback from maybe a dozen friends to whom I’ve sent advance copies of my novel. So far everyone seems to be enjoying it, and trust me, I have very direct friends who would find a way to tell me if the book is shit.

I’ve also sent queries to a few agents/editors/publishers. Each time I do this, I notice I have a very sick feeling. Maybe that’s me trying to protect myself in advance of being rejected—and rejection is always a part of the publishing game. Like, I can say to myself, “Who cares if Joe Schmoe Publishing doesn’t get me, my friends get me!” And if self-preservation *is* a part of that sick feeling, of me kind of rejecting them before they can reject me, I’m okay with that.

I might send out another query or three, but honestly I am feeling a very strong pull toward self-publishing. The older I get, and the more content-heavy the world becomes, I delight in knowing that no matter how small my audience is, I do have interested readers, people who enjoy connecting with me through my words. I know from past experience I can feel very satisfied selling fewer than a thousand books.

So here’s something you might dismiss as corny, but I find it to be very true: Ultimately, when I am writing for an audience, it’s not the size of the connection I’m worried about. I just like the connection, period. I’ve written before of the joys of writing for an audience of one in the form of letters. I derive such satisfaction from a well-written letter, sent or received. Such intimacy!

If you’re dreaming of the old “rich and famous writer” life, I am not here to dissuade you. Go for it. Dream as big as you want. Query as many agents as you want. And if that’s the route you are unshakably determined to follow, please know I am rooting for you. But please also remember, we are so fortunate to live lives in which we get to make choices and change our minds. I encourage you to be flexible as you move from the writing stage to the publishing stage and keep your mind open to all of the possibilities and options, which, as noted, we will discuss in more detail as we move along.

So, tell me, when you think about sending your writing out into the world, do you have specific dreams for it?

So glad you’re here.

Spike

NOTES:

If you can afford to subscribe for $8 per month or $80 per year, please do. I recommend the monthly because you can turn it on when you have time to write and you can turn it off when you don’t. If you can’t afford a subscription, you can still help by sharing this with other writers who might benefit from it. Thanks!

I have two more FREE in-person writing workshops at the Hampton Branch Library in South Austin in June. One is June 4th—we will be writing and sharing. On June 18th we will host a reading for participants. All are welcome to attend as audience members. If you want details message me.