tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post7812680995841247970..comments2023-10-29T12:11:38.194+00:00Comments on Rachel Pattinson: Guest post with Misha Gerrick: Why I Went the Self-Publishing RouteRachel Pattinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05848131947437970731noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-80223379105770813392015-07-25T11:40:17.412+01:002015-07-25T11:40:17.412+01:00No problem! I've enjoyed having you, and readi...No problem! I've enjoyed having you, and reading all the responses to your post :)Rachel Pattinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05848131947437970731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-11988630202712829472015-07-21T14:01:56.059+01:002015-07-21T14:01:56.059+01:00Thanks, Medeia. ;-)Thanks, Medeia. ;-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-34910321318216310322015-07-21T10:49:22.916+01:002015-07-21T10:49:22.916+01:00Wonderful reasoning. Numerous authors self-publish...Wonderful reasoning. Numerous authors self-publish successfully and professionally. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-9656903299430829632015-07-20T19:35:12.008+01:002015-07-20T19:35:12.008+01:00You're welcome. I'm glad to demystify thin...You're welcome. I'm glad to demystify things for people. :-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-50025007350321111022015-07-20T19:34:33.998+01:002015-07-20T19:34:33.998+01:00Yeah, sometimes the marketing sucks, but then, it ...Yeah, sometimes the marketing sucks, but then, it would with most deals with big publishing too. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-43283015164058427732015-07-20T19:32:52.776+01:002015-07-20T19:32:52.776+01:00Meh that upfront signing fee looks less attractive...Meh that upfront signing fee looks less attractive when you realize that writers' careers used to get tanked when they didn't earn out. <br /><br />I agree with you on the fact that something being self-published not actually meaning that a big publisher won't want it. It all depends on money, I think. A self published book that does well seems to signal a smaller risk to publishers. But given that they're taking a smaller risk, they should be getting a smaller return. And yet...Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-16025592059683856152015-07-20T19:05:54.418+01:002015-07-20T19:05:54.418+01:00Misha, you make self-publishing sound a lot less &...Misha, you make self-publishing sound a lot less 'scary' and something I may be able to accomplish one day. Thank you. Lynn J Simpsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04573498994019644656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-78854359149099278452015-07-20T18:32:00.782+01:002015-07-20T18:32:00.782+01:00Without the advances and signing bonuses, it is di...Without the advances and signing bonuses, it is difficult see what an agent and publishing house can do for an author. Still, marketing is tough. I have only tried to entice people to buy short stories in anthologies, and that is as difficult as getting your novel noticed.dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-70753832081943986482015-07-20T17:51:33.507+01:002015-07-20T17:51:33.507+01:00Don't forget...
3) They offer a $50,000 upfro...Don't forget...<br /><br />3) They offer a $50,000 upfront signing fee. I could get behind that, too. :)<br /><br />What you say is true. Also, publisher validation is a very funny thing, because when we hold book signings and people grab a copy of one of our books, they never ask, "So where are you published through?" Because your average reader really doesn't care. They don't pick up a book, see Penguin on the spine, and think, "Oh! This must be good! It's published through Penguin."<br /><br />Also, the great thing is that if a book is self-published first, that doesn't mean it can't ever be picked up by a huge publishing house. Often, publishing houses will scoop up self-published books that are doing really well, and turn it into something huge. Take Andy Weir's The Martian, which was not only reprinted by Random House and marketed like mad, but is soon to be released as a major motion picture starring Matt Damon. So really, there is no downside to putting it out yourself.A Beer for the Showerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17029139745335325356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-70563512967516849592015-07-20T17:51:02.702+01:002015-07-20T17:51:02.702+01:00Thanks Lee. :-)Thanks Lee. :-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-38135483267837510422015-07-20T17:47:31.151+01:002015-07-20T17:47:31.151+01:00Absolutely, Annalisa. I wouldn't judge someone...Absolutely, Annalisa. I wouldn't judge someone for not self-publishing, but these days, it's becoming increasingly sensible to put serious thought into it.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-46459199119913227082015-07-20T17:37:41.881+01:002015-07-20T17:37:41.881+01:00You've listed a lot of reasons to self-publish...You've listed a lot of reasons to self-publish, Misha. Great job. cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05614478740889477584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-67662160165415541652015-07-20T16:42:14.837+01:002015-07-20T16:42:14.837+01:00Misha - self-publishing is a very personal thing. ...Misha - self-publishing is a very personal thing. I did it for one of my books, and will consider it again if the project is right. Most of the hard work - as you say - comes in the form of marketing, and we have to do that ourselves no matter what. It's good to hear your reasons - they might be really helpful to someone who's unsure.<br /><br />Hi Rachel *waves* :-)Annalisa Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943610814274794998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-43324575590840922822015-07-20T15:54:34.771+01:002015-07-20T15:54:34.771+01:00The thing about those deals with Promos is that us...The thing about those deals with Promos is that usually, we have to come with a huge existing readership for publishers to see our books as "marketable". <br /><br />Which is now an acknowledged problem in the industry. Because if I create my huge existing market, royalties with a big publisher is so low, that I might make MORE with my existing market self published, than I would WITH the publisher doing promo. <br /><br />So even if I do well enough to actually attract the sort of deal that you and I are talking about here, I'd STILL only consider this if: <br /><br />1) The publisher offered me MUCH better terms. (Larger royalties, limited contract terms, a timeline to which my books will be published, with fair clauses in case of emergencies)<br />2) If they're literally willing to pull out all the stops to gain me a wider audience that I can't gain on my own. (Translation to four or more languages, getting me on "Oprah" or whatever else the new equivalent might be, paying my way to conferences, making sure my book can be bought everywhere I can't put the book on my own. (Which involves considerable cost and effort to them, which is why only guys and gals like Lee Child and JK Rowling get it.) <br /><br />I know some people do take deals on less than I want, but the way I see it, if I already have a readership that makes it possible for me to make a solid living, I'm in a position of bargaining power, ESPECIALLY because I'm then way past the point where publisher validation (which sways less economically minded people than me) would actually mean anything to me or my reader.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-79749039667461111952015-07-20T15:45:06.920+01:002015-07-20T15:45:06.920+01:00I know what you mean. I have to say that self publ...I know what you mean. I have to say that self publishing has thus far given me a bigger sense of accomplishment than selling my book to my former publisher.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-41609516224654384402015-07-20T15:22:16.660+01:002015-07-20T15:22:16.660+01:00Well said. This is exactly why we self-publish as ...Well said. This is exactly why we self-publish as well. If we're expected to do our own marketing, then why give a publisher half (or more) of our money just to print it, when we can do that for free? Look, we'll gladly take a large book deal that involves promo from a traditional house. That's what our agent is for. But small publishers almost always have nothing to offer us.A Beer for the Showerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17029139745335325356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-18253989686781285002015-07-20T14:47:37.175+01:002015-07-20T14:47:37.175+01:00Excellent post, Misha. I had a bad publisher exper...Excellent post, Misha. I had a bad publisher experience years ago too. I love the control self-publishing gives me, and while I don't like some of the work we must do for it, it is greatly satisfying when you do get it done.Christine Rainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-44208063888967653852015-07-20T14:21:41.890+01:002015-07-20T14:21:41.890+01:00Thanks, Murees. :-)Thanks, Murees. :-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-35973751121737887672015-07-20T14:20:52.564+01:002015-07-20T14:20:52.564+01:00Thanks for hosting me, Rachel. :-)Thanks for hosting me, Rachel. :-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413636466483236943.post-66023004373207799202015-07-20T13:26:29.065+01:002015-07-20T13:26:29.065+01:00I love learning more about your self-publishing jo...I love learning more about your self-publishing journey, Misha. I agree, you did for yourself what any publisher could have done and you get to keep most of the profits too. I wish you plenty of success with your two releases. Murees Dupèhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11781339206465690961noreply@blogger.com