Patience and Persistence

I am not a patient person, so this waiting game is no fun for me.  I have a hard time accepting the conventional wisdom that it will take years and hundreds of submissions before a publisher picks us up.  That just doesn’t sit well with me.

I guess that’s why self-publishing has become such big business in this industry.  It used to be called “vanity publishing” — and many traditional publishers probably still call it that, but self-publishing has become big business.

A member from one of the writers’ discussion groups outlined the difference between a self-publisher and a traditional publisher and suggested that self-publishing may be the answer for those who are willing to devote considerable time to editing, printing, graphic design, distribution, marketing, stocking and restocking stores and managing the financial aspects of the process.  You can end up paying considerable processing fees for editing, graphic design and printing, etc. 

After that, you have to have the time and motivation to try to find persuasive reviews from convincing sources and have the ability to sell thousands of books on your own.  Depending on your salesmanship and network, it may take you years to recoup your initial investment with self-publishing; and the sad truth is you might never recover what you put out.  Then again, if successful, you will not need to split the profits with a publisher.

As a writer, I’m more interested in the creative process of writing the book — not the business aspect of promoting the sale of the book.  Most, if not all of this networking, promoting, motivation, and time in getting our book in front of the public will have to fall on Katherine’s already overloaded shoulders. 

If she has at least 20 hours a week to devote to distribution, marketing, stocking and sales, etc., then I’m behind her and self-publishing 100%.   It’s definitely her decision... and one we don’t have to address at this moment.

We’re still concentrating on the traditional publishers.  All we need to do is find that one publisher that will pick us up.  Our discussion group member mentioned that as long as we truly believe that we have the writing talent, a marketable book, and the persistence to contact hundreds of publishers, keep plugging away...

Not the answer I wanted to hear… but, as a wise friend keeps telling me, “I don’t like my hair falling out either; but there's not much I can do about it.  It is what it is…” 

Basically, he’s telling me that we can’t change the natural law of things.  We just need to go with the flow…

I know he’s right… but I don’t have to like it...

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