Self-Publishing "Success" Stories

[jimhines]

I'm about to get myself into trouble. No matter how carefully I write about the myths of self-publishing, I still expect to receive angry e-mails from authors accusing me of elitism, of demeaning self-published authors, of being a tool for the publishing conglomerate in New York, and any number of other crimes. I've watched it happen again and

Comments

[arielstarshadow]

New authors are indeed still being published by major publishing houses. One of my co-workers told me about the daughter of one of her good friends (sorry, I don't have the name). She got a $300,000 advance for her first book (yes, you read that right. $300K for a first book). It's fiction but also semi-autobiographical.

Apparently, when she was in France, she spent some time at a monastery where she met a young Syrian (who had been Muslim) who was there to become a monk. They fell in love, but nothing happened until they met again - can't remember where - and ended up married.

[jimhines]

$300K? Holy crap! Do you happen to have directions to that monastery?

Average first novel advance is closer to $5000 or $6000, but the huge deals are out there too.

[antonstrout]

Well, someone had a good agent who started a bidding war.. hehe..

[arielstarshadow]

I know! My bottom jaw hit the floor and I had to pick my eyes up off the floor when she told me that.

We suspect that part of the reason is because the entire thing is such a hot topic at the moment - Islam (and a convert to Catholicism) and Christianity with the swirl of forbidden love with a man of the church, etc.

She used the money to buy a big farmhouse in France. The couple are still married and expecting their first child - which they are going to have in Bethlehem.

[antonstrout]

My corporate overlords will be pleased...

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
*COUGH*
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[jimhines]

Of course, one downside to going with a major publisher is you can end up working with some very odd people...

[sartorias]

I think you've put your finger on the problem, and some self-publishers don't see it as a problem: you have to put in the hard work of hand-selling your book because it won't get distribution. The truth is, vanity press books do NOT get distributed to brick and board stores. The sleazy ones word their come-ons to make you think you will, and they say you will be "featured" on their website, without saying that no one EVER goes to those websites looking for a book to buy, much less editors and agents to scout. The only people on those websites are looking for an easy way to get published themselves.

Some people like the challenge of hand selling their book, so self-pub is the way to go. But I recommend a place like Lulu.com, which is honest--what you see if what you get--and none of the scammers who charge hundreds of dollars for what you can do yourself at Kinko's.

[mmerriam]

I had to explain to my friends the difference between what I'm planning to do with self-publishing a collection of short stories that I've all ready sold elsewhere as opposed to self-publishing, say, one of my unsold novels, which I wouldn't do in a million years.

I do think self-publishing has a place in specialized non-fiction, but fiction is a different beast entirely.

[sartorias]

Yes! Ditto small press.

[livia_llewellyn]

I don't think those invisible demons were reviewers. Usually when reviewers eat authors alive, they like very much to be seen doing it. :)

[dedbutdrmng]

I must point out a fault there. Although Abdul did self publish he only did the one copy. Mostly because human skin is very expensive. However, that one copy has been passed around an awful lot. No one seems to keep hold of it for very long, don't know why.

But he only really made one sale.

[anonymous]

For those not in on the inside joke, Abdul Alhazred was the fictional alter-ego and a character referenced by author H.P. Lovecraft in many of his stories.

...kind of fitting for a fictional author to be mentioned in a conversation about those who have found "success" through self-publishing.

See Wikipedia article here for more details on "The Mad Arab."

-TJ

[beth_bernobich]

Well said.

And is there something in the air about this topic? Because I've seen several conversations here and there about how self-publishing is the wave of the future, and how we can all do just as much for ourselves as any commercial publisher can. I should point them to your post, if I may?

[jimhines]

By all means, point away!

I went ahead and posted this in part for my own reference, since I've had similar discussions several times in the past month alone.

Ironically, by posting it on LiveJournal, I've self-published the article. This amuses me.

[beth_bernobich]

Thank you!

And being amused is good.

[barbarienne]

Yes, Jim, but it's specialized non-fiction with a known core audience that you are hooked in to and know how to reach.