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KingMidget's Ramblings
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Why I Want to go the Traditional Route
Posted by on May 2, 2013
I did the self-publishing thing last year. I’ve got novel #2 somewhat ready to go and I struggle with how I want to proceed with it. I don’t want to self-publish it unless I can figure out how to get a bigger bang than I did with my efforts last year. I also don’t want to go through the months and years of trying to find an agent and/or publisher. But, maybe I do. There are so many ways to promote your own book. Websites, twitter feeds, free this and free that, $5 for this and $15 for that. I’ve learned about a handful more this week and I’ve realized this. It all becomes somewhat overwhelming.
The only way I could self-publish with real effect is if I quit my day job and went at this full time. Which the Midget family cannot afford.
I’m flummoxed. Baffled. Confounded. I wish I could find an agent or publisher and try the traditional route. Unfortunately, I’m convinced that’s a path that is blocked to me. And, I’m completely unconvinced that agents and publishers are any better at cracking the nut than anybody else. Read the story about The Help and you’ll understand. But, if I got one of those contracts, so much of the effort and time and energy could be absorbed by somebody else.
Ugh!! I’m flummoxed.
KingMidget's Ramblings 
aw! Just keep trying! It happens for hundreds of other people every year I don’t see why this couldn’t happen for you!!
Patience is a virtue I don’t typically have. 🙂
I can’t say I have much of it either 😛 which is why I think being a writer would be all kinds of frustrating. 🙂 🙂 🙂
With all of the reading and blogging you do, you oughta try it. 😉
Maybe! I used to write when I was younger who knows what the future holds however! 🙂
Maybe! Stranger things have happened I am sure 🙂
I don’t think you’d have to quit your day job. You can use the weekend to set up the book on the advertising sites, schedule blog posts in advance, used Hootsuite to schedule Twitter posts the night before, and take some time in the evening to check other blogs and network. It’d be hard work, but it’s doable.
You may be right. But, at the moment, I’m feeling overwhelmed by the idea. The self-publishing I did last year was to educate myself. What is coming with novel #2 and the novels following it … well, it’s something I want to do right. To make the biggest bang I can.
Understandable. It’s always overwhelming to put a book out.
I’ve got no suggestions to make…haven’t even got a clue how one begins, but here’s my vote of confidence fo what it’s worth…
Sometimes it seems like there’s no good path, doesn’t it? I haven’t chosen a route yet, and I’m already finding it overwhelming. I’m sorry I can’t give you an answer, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck in whatever path you choose.
I’ve read that self-publishing gets better results as you add more books to your author pages, though…
If a traditional publisher would carry much of the marketing load, I think it would be worth the wait. So much time spent in marketing. If they don’t, however, and just reserve the marketing for the bigwigs, then it becomes an even more complex decision.
Seems to me that even without a major marketing effort most publishers have access to distribution channels and “incidental” marketing tools us self publishers can only dream of.
I hear you! I’ll be trying to make that decision soon too when I finish my WIP. Good luck! I’ll be interested in finding out what you end up doing and how it goes.