Authors, we are in this together!

When I decided to get published I thought it was quite simple. I would send a query letter to an agent and that agent would gladly represent me in getting a book deal. There! That seemed simple to me. Since I worked at the library I was able on my down time to research all the agents that took submissions on romance, which is what I wanted to call myself. I sent off a query letter and got a rejection letter. One after another until I had accumulated three hundred rejection letters! I was so discouraged! I had no idea that it would be this difficult.

During a conversation with my aunt she informed me that one of my cousins had just published a book. She gave me her contact information and I called my cousin. Her father and my father are first cousins, being two siblings children. I met her once when she was a little girl about six. I was much older so she didn't remember me. I had a list of questions to ask her and was very excited to finally be getting some help. "How did you get an agent?" I asked. "I am my own agent," she replied. "So, how did you get a publishing deal?" I asked. "I published myself," she replied. Well, I was very confused and she wasn't being helpful at all. She asked for my address and a few days later I received three copies of her book and an invoice for them. I didn't even remember asking for her book. She wanted me to take one for myself and take two to the library, since I worked there.

I went online and did a search on self publishing and contacted several companies. I chose Trafford Publishing. I paid them $5,000 to publish my first book, Through the Fire.  This was my baby! I had given my book to a fried that taught English to edit and I sent the file to the company. They sent me a proof. I reviewed it and made corrects in spacing, etc. and sent it back and the finally it was just right. Unfortunately, the company printed a proof and refused to fix it unless I paid them another $99! I didn't even realize it until months after I had sold several hundred copies. I was shocked and embarrassed! I wrote the company and told them not to print anymore copies of my book. I sent the letter to them certified so that I had a return receipt. That was in 2005. To this day if you want to purchase Through the Fire all you have to do is go to amazon.com and purchase it. I have received only one royalty check and that was for $1.56!

So I took the time to learn the business. I gave my publishing company a name - That Special Touch, Ink and I registered it with my state. I purchased a block of 10 ISBNs from Browker. I was on a roll now! I published my second book, The Monkey and the Crocodile in 2006. In 2007 I published my first young adult novel, Today I Kissed a Butterfly. It has been a few years since I published anything, but I haven't stopped writing. I have a cabinet full of manuscripts.

I started a Facebook page so that I could network with other authors and be motivated. Since starting my page I have befriended several hundred authors. I am a part of at least three author groups. I have been motivated. I have two books being edited. One is called Finding Becca, which is a young adult novel and I am getting Through the Fire edited so that it can be released as an ebook. 

A friend of mine, a woman that I knew for many years gave me a manuscript to read a year or so ago. I didn't even know that she was interested in writing. I couldn't understand the concept of her book and asked her to explain it to me. For some reason she became offended and felt it necessary to insult me instead of explaining it to me. I was hurt and confused. I gave it back to her after a while. I didn't finish reading it because I was sincerely confused by the concept.

A few months ago she got it published and met with me at a local bakery. I was so happy for her, I was proud of her. I looked at her book and saw how beautiful it was. I noticed that she went through a print on demand company, like I did with my book Through the Fire. I asked her how much did they charge her for printing her book. She proudly said $7,500! I told her that I wished she had contacted me before she chose them. I could have told her all the things that I had learned about the business. Print on Demand companies and vanity presses were a no-no in the self publishing industry. "Hater! Hater!" she said, laughing. I was taken aback. But I ignored that insult. "I went through a print on demand company. For $7500 you could have started your own business, purchased your own block of ISBNs, paid to get your cover designed, hired an editor, and have 5000 copies of your book to sale and the money would be your's and not your co-authors," I explained. "Hater! Hater!" she said again. Okay, I said to myself leave it alone.

There is no reason for us to feel that when someone is giving us advice that our next sentence should be an insult. Sometimes it is best to be quiet and learn. There is a minister in my city that has been having writing workshops on how to get published and all of the authors he displays are those that have used a print on demand company. He does not know the business and I feel that he should take the time and research it and then hold workshops if that is what he chooses to do. But, misleading people and having them waste their money doesn't sit right with me.

Authors, we do have to do some research and find out how to truly self publish our work. We need to take the time to get to know the business and be adept at it. We need to network with other authors and support them in their endeavors. There is no time to waste trying to find a shortcut. There are none. This is a business and if you want to run a successful business you need to know how to do that.