Tag Archives: Mentoring

Why I Decided to Self-Publish: An Indie Author’s Perspective

I have exciting news, readers: my second novel, now OFFICIALLY named Treasure Bound, will be published this month! Woo hoo! The road to publishing this book, the sequel to Emerald Obsession, was long and jarring, so I’m all the happier for its coming release.

The preparation these past months has been tedious. As an indie author, tackling the essentials of pre-publication—like editing, conferring with the Library of Congress, obtaining ISBNs, designing the cover—is crucial and a tad nerve-wracking (and ultimately very worth it).

A fun exception to the nervy parts is that while tackling those tasks, I encountered a number of curious folks who asked why I decided to self-publish. Well, that question got me to thinking. 😉 Considering I blog about the writing life, I realized I had a great topic to share with my audience.

EO ebook and print books

If you’re trying to make the indie-vs-traditional decision for your book, spend some time discovering what your goal is and who you want to reach. Why do you want to send your story into the world? Many factors will weigh in on your final decision, as they did for me. But figuring this out, or at least giving thought to your goal will offer you a good starting point.

My original decision to self-publish came about eight or so years ago, prior to the release of Emerald Obsession, and I haven’t once regretted that choice or changed my mind. Before I scoop you on why I chose indie publishing, I’d like to share something that not many of you know. When I wrote my first (still-unpublished) novel, Blind Notice, I decided to try the traditional route. Self-publishing, while not in its infancy back then, was still fledgling, full of tricky bits, and daunting.

Let me add a couple of quick points here for consideration: first, for anyone with a connection in the industry, absolutely ask for their input and advice. So many good things can come from a mentor, or someone able to direct you to the right source for help. The experience and wisdom of those who’ve traveled a similar path is invaluable.

Second, totally my gut feeling, but I truly believe any writer looking to put her- or himself out there should try the traditional path, at least for a short time, to experience that process regardless of the outcome.

Back to my “traditional” journey: I researched and found receptive agents in my genre, wrote and rewrote and polished my query letters, kept an Excel file of my efforts, and then received a number of polite rejections. That taught me a ton about persistence and belief in myself. But the whole process felt like it took an eternity to receive constructive feedback.

You know by now I’m someone who likes to learn and experience things. So you understand why I wanted to pursue traditional publishing, even knowing I was competing with scores of other mystery writers, vying for the attention of a small group of agents, and then publishers. And, ultimately, I failed.

But through all of that, I continued to work on my craft. During this time, I began writing EO. I was dealing with the death of my cousin, who had been my biggest champion (and not dealing well, I have to add), and I felt the driving need not to waste precious time waiting on other people. I grew frustrated with the length of time it would take to make any publishing progress, and I became determined to keep the fate of my work in my hands.

And that’s when I began to seriously research self-publishing options.

So, what made me commit? The short answer was (and still is, despite how long TB has taken) the speed and the control of the process. For me, those two items are intertwined, so I don’t rush either one. And now, for authors looking to earn a living writing (eventually, please, God and fingers and toes crossed!), there are broader opportunities available with self-publishing.

Even so, a ton of work and time goes into producing a quality book—and considering my desirousness of becoming a world’s best-selling author 😉 —I really, really do my best to make sure the work is done, and is done with the highest quality possible. Of course, by that I mean I pay the pros to edit my manuscripts and to design my book covers.

To be treated as a professional author, my book must meet or exceed the professional standards of any other. The writing must be the best I can make it, the book must have an experienced editor review it, and the cover must be the most compelling sales tool my designer and I can create.

There are a lot of “musts” in that paragraph. But those are the requirements of the professional world, so they’re my requirements.

With constant change in the industry, traditional publishers are mandating their newbie authors handle the bulk of their own marketing. This is the other reason I chose the indie route. I’m not a huge fan of plugging the books myself, but I believe in my stories, and so I will. But with having to manage the marketing in both cases, I’d rather retain the creative control and ownership of my timeline that comes with self-publishing.

So the best thing for me is to continue to write at my own pace, produce the books I want to read, publish them myself as expertly as I can, and keep on writing.

And that’s the trick, my friends. For those who want to write, keep on doing so. Writing more will make you a better writer. So will reading more. Sharing your words with critique partners will also make you better. And becoming better will make you want to share your gift. I say, go for it!

But before you go, haha, you may want to check out this post, “Should You Self-Publish Your Book? 5 Essential Questions to Help You Decide,” from a website I enjoy, thewritelife.com. The author, Blake Atwood, has relevant advice to help you decide which choice would be best.

One last thought: whichever path you choose, and for whatever reasons, don’t forget you may need to reassess at some point. Or consider new options. Try to stay true to the path that makes sense for you and your goals. If an agent or traditional publisher knocked on my door, would I answer? Sure, I’d let them in and see what we could work out; after all, there’s that whole “world’s best-selling author” thang for me to consider. Haha. 😉

Old-school printing press
New-school printing

Which choice will you make? Tell me in the comment section below, or directly at carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Would love to hear from you. 😉 Happy writing and reading, all.

PS—Stay tuned for Treasure Bound release details and cover reveal! Coming soon!

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

3 Reasons to Find Your Writing Mentor

I discovered an interesting tidbit the other day as I scanned an online calendar of fun facts: January is National Mentoring Month. Okay, maybe you take that sort of online info with a grain of salt, as I do (Really, National Crown of Roast Pork Day? It’s March 7, according to some.), but now and then I run across a factoid that stays with me and spins the gears.

Such is the case with National Mentoring Month. This struck me because I’m an advocate of mentors (and not just recognizing their usefulness for a month). This past year, I’ve been talking about their importance with my husband, whose business is expanding. As it grows, I’ve encouraged him to reach out to friends and colleagues who’ve already traveled similar paths, so he might learn from their experiences.

Why take this path:

Foggy path

When you can travel a clear path with a trusted advisor and friend:

Path to follow

But to be honest, I hadn’t thought of a mentor for myself as an author before now. I don’t know why. It took that chance mention to make me look at my career and realize how critical a mentor could be for a writer. And many of the ways in which a mentor helps say, an entrepreneur, are the same ways one would help a writer.

So, as ever on my kick about continuing to learn and grow, I searched around for more information. 🙂

Here are three ways a writing mentor can help you:

1—Experience. One of the best things a mentor can do is share the wisdom of their experience. I love the expression “work smarter, not harder.” By finding someone who’s attained the goal you’re aiming for and having them mentor you, you’ll benefit from their knowledge and hopefully will avoid their mistakes. An established writer will counsel you on both creative and business aspects of writing and will guide you along your specific career path.

2—Connection. Another benefit of your mentor will be access to their broader network of contacts. Though writing is usually a solitary effort, if publication is one of your goals, then connecting with others—readers, publishers, agents, editors, other writers—is essential. As an author looking to grow and reach an audience, having a mentor to open doors and offer ways to connect with people will be invaluable.

3—Inspiration and Input. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but for me, it doesn’t happen on a consistent basis. With a mentor, though, you may be only a call, text or coffee chat away from the butt-kick motivation you need to flush out that sketchy scene that’s vexed you for a week. The right writing mentor will offer creative support and unbiased, constructively critical insights. And that’s huge for gaining confidence and thickening the skin to the rejection prevalent in the writing world.

So, readers, what do you think about writing mentors? I believe engaging with one is a great idea for anyone looking to grow their career or passion. Do you have one? Or would you consider mentoring someone less experienced? What would you hope or expect to gain from that association? Please let me know in the comments section. I’d appreciate your thoughts. Or feel free to email me at carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Thanks!Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail