It is tough to compare our experiences as self published authors to the traditional author. Mainly because we don't have a basis for which to compare, but so far I feel self publishing is a lonely path.
There is the entire world of Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Goodreads, etc., but no matter how loud you ring your bell and shout your story, only a few are there to hear it. On a good note, Liberty has received two Goodreads ratings to average out at 4.5 and one small written review. I don't know how, but some of the people out there are reading and actually liking it.
Despite the minute successes that we have received, there are so many others that we would love to share our stories with and just can't think of how to do it. You can post comments, try to tell people about it, but when it comes down to it, we are writers and not salesmen.
Which brings me to my point, are any of you traditionally published? Do you think that having a publisher behind you helps with the lack of feeling alone or is it to the point that they have cut costs and leave you to be a writer and a salesman?
Do you have to be a salesman to be a writer? If we wanted to be salesmen then we would have followed that path.
Self-publishing just seems tough to me. And every success I've seen has pretty much been by somebody who has the time, interests, and money to treat their book like an entrepreneurial business. And they pursue it just like starting up a full-time day business. I don't think I've seen anyone who just sort of wrote something, stuck it out there, and then sold a ton of copies.
ReplyDeleteAnd the basic fact is that most writers simply won't have the time, interests, skills, and money to invest in a major start-up business on the side. I mean, day jobs? Family commmitments? It can be damn hard just finding time to scrape up writing time. Running another business on the side? Not always feasible.
For me, I'm happy pursuing traditional publishing for the moment.
I think like all things it requires a certain amount of balance. It would be lovely to just write, but not many can afford to do that.
ReplyDeletePersonally I'm with Bryan for now. I raise my family, I slave away at my day job, I write because I enjoy it, and I try to get published - traditionally.