Self-Publishing and Taking Things Into My Own Hands

I never thought I'd be interested in self-publishing, and yet here we are. There's still an agent out there with my full manuscript, but unless they respond soon and want to talk, I think self-publishing is where I really ought to go.

When I first started writing with the goal of publication, the publishing industry was still very set against self-published authors. "Self-publishing is for quitters and the people who can't hack it in the 'real' publishing industry," was the general sentiment. While that is still around, it's not as widely accepted as fact as it used to be.

Ebook publishing had made self-publishing a lot more accessible and profitable, and some truly amazing communities have sprung up around it. Folks who aren't in it for the money and just want to share their stories have put together amazing resources for those who want to do the same.

The traditional publishing industry is a slow-moving, slow-changing behemoth. It's what works for a lot of people, and it's put out a lot of quality content. But it's not the only way to do things.

I'm a queer, disabled, broke twentysomething who just wants to write stories about people like me and hopefully make somebody's day a little brighter. And the fact of the matter is that people like me also tend to be broke. I want the power to say, hey, I'm putting my book on sale for .99 this week, so the people who need it can actually access it. I want to be able to say, hey, you can't afford even that much, but you seem like you'd really enjoy my work, so here's a free copy.

I want the power to say, hey, this style of writing isn't popular with agents or editors, but I think it's fun and I want to try it. I want the power to choose my titles and my covers, and have my hands in every part of the process.

It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be better for me in the end. I don't want to have a huge following, and I don't care if I don't make a cent. I just want to know that my stories are getting read by people who need them and enjoy them.

I'm not completely closing the door on traditional publishing, but for now...for now, let's see how well I can do on my own. It'll be a challenge, and it'll be a lot of work, but since deciding to give it a try I feel much more enthusiastic and excited about sitting down and writing. That's something I haven't felt in a long time.

It feels like I've put power back into my own hands after an eternity of stagnation. And that's nice.

Until next time,
Jenn.