Do you other self-publishers and acquaintances of them have any advice for this self-publisher of a mixed media creative writing and arts anthology? This is my third annual one, about to come to a close, and I'm starting the long haul on entering the data and formatting it from basicly hard copies.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
I'm not a self-publisher, but Ralph Mazza of Ramshead Publishing is, and a nice guy to boot. Here's his website http://universalis.actionroll.com/.
Mike
Posted by cgamble (Member # 2009) on :
I'm taking a stab at this from my recent experiences, but I've been told that self-publishing could be a negative mark on a writing career. As usual, ignore me if I am off-base, but one of the original goals of revision14.com was to publish short stories etc, while providing industry news and other information in the literary market. Well, after trying to get the news from editors and such, we were shot down as being a "self-publishing" market, and further told that it would be harmful to the careers of our contributors being associated with such. So, that ending the self-publishing part -- at least until we have built enough of a base to allow us to make the rules rather than follow.
Posted by dspellweaver (Member # 2133) on :
I had heard that self-publishing was harmful to a writer's career but honestly I think that is big brother publishing's way of trying to prevent writers from going the natural course of commerce. I have thought for years that when I finish my novels I would self publish because it is so hard to get a publisher to take you seriously as a new writer. I know, I know. If you have a good product editors will recognize your genius and you'll have no problem. There have been plenty of examples where publishing houses have rejected an authors work who in turn self published and made millions. If I'm not mistaken, way back in the day that was really the only way authors could get their work out. They made copies themselves and sold them themselves and kept all the profit (cha-ching). I don't really have any advice except to listen to yourself. If you have a good product and you feel self-publishing is the best way to go, go for it. My other suggestion is to read, read, read so you know all there is to know about the biz. Dan Poynter has written some good books on self publishing. Whatever you do good luck!
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
There's a whole article on self-publishing in the current Writer's Digest.
Posted by dramaartwriting (Member # 2134) on :
Thanks, Mary, I might get it at the B's N Noble to check it out. I no longer subscribe to Poet's and Writers due to my lack of time to read any of it usually, and to save the precious budget.
I checked out the Forge site. Interesting. I'll post and see what they know about self-publishing.
I tend to hope that it is a stepping stone, to actually being a legitimate publisher when one has the finances to become a business and the connections to the writers to do so. I do not subscribe to the "only legit publishing is good publishing" theory because that seems to exclude so many aspiring young and old artists of word and art that it's rediculously semi-arrogant/elete-ish. No offense to those lucky enough and hardworking enough to make it that way.
Posted by TruHero (Member # 1766) on :
Laurie Notaro, self published her first book,"Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club", and now she is doing very well. Her self publishing is what got her noticed, and she was picked up by some big publishing company (I forget which one). Now she enjoys the "big checks" for her books. So I guess it can happen.
Posted by Gen (Member # 1868) on :
I feel like I have to put in a dissenting opinion here. Yes, the regular publishing industry is frustrating, and trying to get published by it is, well, sucky. But it also has a lot to offer, and unless you're willing to go 100% percent on self-marketing and you REALLY luck out... and even then the odds against your book being a success are worse than the odds of your book getting pulled out of the slush. And with the number of scam publishers out there? Hold on to your rights.
Remember Yog's law. Money always flows *to* the writer. Unless you're 100% sure self-publishing will offer that and that you can protect yourself and your rights? Be careful. Do your own research. Don't trust the publisher unless you've done your homework. Be very, very careful. And make sure you're positive about the decision.
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
My fear in self-publishing is that I may put a story out there that is not as good as it could have been if put through a professional editor.
Also if you publish it yourself you have to do all the work. Promoting, selling, juggleing, and all the other junk that goes into it. I'd rather have all that energy go into my stories.
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
I don't think I'd even consider self-publishing until I had hired a professional editor to give it the go-over (the "gover" NEW WORD!) for me. But then that's sinking even more money into something that might, or might not, put you on the map.
Posted by dramaartwriting (Member # 2134) on :
Thanks for your replies! I know that since this is a hobby I have "nothing to lose" and prefer to do this the kinko's and three expressos at the mircrosoft works wordprocessor way. I do like hearing varieties of opinion, dissenting or affirmations, and do take them into account. I factor this as a learning experience, and may one day pool my resources into becoming either a music or book publisher. I love those two areas and am feeling them out for my best strengths as of yet. I do have about 100 writer friends and some of them do art too, and a lot of them get involved in my anthologies and my open microphone readings and my exercise workshops, collaborator's junctions, and miscellaneous meetings to discuss life, politics, and poetry, and art, and I have two runs of the combbinded anthologies under my belt, one with four co-editors 200pages 200 copies Darwin's Children 2002 by The Caffein DeniZens, which has an ISBN # of 1-892453-07-X ... 9 7 8 1 8 9 2 4 5 3 0 7 5
The other is one hundred copies and includes 42 people and 180 pages (30 of which are bio pages and pics which actually adds tremedously to the depth of it)
Posted by dramaartwriting (Member # 2134) on :
that's comb-bound not combbinded. Lack of sleep strikes again. I also had a exhilaratingly amazing recording session for the self-published CD. Anyone know of how to get works by various "artists" copyrighted for a low price as a collection instead of individually and paying for each one?
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
It's already protected by copyright law, but if you want to register the copyright for the collection, go to
Thanks, I'll try registering it as a magazine/zine as it's an annual booklet and requires a mixture of poetry, artwork, story, and musical script
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
If it's annual, you could argue that it's a periodical (like a magazine), so you should be able to register it that way.