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May 26, 2005 After reading Argile Stox’s recent article about Publish America, I felt the need to revisit the process of getting published in the paper and ink world, tough, very tough indeed. I would venture a guess that there are thousands upon thousands of writers out there wanting to have their writings published, but are being rejected by publishing houses, big and small. Rejected, what a word, it kind of makes you feel…dirty or inadequate. There are many publishing houses looking for new faces, three or four a year. The odds of getting published get smaller every year. I have submitted my works to big name publishers, small publishers, and dead publishers. For every new publisher blossoming in the business world, five close their doors. It’s all about money. New publishers take a chance too. For instance, I have a very publishable book that has been accepted for publishing by two agencies, an e-publisher, and a hardcopy publisher. Both went out of business. I now have a signed contract with the extinct hardcopy publisher and have no clue how to get out It. There is a saturation of work in the market today. Publishers can be quite choosey about what they publish. Of course, there is self-publishing. Self-publishing takes a great deal of work by the author. If you are ambitious, have some money, and lots of time, you can probably make a living. When I say self-publishing, I’m not referring to POD (Print On Demand). I’m talking about buying a binding machine, good textured paper, and a graphic artist as a friend. In other words, you are not only the author, but also the publisher, agent, marketer, and printer. This form of publishing will cost you some serious money if it’s to be done professionally. What about POD? It will cost you money. If your book doesn’t sell and you print too many books, you may be left with extra books (they’re great for using instead of ladder). If you are like me, you don’t have money. If I tried to make a living as a writer, I would be living in the county home. What about e-publishing? If you have read my columns, you know that I am currently pursuing that route. Digital publishing has good points and drawbacks (you’re not going to see your nice hardback sitting in your library at home). One very good feature of e-publishing, is that your name gets out there on the worldwide web, and that’s a good thing. If people read your e-book, and enjoy what you write, there are good chances that they will want to read more of your works. Finally, there is the old fashion way. Dig in to your “Writer’s Market 2005” and your “Writers and Artists 2005, and start sending out your manuscripts. With luck, you won’t have to wallpaper your house with “Rejection” slips.
Unfortunately, there are no easy paths to publication. Easy is not a part of a writer’s vocabulary. The easiest and most fun part of the entire process is the writing. The love of expressing ourselves through words is what drives the car of creativity. I firmly believe that Useless-Knowledge and perhaps magazines like it can help create an audience, a base of interested readers. Use it to the best of your abilities and good luck.
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