(1/2) Hi! Congratulations on publishing your book!! That’s so exciting! I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your experience with publishing? If you don’t want to answer feel free to ignore this. Did you self publish or publish with a publishing company? And what’s your opinion on publishing your work online if you want to physically publish your book later?
(2/2) I’ve heard people say that publishing online, like on Wattpad or wherever, is good because publishers like when you already have an audience/fans, and if they agree to publish you just take your book down. But I’ve also heard people say they don’t want to publish online because it may be detrimental to physically publishing? Any opinion on it?(stuffaboutwriting)
Thanks @sleepyoceaneyes I can hardly wait for everyone who's pre-ordered a copy to dive into the story when it drops on May 20, 2020!
And no problem! That's a great question! (Or set of questions.😁)
• I self published, first with KDP, and later adding IngramSpark and Draft2Digital.
I did so because I want and need to have complete creative control over the entire process. It's very intensive (although the process can be made easier by contracting out to freelancers) and costs quite a bit of money upfront vs trad. publishing (for cover design, editing etc.) If you start selling well however, then you keep a much larger percentage of profits.
Check out the 20booksto50k and Publishing Made Simple Facebook groups (they are very active and vibrant, with extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgable members) for some excellent advice as far as publishing and marketing indie.
• If you're aiming to self/indie-publish, by all means, post wherever you'd like online. I personally wouldn't post something in full that you intend to sell, because unfortunately, piracy is a thing, but it can definitely help you grow your following.
• If you're planning on pursuing trad. publishing, the answer is YES and NO.
Yes, you can publish online and grow a following, BUT you cannot then query (and expect to land a deal and an agent for) that SAME story, as you've essentially given up first rights of publication for that specific story. You can, however, pursue a book deal with a DIFFERENT story, one that has never been published online anywhere, and by having some fans of your (different, not trying to trad. publish) work already you can make yourself more attractive to prospective publishers.
Twitter is a good place to grow your public following pre-publication.
• Check out this video by author Alexa Donne (the rest of her videos are great too, she has a TONNE of trad. publishing (and just general writing) advice) if you want a clearer, more in-depth answer than I can give:
(Yes it does happen for some people, that they self-publish and get picked up by trad. publishers, but 1. They are Spiders Georg, and 2. if you're doing so well that trad. publishing wants to buy your book, you'd be best only signing on for international benefits re: distribution, marketing and translation into different languages etc., and continuing to self pub in your own country.)
