Doing it the hard way

Yup. That's me. First object lesson of the day: never sign contracts for five releases in four months, LOL! If you've been wondering where I've been, now you know :p

Actually, pushing yourself to the limit is one thing I don't consider a mistake. I couldn't do it all the time, but it's a great way to flex your muscles and really go for it every once in a while. But a little breathing room would be nice, here (no one to blame but yourself, Sie!)

Actually, in light of recent events, there's a few things I've learned over the past year and a half that I'd like to share. The first one is: don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I have to start by saying I love Changeling. They're a great house to work for -- fun, professional, very supportive. And the checks come on time. Every month. Like clockwork. And I can shout to my editor when I'm having a problem. Hell, I can shout to the owner and she responds -- fast. In fact, I don't think I could have picked a better first publishing house, although I think there are some that are just as good.

Bit what if, God forbid, Changeling had gone belly up? Now, they happen to be a very solid and well-run company, with owners that have a lot of experience in running their own business. But disasters can happen to anyone, any time, and in the microcosm of e-publishing, the absence or illness of two or three key people could, in fact, bring an entire company to a grinding halt.

What if it had? Where would that leave me, with fifteen titles currently at Changeling -- and none anywhere else?

Screwed, that's where.

Another thing I finally figured out is that perhaps the single fastest way to increase your readership is to publish at more than one house. Each house has its own avid followers -- yes, some of them buy from a lot of different houses (and there's a lot of great houses out there to choose from!), but many of them don't. If a reader buys, say, only Ellora's Cave books, how is she ever going to discover you? So give her a chance to. It's not only smart marketing, it's also the best hedge you can have against the uncertainties of the e-publishing business.

That's assuming, of course, that you've done the smart thing and researched the houses you're submitting to. I did. I generated a list of five publishers I was interested in. And after a year and more of watching the industry, ya know what? That list hasn't changed.

Not that I'll likely submit to all of them! Although you know me; never say never... But writing for two or three makes a lot more sense than writing for just one -- even when that one is as well-run and reliable as Changeling is.

So expand your options. Take a hard look at the marketplace and research your targets. How long have they been around? How solid are their business practices? How enthusiastic are their authors, and are they authors who have gone on to have successful careers, win awards, break into print? There's a wonderful series of posts on evaluating e-publishers, and interviews with editors from some fantastic houses on December Quinn's blog -- check 'em out!

Them's my words of wisdom for the day, and I've still got those dang contracts hanging over my head! So, until next week --

Happy reading!

-- Sierra

sierradafoe.com