Saturday, June 28, 2008
Some Thoughts on (Not) Self-Publishing
Self-publishing and print-on-demand (POD) is easier than ever these days. I often hear writers lament that they are fed up with the traditional publishing routes and aim to self-publish instead. I always urge caution.
There are times when self-publishing makes sense, but, in the case of fiction, both adult and children’s, those times are rare. I hear this topic bandied about on listservs and at conferences and often meet unpublished writers who are certain that self-publishing is the magic answer. Rather than run through all the reasons why I think self-publishing isn’t in the best interests of most fiction writers, I recommend that you read the recent Spring 2008 edition of the online SCBWI Tokyo newsletter Carp Tales in which we have two articles on self-publishing: one offers cautions, information and resources should you decide to follow that route; another by SWET member Avery Udagawa covers recent trends in Japan—in particular, the recent problems of publishing houses Singpoosha and Soshisha, both of which had relied heavily on income from self-published titles.
Publishing in the traditional way—sending out stories, synopses and chapters to publishers and agents—is indeed a long and arduous process, especially when sending manuscripts overseas. But a self-publishing shortcut is a risky alternative. In the long run, a writer stands a much better chance of getting a second book published if the first book has been published and reviewed in the traditional way. There are exceptions, of course, but in the case of fiction, not many.
So if your stamina is fading and you are growing tired of the same old routine of writing, sending out manuscripts and waiting…only to receive rejections, take heart; people do get published this way! Most important is to continue to improve your craft as you keep circulating your work. For English-language writers based in Japan, joining critique groups, attending writers’ conferences both in Japan and overseas, taking courses online and attending low-residency MFA programs are all ways to hone your writing skills and significantly increase your odds of getting published…the traditional way. As Doris Lessing once said, “You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing.”