I admit it. For the past several days I have been caught up in a funk of discouragement. I learned not too long ago that another novel with my book's subject has been published through a big house publisher. And although it appears from the previews and the reviews that have already been posted on Amazon.com that it doesn't even come close to matching the quality and depth of research, writing, or story-telling that mine does, because it is through a legacy publisher and not an independent, in the less-than-two months since its publication, it has already surpassed mine in sales and number of Amazon reviews. That's the advantage of a legacy publisher: Marketing. An author who is picked up by a big house publisher is guaranteed a mass market that an independent doesn't have access to.
Yet, if I were to try and get mine published through a big house, I would have to find an agent and then I would be subject to all the cuts, maximum word count requirements, and changes that the publisher would demand and then my story would be little more than a cheap paperback romance novel--just like the one that's getting all the marketing and crappy Amazon reviews. I won't compromise my standards to meet some publisher's bottom line demands.
Damn, it's discouraging to be an independent author in a niche market stuck out in the middle of nowhere with few connections. Just damn.
All Artist have this battle. ie. Musicians have to keep to certain song construction standards if they want radio play, etc... Some artist have projects just for marketing or generating funds while their most important work is for themselves. Maybe that's a strategy you could deploy?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Perry. Yes I know that this problem isn't a new one, however, I don't make my living from writing so all of my work is "important work". When I write a book it's no small undertaking especially since I write historical fiction based on the lives of real historical people. I am painstaking with my research and my writing. I work another 40 hour a week job and do my research and writing in the evenings and on weekends. I don't have time to devote to work just for "marketing or generating funds." I guess I could, but I don't want to. I write for the love of it.
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