SO YOU WANT TO PUBLISH AND MARKET YOUR MEMOIR - POST # 6

A PUBLISHING SCAVENGER HUNT

Learning about the publishing "game" is a lot like orienting oneself in a new city by taking a bus tour that gives you a panorama of the unfamiliar scenery. Applied to the unfamiliar world of publishing and marketing an invaluable exercise in seeing the 'big picture' has been to research and explore the top recommendations of Amazon and Barnes and Noble re publishing and marketing.

The following is a list of books each of which has been helpful in clarifying what choices are available and suggested criteria for which choices are best to make.

PUBLISHING:

• The Complete Guide to Self Publishing - Tom and Marilyn Ross
• The Clearly Confusing World of Self-Publishing - Clea Saal
• Complete Idiot's Guide to Self-Publishing - Jennifer Basye Sander
• The Self-Publishing Manual - Dan Poynter
• How to Get Happily Published - Judith Appelbaum
• The Publishing Game - {Bestseller in 30 days} - Fern Reiss
• The Publishing Game - {Publishing in 30 days} - Fern Reiss
• 2005 Writer's Market - K.S.Brogan (Editor)
• Print ON Demand - Morris Rosenthal

MARKETING

• Jump Start Your Book Sales  - Marilyn and Tom Ross
• Publicize Your Book -  Jacqueline Deval
• Guerrilla Marketing for Writers - J. Levinson, R. Frishman, M.Larsen
• Unleashing the Idea Virus - Seth Godin
• Internet Marketing for Dummies - F. Catalano, and Bud Smith
• 1001 Ways to Market Your Books - John Kremer
• How To Publish and Promote Online - M.J.Rose and A. Adair-Hoy

CONTRACTS

Before reading any of these books I first explored an important e book called THE FINE PRINT that validated my severe doubts about my first impulsive book contract. This E book examines the nature of  the contracts for a large group of self publishing companies. It also rates which companies are more beneficial to the writer and why so.

CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES

The basic choice is to go the traditional route by attempting to get an agent or to self publish. If self publishing there are further choices such as do it all your self; contract out pieces such as paying a distributor; working with a company that provides all inclusive services such as I Universe; or working with a printer/distributor such as Lightening Source.

Obviously each pathway has its own benfits and liabilities. For example: while self-publishing gives the author more control and potentially more money, it also gives the author more responsibility. Clearly there is no free lunch.

As I read on I became flooded with facts and figures and began to suffer with symptoms of information overload. There was good news and bad news. The good news is that I am convinced breaking my contract was a wise move. The bad news is that it is not a simple decision to know how best to proceed.

THE NEXT STEP

I decided to keep my options open and explore a number of possibilities simultaneously. These options were:

• Reconnected with my first agent to see if she might possibily be interested in working with me despite the fact that ten years ago we received glowing but ultimately disappointing rejections for Odyssey. I figured I have nothing to lose and that ten years later I have become a better writer, I understand better the personal importance of what I went through thirty five years ago, and I have finally lived long enough to be in the main stream of current interest. It is my belief that half the world is addicted to some substance(s) and the other half is seeking some form of rehabilitation. It is also encouraging that Oprahs' first book on her current book recommendations is A Million Pieces .
• Narrowed down a list of possible agents who might be interested in my work.
• Carefully noted the pros and cons of traditional versus self publishing.
• Consulting my personal unconscious.
• Trusting my instincts.
• Continuing to submit my manuscript directly to potential publishers.
• Generating a list of important information.

SOME IMPORTANT FINDINGS

• Irrespective of which pathway - traditional or self publishing - the marketing is largely left up to the author.
• It only takes about 5000 sales to have a success.
• Concentrate on the Internet for the biggest bang for the marketing buck.
• Persistence wins the day.
• Self publishing is fine but the whole process is infinitely easier if an agent backs you.
• Expect periods of confusion, apathy, feeling overwhelmed, and simply ride the waves.

DEVELOPMENTS

• My  original agent read my revised manuscript. She indicated it was "too dense." The good news is she liked it enough to want to continue. The bad news is that I feel I* have done the best I can do. She then suggested that I allow her to show thirty pages to an editor {Book Doctor?} she uses. If I agree she will let me know what was advised in two weeks.
• I narrowed a list of agents down to 7 that seem potentially simpatico.
• I get a rejection from a publisher who specializes in therapeutic communities.
• I continued immersing myself in conducting research re alternative forms of publishing and marketing.
• I am feeling increasingly more confident about who I am, what I have experienced, my understanding of my experience, the felt importance and value of pressing on to share it with who ever is interested, the knowledge I have been gaining in conducting my research, and the over all conviction that there is virtually no good reason why I should not persist until I accomplish my goal.
• As I continue to be immersed in this endeavor my energy level has increased although I do at times feel stuck and inert.
• I had a nightmare last night that concerned my agent back from her trip telling me that she was going to pass on taking my book. Considering I was the author of my own rejection I interpret my dream to mean that I should be ultra realistic and be prepared for a possible rejection.

Conclusion: I can readily identify with a line from Joyce's Ulysses with respect to writing, publishing and marketing my Odyssey: "the longest way around is the shortest way home."