I don’t need to tell you that getting a literary agent and then a subsequent publishing deal is hard. Whether successful or unsuccessful, most writers have at some point run the gauntlet of the querying process to secure an agent.
Success stories are often built on numbers (“I queried x number before I found my agent…”) and the general advice is you need to keep at it. There are many famous tales of positive outcomes after multiple failed attempts; for example, Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain went from being rejected by 32 publishing houses to winning the Booker prize.
I – like many before – have chosen to go down the indie route to kick off my writing career. Why? Put simply, I believe in my story, and I feel ready to share it with the world. Those who have read it (including several professional/anonymous beta readers) have unanimously given me positive feedback. I believe* I have crafted an original story with the various elements that make for an engaging, thought-provoking, and entertaining tale.
*Caveat – fully appreciate the subjectivity here but if I don’t believe in it then who will, right?
The list of famous authors who started out by self-publishing is extensive and includes the likes of Margaret Atwood (poetry!), Andy Weir (The Martian), Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Peter Rabbit), and EL James (mummy porn/50 Shades of Grey).
Why self-publish? Well, for various reasons, the traditional publishing route is not so accessible for new writers. The querying process in itself is not a perfect system. Agents often receive large numbers of submissions, and they must decide which submissions they intend to take forward based on (usually) the first three chapters, a synopsis, and a cover letter. They are the gatekeepers who provide access (or not!) to the traditional publishing route. Increasingly, this is a route fraught by the pressures of sales and, for non-celebrity debut writers like myself, this is a particularly challenging option in the current climate of the pandemic.
The route I am choosing is to have my book published with Matador – a self-publishing imprint of Troubador Publishing. They have been ranked as the best self-publishing company by the Independent Publishing Magazine in its Publisher Service Index and have a great all-around reputation for helping self-published writers achieve professional standards with their outputs.
Since deciding to go indie, I have become quite excited at the opportunity to shape the process according to how I want it. I will have full creative control across the process, which for an old hand in the editorial business like myself (i.e., control freak) is a definite bonus. I’ve spent time planning my marketing strategy, selecting a cover design, and connecting with other authors who have self-published previously in the same manner. Matador helps throughout, taking charge of key steps such as copy-editing, proofing, text and cover design, ISBN registration, etc.
How it all works out is something I cannot tell you at this stage, but I’ll certainly keep you updated. My debut novel, The Madness of the Faithful, will be published with Matador on July 28.
