Keep Your Novel Out of the Toilet

I just received a couple of books from a friend of mine in the biz. She is in the "real world" of publishing, and we have had some hefty debates regarding authors who self-publish versus the traditional route of submitting for a publishing contract. She will send me self-published (or vanity press) books she comes across to support her argument that most self-published books are total crap.

Though I don’t agree with her position (after all, ninety percent of my business is editing for independent authors), after I read the stuff she sends me I immediately send back an e-mail saying, “touché.” It becomes clear after just a few chapters that these authors are totally inexperienced and probably did not use an editor either (shame on you!).

My friend’s biggest beef is that an author will send her a self-published “novel” as some sort of testimony that he or she knows what they’re doing. Like somehow having an actual pressed book puts him or her into the big leagues, and my friend should offer the author a contract immediately.

It really does make me sad in that the amount of money a person will spend to have a book manufactured is alarming. These authors will have to sell a ton of books off of their websites, through their blogs, or out of the trunks of their cars just to break even. It makes me ill when I look at the prices (and stealing of publishing rights) some of these publishing houses charge.

I am all for independent literature. Of any kind. There are some legitimate print-on-demand companies out there that charge reasonable prices for an author to print a book. But the point my friend and I do agree on is this: TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR MANUSCRIPT PERFECT! And I mean perfect. Draft, draft, and re-draft. Then find a good editor (like me!) who will go through your ms and make you do another draft. Listen to your editor’s advice. You may not like it, but chances are he or she is right. It’s not about robbing your story from you…it’s about making it readable to the largest audience possible. That’s how you will sell books, my friend.

The thing that will kill the independent literature movement is the continuation of work flooding into the market that is just shit. Like when your toilet gets backed up—because someone tried to flush a book down it—talk about a mess. The authors who have taken the time to make their writing shine can’t get to the market because of the backup of material that has no business being out there. Get what I’m saying? Think about your fellow authors as allies, not competition. The more quality independent writing that becomes available, the better the opportunities will be for everyone.

I have spoken with my friend a few times about starting our own publishing company. She likes the idea, and knows there are enough independent editors out there like me who can help create some awesome stuff. But from where she is sitting, she can see the time is still not right. There are just not enough hours in the day to pick through the crap in order to find the diamonds.

Don’t be lazy, writers. Take the time to make every word count. Take advice when it is given, and stop being so damn defensive. Find an editor, and build a working relationship with him or her. And for the love of (your deity here), don’t self-publish until you know your stuff is as good as anything on the bookstore best-seller shelf. And that doesn’t mean taking the word of your family or friends (unless they’re in the biz, of course).

Best of luck, and go write something wonderful.