The New York Times had an interesting article about Kathleen McGowan. Last year at BEA, McGowan was a self-published author who paid her own way to the convention and “‘had to really beg people to come talk to you.’ Returning to the couple’s hotel room one night, she broke down in tears. ‘I was, like, is there any point for us to be here? I felt like I was giving people my book, and they didn’t even want it.’” This year, she went to BEA with a seven-figure advance in hand. It’s a nice article about how someone’s publishing fortunes can change in a year.
And while we’re somewhat on the subject, my post Why People Hate Self Published Authors generated a lot of interesting commentary and discussion. But I’ve been a bit dismayed that a small percentage of readers thought I was denigrating the very thought of self-publishing, in any and every form, as utilized by any and every writer.
In spite of comments such as “In the right conditions, handled properly, with realistic attitudes, self-publishing can be a viable business decision” and “Second, not every one, but some self-published authors invite the very ridicule they hate” and “Some self-published authors” and “They are living proof that self-publishing, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can be quite effective and lucrative. Unfortunately, these reasonable self-publishing advocates suffer the indignities brought on by their obsessed ‘published author’ colleagues,” these readers seemed to think I was against the very Platonic ideal of self-publishing. Maybe my admittedly inflammatory title of the post was a little too attention grabbing.
I suppose it’s just the nature of debate that there are going to be people who think only in absolutes. For the record, I have nothing against self-publishing itself. I do however chafe at the small percentage of self-published authors whose behavior tarnishes the whole enterprise for everyone. But there are plenty of valid, honorable, and worthwhile self-published projects out there. I met a few of these positive examples at BEA and in the interest of equal time, I want to give them a voice in the discussion as well. So keep an eye out for those interviews to appear soon.
I’ve heard quite a number of stories like mcGowan’s — first-time author starts out self-published and then gets a significant deal with a major publisher.
But how do these authors go from point A to point B? How did McGowan’s work get noticed by S&S? Did she keep on submitting? Did a prominent agent or editor stumble upon her self-published book and fall in love with it? Did McGowan forcefully push the book into the right person’s hands at some convention or something?
I have some insights on how authors like this make the jump. And I’ll see what I can dig up about Ms. McGowan specifically. So please check back tomorrow for more info. Thanks for reading!
Since I’m a self-published guy too, I’d like to hear this story! Guess I’ll be back tomorrow
I think that there are “absolutes” in terms of self-publishing; it’s just that they’re time-stamped. Eventually minds will change, the more self-publishing becomes viable. The advent of “Web 2.0″ has clearly contributed to a relaxing of tension amongst industry standards toward self-publishing in its various mediums.
The publishing industry is just a slow-mover, always has been, and I can’t say I blame them for wanting to take their time in admitting self-publishing as a viable alternative.
The market is flooded with books in the self-publishing “craze,” much in the way podcasting had its flood. Eventually it’ll subside, and those who are truly dedicated and want to get their voice out there but just simply haven’t had the luck of catching the eye of anyone in a major publishing house will be able to get something out there, if for nothing more than to use as a stepping stone to a real deal.
I think, though, when some self-publishers try to push the medium as the end, rather than the means, that’s where you get into some dicey territory. The working single mother of two is not going to have the capacity for marketing her self-published book the way the middle-class married business owner could, and that’s where the absolutes need to break down.