What Next?

 

Terry here, with our question this week: As far as the business side of your own writing, what are you looking forward to in the near future? Having just had my Bahamas thriller, (pictured, Bahama Mama Cocktail) 

Perilous Waters come out on April 2, my world has been centered on doing the requisite (and enjoyable) interviews, blog posts, bookstore events, and searching for promotional opportunities. In addition, I’ve been reading books in preparation for panels at Left Coast Crime and Thrillerfest. I’ve also been reading to provide blurbs for authors whose books I enjoy. 

 All that is kind of “in the present” activity, leaving me little time for speculation about looking forward to much more than taking a deep breath. But answering this question makes me pause and consider. I’ve heard from my publisher that they are going to offer me two more contracts, but I have not actually seen the contracts. As any writer knows, until you sign on the line, it isn’t a done deal. And just between you (all of you) and me, I’m not sure I’ll be content with the same old, same old. 

I really love some things about my publisher, and I can tell they are striving to support their authors. Meanwhile, they asked when I could be done with the next two books. I hate to break it to them, but without a contract, I’m not excited to work on a new book. 

Instead, I’m tiptoeing into a different mode. I’ve had several conversations with people who have begun to try their hand at self-publishing. Some of them have left traditional publishing altogether, and others have become hybrid—remaining with their traditional publishers for some work, and going on their own for others. In both cases, most authors tell me they although it’s hard work, they make more money in the self-publishing venue than through traditional publishing. And they like the freedom it affords. One author I talked to said that he suspects in the future most authors will do a little of both. 

 I’m not prepared to jump off the cliff entirely. I like having a solid editorial staff and I have to admit the covers my publisher has come up with have been wonderful. (Wait until you see the one for the Craddock series, coming out next fall). I can do editing for myself, and can pay an editor if I think it’s necessary, but I have absolutely no eye for cover design. For sure, I’d have to farm that out. I’ve seen some terrible book covers, and I don’t want to fall into that trap. I feel like there’s a solid team working on my behalf. It comes at a price, the price of the lion’s share of proceeds going to the publisher. 

But self-publishing comes at a price, too. 

To put out a really first-class project, you have to work just as hard on the writing, and in addition you have to pay for an editor, a copyeditor, a cover designer, and someone who knows formatting. You have to decide where you want your book published and in what form—e-book only, or e-book and print. And you have to do your own promotion. But since I already do most of that myself, that’s a wash. 

 I don’t want to do anything impulsive, so when I say I’m tiptoeing into the self-publishing world, it’s just that. Trying it with one book—a book I wrote several years ago and abandoned when I began writing under contracts. It’s a book I still like. I have been revising it in what I laughingly refer to as my spare time. We’ll see what happens next. 

 As for the “near” near future, I’m going to be doing bookstore appearances in May: Here are the promo ads for them, courtesy of fellow-Minds author, Gabriel Valjean: The first is with Susan Shea:

The second is in the wonderful Book Carnival: