SELF-PUBLISHING…WRITER WRONG?

Be careful what you ask for…you might just get it. Don’t set the bar too low…you may just trip over it. Sound familiar? I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I sat down to write Solemnly Swear. When people ask me why I wrote a book, I simply reply: “No one told me I couldn’t.” When people ask me why I chose to self-publish, well…that’s a different story.

Back in the 1990’s, I had an idea for a mystery novel. But, one idea does not a book make. I’ve always been an avid reader and toyed with the idea of writing. I was loyal to authors like Stephen King, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, Dean Koontz and Tom Clancy…but my interests are varied. The ideas and pieces for a book came together slowly as I moved my family around the country from one military assignment to another. Then, in 2001, I found myself in the best “job” I’ve ever had. I was teaching Air Force ROTC at the University of New Hampshire as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Science. I was also the Commandant of Cadets for a corps of about seventy-five awesome students/cadets.

More and more, I mentally outlined the plot in my mind. It all came together when I was asked to leave UNH early and relocate to AFROTC Headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama. One evening in the summer of 2002, I was home watching a video of Vanilla Sky starring Tom Cruise (I didn’t like it at all). I got bored watching the movie—pipe dreaming about doing better—and got the creative juices flowing in my mind again. That’s when the last piece fell into place. I got up from the couch and sat down at my computer to write Solemnly Swear. I took a week off from work and wrote the whole story, about 30,000 words. It wasn’t a novel yet, but I had the hard parts written…the beginning, some of the back-story, the ending…and some pretty good scenes. It took another six months to finish the book (building scenes, editing, character building and continuity, re-writing, etc.) ending up with over 92,000 words in over 400 pages.

But, as I tell people…that was the easy part.

As most people in the industry will tell you, the traditional publishing process will never be the same. The big publishing houses are at the point where they rely on the big names and the sure sellers. I’ve spent the past few years realizing, with few exceptions, that agents and publishers take on very few new and first-time authors. Becoming one of them can take years, and then more years before the book makes it to market. I didn't have the patience. I didn’t even try. That was how discouraged I was after all the research. I take it back, I sent one query letter/package (experts say you need to send hundreds…and many people do just that). I researched a new author that I thought I most closely resembled in writing style. I found out who her literary agent was and I looked him up online. His name is David Hale Smith, and his web site clearly stated that, “As of June 1 2003, we are no longer accepting unsolicited queries or submissions. We accept new material by referral only. Unless specifically requested, we will not be able to read or respond to your submission.” I sent a query letter anyway. Why choose an agent who is not busy? That was when I received my first, and only, infamous rejection letter. The letter read in part, “…After considering your proposed project, we have come to the decision that your material is not appropriate for our agency. This is not a judgment of the quality of your work, but rather a decision we are making based on our company’s needs at this time. Thanks again for your submission. I wish you the best of luck in your search for representation and publication.” Okay, you’re welcome. I didn’t take the rejection personally, but I did use it as an indication of where the industry was at the time.

That’s when I heard about self-publishing and started more research (I apologize for the length of this blog post, but it feels good to clear my chest…hoping that it can possibly help someone else going through this ordeal). I had the same stereotypes and fears of self-publishing. Would I be taken seriously? Would Solemnly Swear look like a professional book? The questions were endless. That’s when I had to answer my own questions. What is your goal? What do you expect from…..etc., etc., etc? Suffice to say that I did my homework. I corresponded with many self-publishers by email, snail mail, and by phone (some very lengthy discussions). I learned a lot about the print-on-demand industry. I chose iUniverse before I even knew they were the industry leader. I was referred by a friend-of-a-friend who had successfully published with them. I really liked the idea that I got the last say in the manuscript, cover, and the book itself. So far I haven’t been disappointed in the least. There was an upfront cost (very reasonable) but now they are pumping money into Solemnly Swear now that it won its first award. They have professional editors and I’ve been impressed with their book polishing and traditional cover design process.

My goal is to make it to the iUniverse Star Program and see how well the book can do in the marketplace. If it turns out to be “one and done,” then I can at least say that I did it. If it does well, then maybe I’ll have a shot at traditionally publishing my second book, False Hopes (although I wouldn’t hesitate to publish through iUniverse again). But first things first…let’s see how the first book does.

The majority of test readers have talked about Solemnly Swear as a movie. I try not to get ahead of myself, but it is fun to talk (to those that have already read it) about who would play what part and who would be interested in the screenplay. It has somehow been compared to The Departed, and the first name mentioned to direct it is Martin Scorsese. Okay, back to reality. The bottom line is that Solemnly Swear is my “first-born,” and I took my time choosing who and how to publish. Writer wrong, let’s hope I made the right call.