I can’t remember a time where I didn’t want to write. From small ideas to bigger stories, from a forgotten Pinterest board to a full novel, I’ve always wanted to be a writer.
Then came the second step : wanting to be a published author.
Because you can be a writer, but never want to publish your work. Keep the words to yourself or to a close circle of friends. There’s nothing wrong with that, obviously.
Personally, though, I’ve always dreamed of holding my book. Like, a published, polished, physical, final copy of my book with my name on it. I’ve always dreamed of seeing my book on bookshelves at people’s houses, in their hands as they read it, on book blogs as they review it.
I’m terrified of being perceived, of course, but that’s a whole other story.
For a long, long time, I saw myself – well, dreamed, if I’m being more accurate – signing a book deal, getting an agent, having a publishing house’s imprint linked to my book. The traditional publishing path is, after all, the one people mostly talk about, the one people fight about, the one that seems like…once you’ve worked through all of these trenches, you actually MADE IT.
I think it took me a long time to understand that there’s no MAKING IT, really.
Whether you’re traditionally publishing or self-publishing, your book can be an instant best-seller or get forgotten. You can drop your agent, you can’t automatically get a book deal despite having an agent. You can change publishing houses. Your self-published book can sell, like, 3 times. Or it can become an Amazon best-seller, get noticed on TikTok and suddenly picked up by a traditional publisher and you’re a best-selling author turning from self-pub to trad. You can self-publish and be incredibly successful, while staying self-published. I guess all of this depends on what your definition of success, is, as well.
There are SO many different paths you can take, if you want to be a published author. In the end, it depends on what you want from publishing, your vision of it all and, most of it all, what works for you, best.
Over the past two years, I realized that self-publishing was the path I wanted to take. The one that felt right, for me, and for this book as well.
In case you missed it: hello! I’m going to be self-publishing my upper-YA contemporary book, US AGAINST THE LIKES, this fall 2024 (!!!).
🌟 Read all about my news to self-publish my book in my blog post here!
Why I’m self-publishing my book
I’m not going to get into a whole self-publishing vs. traditional publishing debate, mostly because I feel like there are SO many different blog posts and videos about the topic already.
For full transparency, as well: some authors have gone down the query trenches, tried getting an agent, getting published traditionally, before turning to self-publishing. Of course, no judgment or anything like that! To each their own paths.
I haven’t queried any of my books. I haven’t tried to get traditionally published at all.
Honestly, if you told me that a couple years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m not sure what changed my mind, if I’m being honest. How complicated publishing is at the moment? How complex it is to write a query, to query, to get an agent, to get a publishing deal? How long and anxiety-inducing it can be?
Fine, a little bit of all of that changed my mind. Living with anxiety already has its complications, but imagining myself glued to my inbox, waiting for some external validation…well. Once again, absolutely no shade to any traditional publishing author. I admire you all so damn much. I just…in the end, I didn’t see myself waiting. Most of it all, I didn’t see myself handling the wait too well.
Putting it that way makes me seem like a coward and, fine. I’m not afraid of it. Maybe it’s cowardice, or maybe it’s just, finally, knowing bits of myself enough to know what I want, what I don’t want and what I see myself doing. How I see myself living.
Though, I don’t really think it’s cowardice, because the amount of work it takes to self-publish is astonishing. It’s a mountain, really. That’s a topic for another day, though.
💡 By the way, if you’re thinking about self-publishing, I highly recommend Sarra Cannon’s course, Publish & Thrive. From understanding self-pub to getting started to author mindset (& mental health!!!), this course has been a tremendous help & support. Highly recommend it. You can check it out right here, it starts August 3rd, 2024!
What weighted most in the balance for me, though, was how self-publishing opened up my mind. To the fact that I can do it all… well, myself.
I get to choose my book cover (which is SO beautiful, by the way. Reveal coming soon ????!!). I get to think about my marketing plans (and get to bother my sister to help out with it, obviously). I get to decide my release date. I get to choose my editor (because, yes, of course, self-publishing a book doesn’t mean I don’t edit my book. Or proofread it. Shout out to Nicole because she’s truly incredible.
I get to do it all on my terms and, I guess I get to define what perfect, means, when it comes to my stories. It’ll never be perfect for anyone, not even for me, but still. I get to choose when it seems good enough. While I’m struggling with that, I also like to know that I can do that. Decide it, on my own.
Most of it all, I get to publish my book without having to fit it into a neat little box. The thing is: I want to write about what I want to write. I don’t want to worry about having my new-adult like books (without any kind of heavy romance, btw) fit into a specific box, or to add a gigantic amount of smut for it to be marketable.
Maybe my book will end up being very niche. Maybe it’ll be a success. Who the heck knows?
The main drawback is that I get to do everything…well, on my own. lnsert a moment to panic about admin stuff and formatting here, because, well. This is stressful and scary and, like, what if I mess it all up?
Having full control over my book is both incredibly rewarding and terrifying.
Also, I’m not going to lie: when you’re self-publishing, you’re getting way more royalties than when you’re traditionally published. So I guess that’s a nice perk, you know, if I sell one book.
That being said, not going to lie, either: I’m not doing this for the money (no author is, really). I’m doing this because I want to hold my book in my hands. I want to tell the story I wanted to tell, the way I wanted to tell it.
Also, I love being able to control everything.
I’m not rejecting the idea of traditionally publishing. Someday. I’m still dreaming of being a NYT Bestseller, of, like, doing a book tour, going to book conventions to sign books. There are different paths to dreaming, though, and right now, this is the path I chose to take.
I guess I just want to be a published author, for me and on my own terms.
🌟 My upper-YA contemporary book, US AGAINST THE LIKES, RELEASES THIS FALL 2024. 🌟
Cover reveal & ARCs are coming soon! If you’d like to be the first to know, subscribe to my author newsletter right here!
Check out my official book trailer below! Eeekkkkk!!!
Writers, are you thinking about traditional or self-publishing? What makes you want to pick one or the other?
Readers, do you read/did you recently read any self-published work? I’d love to get some book recs!
Let me know if you enjoy these kind of writing-related blog posts in comments? I’d appreciate it so much!! 🥺
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I’m just so, so, SO beyond proud of you, Marie!! (And will respond to our emails this week! 🥰)
😭 Nicole thank you so much, your support means everything 😭😭
Yay!!! I’m so happy and excited for you!! It sounds all very daunting, but I believe that once it’s all said and done you’ll be very happy and proud of it all! Can’t wait to see the cover! 😁💖
Thank you so much! 😭 This means sO much!! <3
❤️❤️
There is an author I have read, Allison Winn Scotch, and I remember reading an article she wrote which described her personal journey. She is hybrid and it works for her. I am seeing big press picking up so many self-published books these days, too. Good for you for taking charge of your destiny. I wish you all the best.
Oooh, I’ll have to find that article, that sounds so interesting to read. Thank you so much, Sam, appreciate it so much!! 😭
WOW this is all so incredibly exciting! Congratulations for taking that leap of faith and knowing what works best FOR YOU!! I wish you all the best in this new adventure! 🥰
Ahhh thank you so much, Karla!! 🥰
Congrats on a big decision! I think choosing the path that’s best for you is always the way to go. And I’d also argue that no coward tried to get published in any way because as you said, no matter what it’s a lot!!! Congrats again & awaiting the cover reveal 😊
Thank you so much, Jennifer!! 🥰
Firstly, this is so exciting!! Congrats on finishing your book and getting ready to publish it! Secondly, I really respect your decision- I think that it makes so much sense nowadays to self-publish, especially when it makes a huge difference to creative decisions, which is so important when you’re publishing a book 😀 I cannot wait to see your cover and I so look forward to following you in this journey!!
Ahh thank you so much, this means so much!! 😭😭 Completely agree, it’s so great to be in charge of all the decisions. It’s also stressful, but well ahah. Thank you!!! 😭
I am so happy for you! This is such an incredible and huge undertaking, and I cannot wait to read it! Honestly, I think BOTH routes to being a published author are incredibly difficult, just in different ways (and in some aspects, the same ways- I mean, you still did have to write the thing heh). If you were to go to my “Favorites” list on Goodreads, you’d see that an inordinate amount of my favorites are self-pubbed, compared to the amount of trad pubs I read. So the whole thing about self-publishing being less than is SUCH a myth, and I am so glad that you didn’t get stuck on it. WIshing you ALL the success, and if you need any help with promo and such, I am glad to help!
Shannon thank you so much, this means so much 😭😭 And I need to go browse your goodreads shelves for recommendations then!
Thank you, this means a lot and I might ask for a little promo help soon 🙈
Wow, that’s so exciting, Marie! I wish you all the best and not that it matters, but It think you chose the right path for you. <3 Traditional publishing sounds kinda scary ngl. And, I can totally relate to you saying that you want to be in control of it. It might be more work (maybe in the end it isn't and just seems like it) but if it makes you happy that's so worth it.
Thank you so much, Linda, this means so much!😭😭 Both paths are a lot of work, for sure, I guess in the end I really wanted to be in charge and to do it my way. Thank you for your support!! 😭
Congrats on your endeavor!
I can understand the pros and cons of both sides: traditional vs self. As an avid library user, I’m happy to see them opening their purchasing options to also include self-published, but I know from a financial aspect they might not necessarily lean in that direction unless a book distributor can offer it in a package deal; which often only includes the Big 5, etc.
Looking forward to learning more about your book as time goes on ^_^
K
Thank you so much!! 😭
Completely understand that! I find it lovely however that the self-published authors sometimes manage to get a bit more visibility, as well. There’s hope and, hopefully, every book finds their right readers at some point!
Thank you so much for your kinds words!! <3
Seriously, Marie, I’m so proud and excited for you!! It must be beyond amazing to have your lifelong dream of becoming a published author come true, and I really admire you for taking everything into your own hands like this. The mere thought of having all the control and needing to stay on top of things like marketing and cover designing and finding editors seems super daunting to me, so I definitely don’t think self-publishing is a cowardly route! Loved seeing your reasoning for why you chose this path and wish you all the best with your release!! ❤️
Thank you so much 😭😭 not going to lie, it is…overwhelming and stressful, at times, but in the end I know all the hustle will be worth it. Thank you so much for your support, this means the world!! 😭
How much is self-publishing? I have a two written manuscripts and I am workin on another. I really want to have a published book under my belt.
Oh it’s hard to say! It really depends on what you choose to do. It doesn’t have to cost a thing if you’re doing the editing, proofreading, formatting and book cover design by yourself. If you choose to hire a professional editor, a proofreader, a professional formatter, an illustrator, the bill certainly gets a bit higher. Prices really are different depending on editors, on illustrators and so on, it’s a lot of research depending on what you want for your book 🙂
I loved reading your reflections on starting your self-publishing journey! 💞 I’m glad that you found a path that works for you and gives you the freedom to write what you want 🥰
Ahh thank you Caro, so happy you enjoyed it!! <3 <3
I agree that there are a million paths to publishing and not one of them is right for everyone. I’m wishing you the best success with this book and with your future career!!
Nicole thank you so much!!! 😭
loved reading this and im so excited to see your book out in the world!!
Ahh thank you so much, this means the world!! 😭
How wonderful and brave of you! Congratulations on your decision. Your blog was one of the first book blogs I stumbled across when I was just starting mine three years ago. It gave me great ideas of how to set mine up and it was beautifully done. I am excited for you on your new journey. We will be cheering you on in the book world!!
Oh wow thank you so much, your comment makes me tear up! You’re too kind, thank you! I can’t wait to reveal the cover, so soon. Thank you for all of your support, you’re the best, appreciate it so much <3 <3