by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’ve discovered that there are many things that I like about being a hybrid writer (one who self-publishes as well as publishes traditionally.)
I like the visibility that traditional publishing still affords me. There are still some folks out there who shop in bookstores and have discovered me that way. Penguin’s mysteries do tend to get decent visibility on Amazon, too, and they’re doing a good job with Facebook mentions and tweets on their end.
I like that my output tends to be higher when I’m working with my publishers’ deadlines.
I like the editing and story development assistance that I receive from my editors.
On the other hand, I like the higher income that I receive from self-publishing.
I like that I’ve continued a discontinued series by self-publishing it, and that it became popular among readers who hadn’t discovered it when it was traditionally published.
That all being said, there are definitely problems hybrid writers face. I’m working through them. Here are two big ones:
Production delays—for both traditional publishing and self-pub.
Production delays with traditional publishing: Unfortunately, it’s one of those scenarios where “failure to plan on your part constitutes an emergency on mine.” It usually means I need to go through my edits quickly or my copyedits quickly or my pass pages quickly. Other than that, I usually don’t have any part to play in the process…and usually, I don’t even know where the production failure occurred. We always end up releasing on time. There’s not a whole lot you can do to prepare for this with trad. publishing…my advice would just be to expect a tight deadline and be aware you might have to put a current project down for a while to address edits in a previous project.
Production delays with self-publishing: You’re a lot more involved, here. Have you put up an expected launch date on your website or blog? You’ll need to adjust that. I’ve gotten emails and Facebook comments for the past 1 ½ months from readers asking where the book is…because I publicized the release date. Unfortunately, a series of events that really wasn’t anyone’s fault in my production team has caused a delay of nearly 2 months in the expected release of the latest book in the Myrtle series. A potential solution would be to be a bit vaguer with your launch date, or else adjust it on your website, accordingly.
Traditionally-published projects interrupt self-pub projects. If we really want to be a hybrid writer, unfortunately this means that paid-in-advance projects come first. You’ll have a contract binding you to a particular date to deliver the manuscript to the publisher. If you don’t deliver you might have to forfeit your advance. I was recently working on another Myrtle Clover for an October release (which, yes, I’d stupidly announced on my website) and then was asked to write two more books in one of my series. This is good news, but it meant that I either needed to work on both books at once (I’ve drafted two books at once before, and it’s very, very confusing), or else stop one to work on the other.
I’ve been able to keep working on the first draft for the Myrtle book, and outline the other book at the same time…but now I’m at the point where I need to write the first chapter for the new book (so that it can be included as a teaser in the book coming out in December). And I’ve got to temporarily stop work on the Myrtle.
Other than juggling work (and postponing work) it’s not especially challenging to have a hybrid writing career.
Do you write more than one series? Do you have a foot in both publishing worlds?
Elizabeth – I’m happy for you that you’re able to do both self-publishing and traditional publishing. I think it’s a fantastic way to keep your name out there and of course develop yourself as a writer too. At the same time, it’s got to be difficult to balance all of the demands on your time. I haven’t done the self-publishing thing but at least there, you’re in control of the pacing in a lot of ways and that allows for flexibility.
I remember when I first started looking for an agent/publisher, everyone was turning their noses up at self-publishing – as they were to the notion of e-books. How the publishing world has changed!!! I think you do marvellously well by keeping to both sides. I’d like, one day, to do the same (when I manage to get more work out).
Whoa! I’d go totally bonkers, if I’d have to juggle all of that!
Kudos to you for managing it all!
I’ll be in this position next year (sooner if I can manage it). I’ve just submitted the final part of the Locked Within Trilogy to my publisher, and I’m starting work on a YA steampunk series now, which I plan to self-publish. In part, it’s because I want to increase my output, but also with this particular series, I want more control over what I can and can’t do with the source material in terms of additional promotional opportunities.
I’ve always placed my editor’s feedback a priority. No matter what I’m working on, once my editor gets back to me with requested changes, everything else is put on hold and I get those edits done. I’ve only once failed to complete a given set of edits within a single weekend, and that was when my daughters were still very small and not sleeping through the night.
I’m quite nervous about becoming a hybrid author. I don’t know what my publisher will think, or how much harder it will be to promote my work. Although, steampunk communities tend to be extremely passionate and loyal, so if I can build a solid fanbase early, I should do well.
The benefits seem to outweigh those downsides :) I’m working on 2 series and it can get a bit muddled! I hope to have 3 or 4 books ready to go fairly quickly when I start, so I’m holding off on pubbing until I’m ready! :)
Paul–I don’t think it’s going to take any more promo than you already do…and steampunk is an awesome community online, as you know.
I’m super-speedy with returning edits too, although I *hear* from other writers that I shouldn’t do this…that I should wait and hand in at my deadline or else they’ll assume that I can *always* hand them in that early (and at some point I might really have a legitimate reason to need a bit more time) and give me less and less time to send them back. But I still just hand them right back in…I don’t like having the ball in my court.
I just don’t bring it up as a topic. :) And they don’t either, so that works well for both of us! Yes I’ve never mentioned my self-pubbing to my agent or my editors. Not ever. I’d be stupid to think they don’t know, but at least it’s not a conversation piece.
Margot–Yes, for sure. In a way, I kind of hate shelving my self-pub things since it makes you feel as if it’s a tacit admission that it’s not as important. Financially, it *is* important and I’m relying on it as income…but I sure don’t get in trouble if it’s running late.
Susan–I remember that too, and it always made me a little sad. Different world now, for sure. And there are definitely good parts to both.
Christine–Thanks! :) Well, maybe I should have used a different word…it’s less juggling and more like: I’d better put this self-pub stuff away before I get in trouble and miss my deadline. Ha!
My publisher’s never given me a deadline or put me under any pressure to get things done within a specific timeframe. I like to return the favour by getting my work done as promptly as I can, so they don’t have to worry about it either.
It’s good to know that simply not mentioning it is an option. It’s pretty much what I was going to do, just work away, release my new book, and work on the next thing I would send to my publisher. I was worried that might be a bit of a no-no, but I’m relieved to hear it’s how you’ve handled it.
Paul–No deadlines! What strange magic is this? That would be fabulous. :)
Yes, I just kept quiet on it. For one thing…I really, really dislike conflict of any kind and will avoid it at all costs! For another…I thought, with the current industry troubles, that it might seem as if I were rubbing their faces in it, if I mentioned my self-pubbing. So I’ve just been silent for 2 years now. :)
Yeah, it’s fantastic! I love my publisher, deciding to self-publish my next series was a really tough decision.
I’m like you; I like to keep conflict as far away as possible.
Paul–Well, sign me up for no deadlines! Of course, that would also mean that I’d likely put my self-pub books first, since that’s my bread and butter…lol. :)
Alas, I am not lucky enough to have been traditionally published. I think you are considered to be a writer more when traditionally published. But self-published books stay forever on the cyber-shelf while traditional books only have a brief season in the bookstores! Ouch! As always, a fine post.
Jemi–A great plan!
And I know what you mean about muddled. I had a character in one series accidentally make a guest appearance in the other series. :) I’m sure my editors would have just loved that. Luckily, I caught it (but not for a while!)
Roland–Exactly! And it worries me that when readers read the latest books in my series, they may not even be able to *find* the first book in the series at the same store. They might be forced to buy it online. It’s not the best set-up, that’s for sure. Thanks for coming by, Roland.
I always work on multiple projects at once. I don’t know that I would like being a hybrid author, though, because I like being in more control of my schedule.
I’m a little fearful of this, too, as I dive in with my serial. I’ve worked out my deadline, but I KNOW that if copyedits come I have to drop everything. I just have the one book still pending at this point, but I want to sell another series, and it’s always POSSIBLE a 4th will be requested in the Garden Society series. This first serial though, I feel like I really need to distribute like crack… a free one, a couple more FAST to get them hooked… so all I can really do is try to work ahead of my timeline by a bit.
Hart–This is why I think you’re incredibly brave for trying a serial! Especially knowing how the edit thing works. But if you’ve just got the one book in the wings now, that should make it easier to work around.
I would confuse myself working on two projects as once. I think they would both suffer. It’s cool you are able to go down both paths though.
Elizabeth, you were so smart to take both publishing paths. You have diversified!
Alex–They tended to when I tried to juggle two at once, for sure.
Diane–A good way of putting it!
The Daring Novelist–I don’t see how you do it!
You’re absolutely right…I have very little control over my schedule. The only time I have a say in it is when my agent asks me if the delivery dates for the contract look reasonable. I hate to change those much, though, because it might mess the deal up.
Elizabeth:
It’s marvelous that you posted on this right now! I just got back from an eight day annual writers’ retreat with a group of women who’ve been doing this for four years now. During that time I figured out the revised structure for a book proposal an agent wants to see, as well as getting a glimmer on two following projects.
At the retreat, we all talked about the very subject you just posted about: the pros and cons of the hybrid publishing trek. Three of the ladies area already schlepping down the hybrid path, the rest of us are at various levels of completion of traditional projects.
So here’s another gnarly question:
What’s your take on being both a fiction and a nonfiction writer? I have a mystery series started, but the agent wants to see a revamp of a nonfiction book I started 12 years ago. So right now I’m concentrating on that (strike while the iron is hot, after all) but I do know the agent believes you should only write in either fiction or nonfiction at one time.
The only problem is, my brain keeps rattling along on the mystery series, as well.
Any words of wisdom?
Thanks so much for your continued transparency and openness on your blog. I can’t tell you the number of times your posts have given me a lift and a wonderful new perspective on what I’m doing.
Sarah Gunning Moser
Bellevue, WA
I’ve never done it with trad and self-publishing, but I ran my own business nights and weekends while I had a job for years.
I hated it. I like being my own boss.
I have, though, worked on multiple books and/or series at the same time. I’m taking a break from writing to do some skills upgrades, but when I go back, I’ll be working on two different series of Chandleresque cozies (one with a male protagonist, one with female), another Irish mystery, a slice-of-life cozy that’s less mystery and more English village life, and at least one non-fiction book.
My brain seems to thrive on the differential spark.
“Irish Mystery”? Okay Joel, my curiosity is piqued. I’ve never heard that term before, what’s an Irish Mystery? :-)
I don’t know why I haven’t found your blog before – but I have now, and this post really struck a chord. I delivered revisions for my latest book a few weeks ago. The release date (on Amazon) was October 10th. I received a phone call yesterday from my publishers saying the ebook was going live today, Thursday. “But I haven’t seen the proofs yet!” I gasped. “Ah,” said the publisher. I received a PDF file of the book at 3.30 pm and delivered the corrections at 9 pm, cross eyed and exhausted. Which is one of the reasons I’m seriously thinking of going hybrid. At least that sort of thing wouldn’t happen!
Great post, Elizabeth!
Joel –I can totally understand that. It’s a great feeling to be in control of what we’re doing each day. But…it’s a little scary occasionally, too. When I’m approving or asking for changes in cover design, I have moments where I’m thinking to myself: what on EARTH do I know about cover design?! And the truth is….nothing. I’m never a part of that process with trad pub. So sometimes I have folks with a better eye than I do to look at the covers. But…yes, ultimately, it sure does feel better to be in control of our schedules.
That’s amazing! I wish I could work on more than 1 project at a time. I’d have more published that way, I’m sure.
Sarah–Thanks so much for the kind words! Your retreat sounds wonderful. :)
I’ve been asked several times lately to work on non-fiction projects…always a third party publisher, though, not Penguin and never my agent (who, when asked, is a real fan of branding to a particular subgenre.)
Although I don’t have *time* to work on a separate non-fiction project (whether it’s a book on Memphis, or a coffeetable book of barbeque restaurants across America…both of which I’ve been asked to do), I think that I’d be completely able to work on non-fic and fic at the same time with no issues at all.
I have no problems editing one book while drafting another, for instance. It’s almost as if I use 2 different parts of my brain.
As far as branding, I don’t think non-fic offerings by a fiction writer would confuse readers at all. Non-fiction is so distinctly different in terms of appearance, etc., that I can’t imagine a reader of mine accidentally buying a book on modern-day Memphis, thinking they’re getting a mystery. But they’d likely be confused if I wrote a thriller under my name and were expecting a very gentle read (the type I’m currently writing.)
You’re absolutely right–an agent would most probably discourage you from working on your fiction if they’re wanting non-fic from you. There’s no reason for them to know you’re working on both, though. :) And you’d probably need a different agent for your mystery, anyway, unless your agent really handles a wide variety of stuff.
Paul–I’m curious as to Joel’s definition, too. I do know there’s a resurgence of interest in mysteries set in Ireland and with an Irish cast. In fact, this is even trickling into the cozy mystery genre–my friend Sheila Connelly has a series set in Ireland now.
Lesley–Eep! Now *that* is a tight deadline!
You’re right…with self-pub, the problem is *never* the proofing! We always get a chance to see our manuscript before it goes live. The delays are usually along the lines of cover production and formatting.
Dina–Thanks!
wow, multi publishing must keep you busy!
i am writing two series, but letting my publisher deal with the publishing =) i also havea day job… ah, bills, must be paid…
Tara–At some point we all hit a wall with the amount of time we have…there are only so many hours in a day! Yes, if you’re writing a couple of series and you have a day job, I can see where there would be no time left to start self-pubbing. :)
I find it amusing that everyone is jumping on the ‘hybrid’ wagon now in 2013 when I blogged about it in June 2011. I guess when NY finally acknowledges something exists, it exists.
The reality is a question of rights. The artists who survived digital in the music world controlled their rights and/or toured. For authors to survive long term, they either need to be that rare author who is constantly published by NY or controls at least some of their rights. There are many traditionally published authors who own NO rights to any of their material. While their paychecks might be nice now, the rapid turnover in the marketplace will insure most of those titles will sink without a trace if they aren’t constantly putting frontlist out.
One certainty is that there is no certainty in publishing.
I seriously hope I’m never writing two (or more) series at the same time. I do like the idea of having both traditionally published and self-published books though. It makes good sense.
Bob–You know how to coin a phrase. :)
Good point about the rights. I was lucky to have a series with good potential cancelled (I’d never have said those words in 2010 when it was brought to a close.) I asked for, and received, my rights back. I’d never have gotten into self-pubbing this quickly or gotten as much traction as I have, otherwise.
I think writers who want to have an extended career can’t focus solely on trad publishing…they need to diversify.
Thanks for coming by, Bob.
I’m not published either way, so these seem like good problems to have!
Julie–Ha! Yes, I guess if we have to have problems…these aren’t so awful, are they?
Patricia–Yes, I wouldn’t advise it, although some folks clearly do it really, really well! I sure would increase my productivity if I could swing it. My brain apparently doesn’t operate that way, though.
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