Five Things I Learned From Publishing “Smaller” Works
By Carrie Fancett Pagels
By the time October rolls around, my fourth publication in
six months will be released--my short story, “Snowed In: A Northwoods Christmas,”
with Guidepost Books. My debut fiction release, a novella, was published in
late March: “Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance” with Helping
Hands Press. I also contributed a story
to “God’s Provision in Tough Times” by Cynthia Howerter and LaTan Murphy with
Lighthouse of the Carolinas and my nonfiction psychology article for the
American Association of Christian Counselors was published last week in their
beautiful print journal. I published in
nonfiction (co-author of a chapter in a book and in journal articles) in the
past, also.
Here are my thoughts and experiences, for what they are
worth, and I hope they may be helpful to the Inkies’ readers.
1)
Habits. All that practice of blogging and writing
articles for ezines (with no financial compensation) can pay off. This is why having experienced deadlines, and
meeting thos,e and getting in the habit of not shirking deadlines matters: when
you get to the real, i.e., paying, deal, you will have less stress than someone
who never has done so.
2)
Differences.
All editors are not created equal. Nor are writers, etc. Having had the
pleasure of working with a handful of wonderful freelance editors I was
familiar with this fact (which goes back to point #1!) But the differences can vary so wildly that it
can be mind boggling. And if it is the first time working with that particular
editor, you have to learn her/his ways. When I was a psychology intern writing
psych reports, I though there was one way to do it “right.” I ended up working
under every professor during my three year internship. Each one had a totally
different way of editing my reports. And each was “right,” in other words—I
better produce a report that was exactly his/her definition of what it “should”
look like. Enough said.
3)
User-friendly.
Setting up an Amazon account was nowhere near as difficult as I thought it
might be. Goodreads was a tad
harder—worth it but not super easy.
4)
Marketing.
Budgeting time for marketing is an important part of having one project out and
working on the next one. Although I’d been in the habit of marketing for my two
group blogs, Overcoming With God and Colonial Quills, it was a bit of a
different game when it was for my own book. Now I had an additional layer of
marketing I needed to do. Also, some
publishers have their own publicity and promotional teams that you end up on
and these add another activity that you must add to an already packed calendar.
5)
Acceptance.
This one is tricky. Although I had completed two full-length polished
manuscripts (over 95K), two full manuscripts through the second draft, a
polished novella (20K), had a half dozen incomplete manuscripts plus other
writing credits and a thesis and dissertation, one new 20K novella gave me an
entrée into the published fiction world.
It opened a lot of doors that had been closed before. Not all of them. I still don’t have a
published novel in the CBA market. But when I do, I hope I’ll be back on
Inkwell Inspirations sharing some more of what I’ve discovered!
Giveaway: Leave a
comment about something you’ve learned and how it compares with my experiences.
Winner will receive a signed copy of “God’s Provision in Tough Times” and an
ebook copy of “Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance” or the
brand-new paperback copy of the novella!
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Contact info
Carrie Fancett Pagels
Facebook Author Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carrie-Fancett-Pagels/317053071710640?fref=ts
Facebook Personal
Page http://www.facebook.com/carriefancettpagels
Twitter https://twitter.com/cfpagels
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/carriefpagels/
Links to purchase Return
to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murray-puras-cry-of-freedom-volume-1-return-to-shirley-plantation-murray-pura/1114941171?ean=2940016542836
God’s Provision in
Tough Times
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Provision-Cynthia-Howerter-La-Tan-Murphy/dp/1938499441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358266747&sr=8-1&keywords=cynthia+howerter
Thanks, Carrie, for guest-blogging today and sharing about your publishing experiences.
ReplyDeleteBased on what you learned, would you recommend unpublished authors focus mainly on selling to a CBA publisher (big or small) or taking more of a hybrid approach, similar to yours?
How much writing time would you say an author will need to give up in order to manage the marketing aspects of her indie books?
I think unpublished authors should discuss all their options with their agents and pray about their decisions. And then they should obey God's direction.
ReplyDeleteGood advice! Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, DeAnna! I think that is probably info you already know, but it is kind of you to say that! Best wishes on your new release and on joining the Inkies!!! Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteI think we are all running to catch up with the explosion...what we thought was the publishing world is so wildly open now with options. I'm glad to learn from what others are doing because it's all a bit crazy!
ReplyDeleteNice to have you here to visit Carrie!
Deb, I am at the beach with an editor friend (she edits for 3 ABA houses.) She says the market is flooded and so newbies have to differentiate themselves somehow! I totally agree with you. Nice to be here, thanks, Deb!!!
ReplyDeleteThink back just five years and to the publishing options for authors--published and unpublished.
ReplyDeleteE-Readers have revolutionized the industry.
Carrie, you are sooo right about praying and seeking wise counsel. The key is accepting that wise counsel generally isn't family members.
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences. I'm just so glad to see your writing out there!!! Congrats!
Wonderful advice that I will tuck under my hat until the day I decide to write a story or a book. IF that day ever comes. :) Congrats, CARRIE! If ever there was a person with determination you are she and I'm expecting a full length published novel by you any time now!
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie thanks for all the great advice. Who knows I might decide to try my hand at writing one day. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL Gina--family members may not generally know the industry. Things have changed so much. I agree--ereaders have changed things so much. It is a different market when it isn't totally relying on a print product. Thankfully all four of my recent small publications have print but the ebook that first came out made me realize how big the ebooks are now!
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Dina--small or not, it is so gratifying to finally have some publications out there! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBless you, Diana! You have been such a wonderful friend, amazing reviewer, and awesome encourager. I fully expect to see you as a published author one day and I hope my journey helps you!
ReplyDeleteTeresa, you are a lovely poet and do such great reviews--I fully expect that you will be writing Christian fiction some day! Thanks for coming by and for all your support!
ReplyDeleteCarrie, You're an amazing writer and friend. I always learn something when I read anything you have written! Thanks for being so generous in sharing your knowledge of the industry. Love ya!
ReplyDeleteAnne, thanks so much for coming by! You are such a sweetheart! Loved our time working together down at Blue Ridge--esp. our research trip to a certain historic Asheville estate ;) Glad you learned something today! Yikes--3:45 a.m.! Love ya, too, Anne!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Carrie! I'm glad for the opportunity to learn this from you. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Susanne! Thank you! I love to share little things I learn. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteWe're a little late with the drawing but per random.org, the winner is Teresa Mathews! Congrats, T!!!
ReplyDelete