Author G.K.Ray
So, it's me again. I visited the blog on a whim after a friend asked me to look at hers and thought I ought to update mine. Here I am. As the title of this blog suggests, I published a book. The same Young Adult piece I'd worked on since 2009 was edited and published in October 2018 through Amazon: FRACTURED SERAPH.
Yes, I self-published. It was a hard road, but a road I've wanted to be on for years. I learned a lot about the industry and the process of routine writing. After I sent out 40+ query letters, each one specifically designed toward the needs and wants of the agent, I got a slew of rejections, a few no answers, and one interested party based in England. That publishing house was keen on my story so long as I signed a contract that split the cost 50/50. I wanted to go with them desperately, but where on earth would I find the thousands of dollars they asked for? Come to find out, I was better off going my own way.
I published with the help of a local editor who not only helped me revise, but also collate, design, and distribute my book for the mass market. I learned I really should have explored the genre I'd written before I queried my first agent. I should have had a professional editor go over the manuscript. And I probably should have broadened my creative horizons with a bit of artistic talent. They say no writer wants to sell themselves to market the book. I can 100% confirm this to be TRUE. Even now, almost a year later, my book sales are slim to none as I begin to look into ways that I can market on a budget. As someone who is on disability and low income, making my dream come true almost broke me. Between the edits, formatting and distribution, as well as the cost of commissioned cover art... It was all worth it for my hard work to see the light, but just barely.
Anyway, enough about finances. I wrote and published a novel. I'm already working on the next one. This time around, I plan to be a little more cautious and plan ahead. It doesn't matter how long it takes me to write the very best book I can or to save up as much money as possible to produce said novel. I want to be thorough. I want to do this story justice. And I will.
Yes, I self-published. It was a hard road, but a road I've wanted to be on for years. I learned a lot about the industry and the process of routine writing. After I sent out 40+ query letters, each one specifically designed toward the needs and wants of the agent, I got a slew of rejections, a few no answers, and one interested party based in England. That publishing house was keen on my story so long as I signed a contract that split the cost 50/50. I wanted to go with them desperately, but where on earth would I find the thousands of dollars they asked for? Come to find out, I was better off going my own way.
I published with the help of a local editor who not only helped me revise, but also collate, design, and distribute my book for the mass market. I learned I really should have explored the genre I'd written before I queried my first agent. I should have had a professional editor go over the manuscript. And I probably should have broadened my creative horizons with a bit of artistic talent. They say no writer wants to sell themselves to market the book. I can 100% confirm this to be TRUE. Even now, almost a year later, my book sales are slim to none as I begin to look into ways that I can market on a budget. As someone who is on disability and low income, making my dream come true almost broke me. Between the edits, formatting and distribution, as well as the cost of commissioned cover art... It was all worth it for my hard work to see the light, but just barely.
Anyway, enough about finances. I wrote and published a novel. I'm already working on the next one. This time around, I plan to be a little more cautious and plan ahead. It doesn't matter how long it takes me to write the very best book I can or to save up as much money as possible to produce said novel. I want to be thorough. I want to do this story justice. And I will.
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