I'm a "Traditional" kind of gal....

[Writers Plot]

Posted by Lorraine (L.L.) Bartlett

Saturday I was part of a group-signing at a (sort of) local library. Of the 13+ authors in attendance, I was the only traditionally published author.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, "traditionally published" means that a publisher bought my work. They paid me. I didn't pay them. And not only that, I received an advance against royalties. My work was something the publisher felt could generate income for them AND me.

The crowd was not big, but just about every reader who stepped up to my table (and several of the other "authors" in attendance) was confused. Wasn't everyone self-published these days?

NO, they aren't! And I'm certainly NOT.

One of the "authors" asked me, "How did you find a printer who would reproduce your book in that (mass market paperback) format?" I didn't deal with a printer. I dealt with a PUBLISHER. I queried them. They read my work; they bought the paperback rights. (I also had copies of the hard cover edition of my book at the signing.)

"Yeah, but what did all that cost YOU?"

It cost me NOTHING! I didn't have to pay anyone to publish my work. I worked at my craft for decades. I didn't just whip off a couple of poems, or dash off a 120-page memoir, or chronicle my trip to Ireland in 1995 and pay Exlibris, Authorhouse, PublishAmerica, or Lulu.com to come up with a perfect-bound facsimile of a book with my name attached to it.

Yes, it's a volatile subject, being a "self" versus "traditionally" published author, especially at such book signings. And believe me, I kept my mouth SHUT. (Thriller author Tess Gerritsen recently wrote an excellent blog on the subject. Find it here.)

I understand why some people go the self-publishing route. If you're nearing the end of your life cycle, it may be more important to see and hold the book of your heart in your hands. Often, a subject will only appeal to a niche audience and a large (or even small) publisher won't risk putting money into something they can't make a profit on. But if you hope to make a living, or at least establish a viable readership for your fiction, then being traditionally published is really the only way you can go.

It's all a question of logistics. Unless your "publisher" can jump through a number of hoops, like print runs, offering advances, the books being returnable, the work being professionally edited and copy edited (rules not only imposed by distributors, but by writing organizations such as Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America), etc., then the work is NOT going to be considered "professional." This is true even if the author goes the extra step and has the work professionally edited.

It took me a long, LONG time to get published. The heartache alone could've killed someone with less intestinal fortitude. (And yes, it has.) Don't think I didn't cry my eyes out over the HUNDREDS of rejections I received. And I've had rejections even SINCE being (traditionally) published. But the thing is...there's a reason why a national or even small publisher (who pays advances) would choose your book. Again: it's the money. Can they make money on you? If they can...you've jumped through all the hoops. Those hoops may disappear if they gamble on you and lose. It's all a crap shoot.

I'm hoping the gamble my three publishers have made on me will pay off. So far so good with publisher No. 1. They've bought the sequel to my first book. Yes, the first book could have sold more--I hope the second book will perform better and I've changed my marketing tactics in hopes we both will feel better about its bottom line. But they had enough faith in me to give me a second chance, and I'm eternally grateful. Publisher No. 2 gambled that their book club members would love the book and has given me a fantastic print run. And I want to do everything I can to reward the faith publisher No. 3 has shown in me by promoting my new series and finding lots of new readers. I want them to LOVE me.

I couldn't shout it out loud in that room full of self-published authors, but I'm PROUD TO BE TRADITIONALLY published, and I don't need to make any excuses.

P.S. The new paperback edition of my first book, MURDER ON THE MIND, is now available in paperback from Worldwide Mystery (and imprint of Harlequin). Check out the excerpt on my website and if it tickles your fancy, please visit my publisher's website and order it. Thanks!