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A long, long time ago (possibly in a galaxy far away) I was published by New York. My first three novels were traditionally published. I had an agent, an advance, mass market paperbacks, horrible copyedits, no one returning my calls, the whole nine yards.

One of the results of this is that I’m on more than one email list of professional writers, most of whom are all still traditionally published.

I cannot, and would never, give you specific details of the conversations from these groups.

Let me assure you, however, that the stories I’ve read would make your hair curl.

In general, I’ve heard about non-responsive editors. Editors who take two-three years before replying. Or editors who send manuscripts to writers months late and insist that the author return the manuscript with all the edits incorporated in less than 48 hours. Editors who never give a straight response when asked about sales, about the next book in a series, or about the marketing that was promised but never received.

I’ve heard about some of the more draconian aspects of contracts being enforced, from non-compete clauses to hanging onto all rights forever (though the publisher has officially declared the book out of print) and so on.

I’ve heard about publishing snafus that just make me shake my head. Books not available. Books not ordered for book tours. Books delivered incorrectly, missing front pages, or back pages, or with the author’s name spelled wrong.

These are not stories from some long lost era, either. These have all happened in the last year or so. To people I know.

Thankfully, there are other options now, for all writers.

I know some writers who are insistent that they need the validation of a New York publisher. Or when an advance makes a tremendous difference in being able to survive for the next year.

I sympathize. I do. It’s difficult to make the transition to being responsible for every part of your career.

Let me say it again:

It’s difficult to make the transition to being responsible for every part of your career.

Too often I see writers abdicating control. Oh, their agent will take care of X, then complaining when X never happens, when their agent won’t help, when it turns out that their agent has been cheating them for years. Or feeling like they don’t want to bother their editor with pesky details like getting paid.

Or accepting being treated like a lesser partner in their business transactions, when, in fact, it is their business. There wouldn’t be a book without the writer. Period.

Moving to self publishing just aggravates this situation. There’s no one who could take care of the writer. No one to blame for the bad cover or boring blurb. No one to do the budgeting or the marketing.

It takes courage to move away from the tried and true. To break away from the pack. To bet on yourself that you can make it, if not with this book, then the next, or the next.

Some people will never move away from traditional publishing. Then again, they’re being treated well enough by their publisher.

Others, though, are finally deciding to make that leap. To strike a path out on their own. To give that book of the heart a chance to thrive with a new cover, new blurb, the right marketing.

To those staying on the old path, I wish you well. I truly do. I want you to succeed and be happy.

To those of you moving to the new path, I also want to encourage you. It can be a bit bumpy, and there’s a learning curve, but none of it is that difficult. Don’t be too easily discouraged. It can take time. But having that control can make it all worthwhile.

And if you are moving to that new path, let me know. We can help.

http://www.krpworkshops.com/

http://www.knottedroadpress.com/production-services/

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