Sorry about the latter part of Saturday’s post.
You see, my mother was here last week to help; ostensibly to give me time to get out and do some jobs I wouldn’t otherwise be able to. However, I spent a good part of her visit biting my nails, frozen. Uncertain.
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Last week I walked into a local bookshop and pretended I was just a ‘normal’ person wanting to order my book when it comes out.
I got a haughty attendant. “Who’s the distributor?” she sighed, readying her hands to type in the details on the computer.
“I haven’t landed one yet…I’m still waiting to hear back from some places…”
She looked at me, slightly shocked. “Right. So you won’t be in any system.”
“I should be on BookData.”
She shrugged. “That doesn’t help much.”
“So what would someone do in a situation like this? I mean, I know how to get the book, but what if someone was to walk into a place in Queensland or WA? Anywhere really.”
She thought for a moment. “They’d have to Google the ISBN. But even then it would be a hunt to get your phone number. Most bookshops don’t have the time to do all that, which is why we prefer our distributors. Plus, it can cost us money chasing down publishers.”
She made very valid points, but all the time she was giving me this distrustful look, like I was dirty or weird.
It’s okay, because I’ve been getting that a lot; that look of of, you’re a self-publisher.
This is usually from folk who aren’t into writing, or creating, in any particular form but especially those not into the ‘Web 2.0’.
Because, guess what bloggers (like I’m sure you even need to be told): if you blog, you are self-publishing. It’s that simple.
So it wasn’t so much my situation as her attitude that bummed me out for a while, but after a little investigation I discovered I can get onto TitlePage on my own – if I pay for it – but it is a considerable outlay, and I’m not too sure if it’s worth it or not.
(Anyone with book trade knowledge is welcome to chime in here with your opinion).
Then yesterday, I walked into another bookshop to try my experiment again. This time, a wonderfully helpful and attentive manager even took me behind the counter to show me how TitlePage worked and to give me some friendly advice.
It was great. I would’ve planted a kiss square on her lips then and there if my husband wasn’t watching. The difference in perspective, of optimism, from her will help me keep on going.
It’s not easy. I don’t expect it will get any easier for a fair while, if at all.
But I will persevere.
It’s like being pregnant. You know the baby’s got to come sooner or later. You can do all the reading and research you please; in the end, you just hope you’ll be ready.
That’s what I’m hoping for.
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I remember a friend of mine self-published a poetry book – an excellent one, too.
She did a tour of bookshops and left a few copies in each after introducing herself – I think they paid as they were sold and then put orders in – and she sold a few thousand copies that way.
Another thing she did was connected with every newspaper in the area she was in to drum up the interest.
Hard work, but achieved, in 1998.
Good luck.
jeanie’s last blog post..The Post Grapefruit Marmalade Post Ramble
Good luck!
I’ve no idea about the publishing world but if you did book readings at local libraries and bookstores, along with book signings, they usually spark a fair bit of interest.
Jayne’s last blog post..Trivial History August 11
Hang in there… and I hope you and Keira are feeling better today, being sick is the worst!
Good luck! I hope you come up with a suitable solution.
Self publishing…….. I never thought of my blog like that before!
Bettina’s last blog post..Wet and Wild!
Isn’t it interesting what a difference customer service makes? There was no reason in the world for that first clerk to be so hateful.
jeanie – good for her. And a few thousand! nice job
jayne- yes, some of those are lined up
M- thanks hon ,we’re getting there
B- thanks hon
Janet – I know her, and she’s usually pretty good. maybe a bad day, eh?
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