A Ship Named Novella
Anyone who has written anything knows how hard it is to find a publisher for his or her work, especially without an agent.
Finding a publisher is a difficult task, finding one for a novella is even harder.
Most publishers won’t touch a novella because novellas are too short to justify the cost of printing.
So what’s the writer of a novella to do? One piece of advice was to make the story longer. That’s easier said than done.
Andrew Zornoza wrote a wonderful meditation on the novella:
The novella is the freest of forms because it chooses itself. An author does not set out to write a novella. The story says: I will end here, I am this way, now go find a publisher. ..
Source: http://johnmadera.com/2009/10/20/little-monsters-recommended-novellas-an-addendum/
Exactly!
So after swallowing this reality, I’ve decided to take hold of the helm (or tiller / steering wheel) and become the captain of my own ship.
Get ready for extreme waves!
Self-publishing can definitely be a long scary process. But we are not alone; self-publishing is definitely a sign of the times. And thankfully, today there are several options.
Let’s take P.O.D (Print-on-demand) for example,
I have come to understand that there are quite a few P.O.D publishers. Some of these P.O.D publishers come highly recommended by their users; others have scanty reputations.
After doing quite a bit of homework to find out who is on top, I listed three POD publishers that are among those highly recommended:
- iUniverse
- Aventine Press
- Virtual Bookworm
Of course when going with P.O.D you have worries like: cost, finding your own editor, doing your own marketing, the reality of brick-and-mortar bookstores being reluctant about stocking P.O.D books; and most importantly, understanding how their royalties system works.
Still weighing my options.
Another that I’ve considered is Beaver’s Pond Press. Beaver’s Pond Press is a mentoring press that offers a ton of services to their authors. These include proof reading, editing, cover design, training on marketing and other things you’ll need in your toolbox.
I haven’t made-up my mind on Beaver’s Pond; the upfront costs are a little more than the P.O.D publishers.
Of course the more money you have, the more options you’ll have.
One author I spoke with decided to start his own publishing company. He worked with a small printing company to get his book published. Then he approached private bookstores, convincing them to stock his book. This particular author worked his butt off and sold over 16,000 copies. Good for him!
Another option is to purchase and register your ISBN number and sell your book yourself either through Amazon.com or some other creative method via the Internet.
So as the ocean waves roll in, I grab the helm to adjust the rudder in preparation for this voyage called self-publishing. My bow moving forward in a ship named Novella.
I know…I know the captain and the helmsman have two different positions. So maybe I should say Captains, choose your helmsmen! But when choosing, remember that the captain is the one who goes down with the ship…
I wish you all the best on your new voyage–self-publishing. Just remember that self-publishing involves a lot of marketing plans, and implementing strategies. Make sure to iron your plans out before plunging to your marketing campaigns. Good luck!
Thank you!!!!
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Hello Autumn,
Good luck with self -publishing. I read your piece and enjoyed the insight in which it provides as I one day plan on writing a book. The information you provided in your article will definitely enhance my direction when I reach this point in my journey. One of the main things to do is continue writing good pieces and you’ll never know who the Almighty may put in your path to reach your dreams in getting your books published. Just keep on researching and following your heart for I truly believe that when you stay on track with your dreams that one day you will not only arrive but arrive with satisfaction.
Thank you for the encouraging words Vette=)
Hello Autumn! I’m the managing editor at Beaver’s Pond Press. I was doing a routine Google search for our name, and I came across your blog. Congratulations on writing a novella–what a huge accomplishment! Also, congratulations on your decision to self-publish!
The publishing industry is in such a huge transition period right now, and it’s certainly not going to stop transitioning soon. The biggest difference that we’ve seen in recent years is that self-publishing is a much more celebrated and respected form of publishing than it once was. Where it used to be a last resort for authors without other options, many authors are actually choosing self-publishing over traditional publishing models. Self-publishing is becoming the preferred option in many cases, because authors want to be the ones to control their success. Also, the opportunities for financial gain are often much greater. There’s never been a better time for you to be a self-published author!
We would love to meet with you and discuss different publishing options. Please feel free to fire off an email or phone call anytime. We also offer a free service that you might find useful. We review every manuscript that comes in for the strengths and weaknesses of the writing, suggestions for revision, the marketability, and the consistency with the Chicago Manual of Style (the publishing style-Bible). If nothing else, it’s free feedback. In this process, we also weed out books that aren’t yet ready for publication, and let the authors know why we can’t publish them yet.
I wish you the best of luck on your publishing journey! Please let me know if we can help in any way.
Warmly,
Amy Cutler, Managing Editor at Beaver’s Pond Press, (952)829-8818