Pioneers...the newest Authors

I decided to devote some time to the publishing process. Mainly because I want to sort my own thoughts and this blog seemed perfect. In the world of writing, there are common avenues authors pursue to publish. The first is the traditional publishing house. When I was young, I wanted to get into a big NY publishing house. That means you need a big NY agent, which I almost landed on my first attempt. However, fate decided that way too easy, so it didn’t pan out. I have since decided that goal is like the proverbial pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Who knows…I may get there and decide the years spent pursuing it left me with a pot that was more the size of the mini skillet I cook my solitary egg in rather than a pot.

Recent years, I have been desperate to leave the publishing house I am with now. It’s mainly politics and boring business that I won’t go into here. But, that has left me looking at the alternative to the big publisher which is the small publishing house. The best reason? You don’t need to wait and wait for an agent to contact you back only to repeat when the agent pursues publishers. But, what I find is that I must still wait for the publishing house. For someone who readily admits to patience issues, this waiting game is quite the challenge. For one house, I submitted, didn’t hear from them in about five months, resubmitted and heard back after another three. They wanted changes to the manuscript. So, I spent about three months changing things (which I agreed would strengthen the story) and resubmitted yet again. Now, five months later, I am still waiting. I know this is normal. Most authors considered a five month turn around quick. But, with the marketing I’m doing and the stories I keep writing, I just want to BE THERE!

The newest trend questions why go through a publisher at all? In the day of technology, why not self-publish straight onto Amazon Kindle and get to it. I watch these authors and they are pioneers. They know how to market. More so, they know how to watch the industry and make adaptions before big changes hit. They are always evolving and growing. More than that, they are ever insistent that this is the way the writing world is changing. Most would agree that Kindle and the Ipad have changed the field of books in many ways. Big publishing houses are going out of business at a scary rate.

So, as an author, do you wait or jump on this new and exciting voyage? For me, it’s kind of like the day of the pioneers. Some jumped in a wagon and crossed the Oregon Trail for the prospects of a better future. Some of these were successful and…if you played that old computer game you’d know…many ended with a grave marker part way through. Others chose to stay back until the paved road was created. Me…I guess I am this third. I’m too scared to venture on my own…for now. But I am also growing very tired of waiting for my life to start. At some point, I wonder when patience turns into silliness and missed opportunities.