E.S. Raye

One of the things I dislike about the writing community is the negative discourse regarding trad vs self-publishing. We’re all writers, are we not? Of course, I can see where the soreness comes from on both sides, but I think it’s all noise, really.

In my opinion, neither traditional nor self-publishing by themselves says much about the content of the actual story. I’m less concerned with how you published than I am with the love and effort that went into creating the book.

And the fact is, there are pros and cons to both, of course.

But that’s not exactly what our topic for today is. Or it is, in a roundabout sort of way:

Why am I publishing Gas Giant Gambit traditionally?

No Solid Plans

When I started writing Gas Giant I really didn’t think too much about what the plan would be. To be honest, I think I just assumed I would publish traditionally, but only because self-publishing hadn’t occurred to me yet. I was very knew to the whole scene.

Eventually, as I dipped my toes into social media writing communities, I learned more about what was available. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do–writing the book was the only real priority at that time–but it was nice to know there were options.

I was well aware that querying traditional publishers would be a long, grueling process rifle with rejections, especially since this was my first novel and I had no published short stories to my name. I tried to comfort myself with the knowledge that Dune, along with other well-known novels, were rejected dozens of times. So, it was nice to know that I could pivot to self-publishing if I couldn’t find a publishier that wanted to take a chance on a debut author.

Going Trad

I admit, my personal biases played at least a little in the decision to ultimately try traditional publishing first. I have been a massive Stephen King fan since I was younger than probably appropriate, and I wanted to be like him.

But, I did have other reasons above that.

The first of which seems silly now, in hindsight.

I never had any idea what I wanted the cover to look like. I’m a pretty creative and visual guy, so it bugged me for months that I could not visualize the cover at all. That fact played a huge role in the decision. I wanted someone to help me figure out the cover.

It was only after I got my book deal and the publishing process began that I figured out it was the cover artist that provided that help, not my publisher…

In any case, I still had one more, far more valid reason: money.

The moment I discovered just how expensive self-publishing could be, I knew it couldn’t be Plan A. I couldn’t afford any of the cover artists I liked. I couldn’t afford a professional editor. I couldn’t afford marketing.

I needed the financial backing of a traditional publisher.

Reality and Plan B

I did my best to get Gas Giant edited as well as I could without a professional; I had several (7? 8?) drafts, a bunch of beta readers, and my mother-in-law stepping in to edit.

With all that done, I started querying the ninth draft, and held my breath for the tsunami of rejections I was expecting.

And in that tide came. I started with agents, and was rejected four times. If you can even call some of them rejections: two or three of them just ignored me.

I got frustrated and decided to try a different tactic for a little while; I switched to sending the manuscript directly to small publishers with open submissions.

I also began seriously considering self-publishing at this time, despite the potential cost. I thought the editing was as shelf-ready as I could get it, and the whole querying process was agonizingly slow. I don’t know if there are agents or publishers that accept simultaneous submissions, or if people submit to more than one even if they’re not supposed to, but I was sending Gas Giant out one at a time, and waiting months for a response.

One indie publisher rejected me, and I was researching more, when one of the short stories I had been writing while I queried (thinking a publishing history would help my query letter) was accepted by Alex Parker Publishing. Through the process of getting that story published, I built a bit of a relationship with the company, and when I looked over the kinds of novels they were looking to publish, it felt like a natural fit. I offered the first chapter to them, and they asked for the whole manuscript shortly thereafter.

My hopes were high, but I tried to keep perspective. Which was good, because they had the manuscript for a while. Internal issues with the company and personnel slowed the process down.

It was hard to wait, but based on their own wish-list, it felt perfect, so I was willing to. But while I waited I made the decision that if Alex Parker Publishing didn’t want Gas Giant Gambit I would self-publish, after all.

The Right Fit For Me

Ultimately, Alex Parker Publishing offered me a book deal, and I have no doubt in my mind that this was the right choice for me and my debut novel.

While I now know the help I wanted for the cover I would have gotten from the artist no matter which publishing path I took, Alex Parker still helped me find the right artist, and I didn’t have to spent a dime.

They also helped massively with editing. I thought it was good to go. I was wrong. I had done a good job on character and structure, but they helped me punch up the language and fixed a few minor story issues I had overlooked. Issues I would have been embarrassed to find after publishing.

I do think I could have probably published it as it was, but I’m not sure it would have been all that successful. Looking back on it, I see the value of a professional editor, and I would now never self-publish without one.

But again, I didn’t spend a cent.

And now that the release date is approaching (September 16th!), marketing efforts are beginning, and Alex Parker is helping out with that as well.

In the end, I’ve had a remarkable experience with an independent publisher that believes in Gas Giant Gambit as much as I do, and wants to see it succeed as much too.

I know I’m lucky. I’ve read horror stories about new authors getting screwed by indie publishers. I know my querying period was remarkably short for a debut novel.

I know my experience is not everyone’s.

But it was right for me, and I wouldn’t change any of it.