Digital publishing as a stepping-stone to New York was recently mentioned on Twitter, and I thought I’d share a few of my thoughts on that matter. I’ve been digitally published for several years and, since I recently decided to throw a few things in the direction of New York, it’s something I’ve given some thought to.
Before I touch on some of the pitfalls of considering digital publishing a stepping stone, I’d like to be slightly biased and urge people to embrace digital publishing for what it is—a unique and viable business model that is different, not lesser.
Why considering digital publishing a stepping-stone to New York could cause you to stumble:
* After working with a digital publisher for any length of time, working with a big New York publisher can be a bit of a shock. In a small press environment, it’s easy to take the amount of input on your book’s production for granted, as well as the access to editors and the publisher.
* It’s very easy to be seduced by the novella. You can put out more stories in less time, they sell well, and they’re a great way to build a backlist. You don’t have to write many before the idea of writing a 90,000 word manuscript is daunting.
* Speaking of word count, having so much freedom of content and word count (12,000-100,000 for example) can cause those “writing to guidelines” skills to grow a little rusty.
* An unpleasant truth, but the environment of digital romance publishing—including numerous review sites and awards—can give an author an inflated view of her writing.
Most importantly, in my opinion:
* To succeed in digital publishing, you need to be prolific and you need to build your readership. It’s very difficult to carve out time for writing a New York-bound manuscript when you’re working hard to build your digital backlist.
How about you? Are you considering digital publishing as a stepping stone to New York. Why or why not? If you’re an author who’s made the jump, do you have any advice? Or perhaps you write for both digital and traditional print publishers and have some thoughts you could share. What do you think?
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If you’re happy with digital and used to it, why would you want to go to New York at all?
On the word count thing, my publisher takes stand-alones down to 3K words, so the range is even wider. [nod]
I kind of want to say that I’d like to be New York published eventually, but the truth is that I want to have my books in hardcopy at national chain bookstores. Supermarkets and WalMart and all that would be cool too. None of that is going to happen with a small press, even though my primarily e-book publisher (Torquere) also offers trade paperbacks. They just don’t have the distribution reach.
Right now, the kinds of stories I’m writing wouldn’t sell to New York anyway. (They’re still not convinced there’s “any market” for m/m romance. [eyeroll]) By the time they figure it out, some of the currently-small presses might have broader distribution, so… who knows? Maybe I’ll hop to a New York publisher some day, or maybe the small GLBT presses will grow until they can give me what I want. Either way, I’ll be happy.
Angie
If you’re happy with digital and used to it, why would you want to go to New York at all?
I think there are many reasons why an author who’s happy with digital publishing would still try to publish with a traditional NY house. (There are many who, like me, would like to do both.
There’s a broader readership in print and more distribution. I’m lucky to work with a publisher who has a strong print program but at the end of the day my book’s not at Walmart or Target and trade paperback prices are prohibitive.
Money. Contrary to that whole “laughing all the way to the bank” thing digitally published authors have thrown at RWA in the past, many don’t make career-sustaining money.
Stability’s been an issue with digital publishers.
And sometimes you just want a book out there you can talk about without explaining digital publishing and having to defend it repeatedly as a “real” book.
There are as many reasons for wanting a NY contract as there are writers. I just don’t feel that digital publishing should be considered a stepping stone.
These are excellent points. The two are really very different animals. Considering digital a stepping stone to print is probably akin to thinking community theater is a stepping stone to Hollywood.
Not that doing theater wouldn’t help you but it just requires a different skillset, a different type of acting. Both are equally valid but shouldn’t be considered the same thing.
I would love to do both. But like you said, I’ve gotten so used to writing short stories and novellas that I fear I would have a hard time adapting to NY.
I wouldn’t equate e-pups with community theater.
I think a better comparison would be comparing Broadway with The Met. Both are valid musical forms but they require a different skill set. Opera and musical theater are not the same thing and neither are e-publishing and print publishing. One isn’t a “stepping stone” to the other.
Other than that, I agree with you because one day, I’d like to do both. BUT…I’m happy with Ellora’s Cave right now.
Thanks for this post. I’m not pubs at all but I think authors should consider digital publishing now. I am. I think it’s only moving forward and would like to be published in both.
You bring up some good points. I admit to wanting what Angie wants “but the truth is that I want to have my books in hardcopy at national chain bookstores. Supermarkets and WalMart and all that would be cool too.”
It might not be the best reason, but I’d love to walk into my book store and see my book there. Of couse, I love seeing it on Amazon, too, but there are still a lot of readers who only buy at their local store.
On the other hand, I tried NY before getting into ebooks, and it took forever just to hear back from them. Like years forever. Granted, sans-agent but with requests from editors. I’m spoiled with my e-publishers now! I might be able to go the NY route.
All I ever wanted was to be published by Red Sage, and now I am, and very happily so. Lately, I’m feeling that pressure to go NY’ward, but you know, I’m awfully happy where I”m at. I’m the mom of two special needs kids, one who will be with me for the rest of his life, and I’m not sure NY style deadlines will ever work for me. DH thinks otherwise, and encourages me to spread my wings, but I’m still stalling on sending out those manuscript requests from RT.
Great blog topic, Jaci. Can’t wait to see the rest of the comments.
I’ve done workshops on this topic — stepping stone or stumbling block — and it boils down to what the author wants, and how hard she’s willing to work.
I know I’ve put out a quality product based on contest results where my books have been finalists alongside some of the Big NY Times names. But the content doesn’t quite fit the much narrower ‘requirements’ of what NY houses are buying. E-publishers seem more willing to take chances and test the waters.
I think money IS an issue unless you’re writing the ‘hotter’ stuff, or your publisher is willing to move beyond its own distribution site. It’s hard to sell books if nobody can find them.
I have a print only book out, but it’s with a small press, and they target the library market.
I’d love a NY contract if only so my books would be on shelves at the bookstore, the grocery store, and Walmart. Then my mom could point out my book to all her friends, and she’d probably be more thrilled than I’d be.
As far as the different skill sets required — it’s still closer than deciding you want to quit your job as a chef and become a writer–you will pick up tools of the trade along the way.
And thanks so much for not turning this into an ‘either-or post. Digital and mass market ARE different, and both have their positives and negatives.
Have you been reading my thoughts?
I’ve recently been pubbed in e-format and have a book coming out in October with TWRP. And I’ve just contracted for a erotic novella.
You’re right. Novellas are quick, easy and you can create so many in the time it would take to write a 70-90K book. And you don’t have time to get tired of the characters/story like you do with a big book. Is that a bad thing? I’m not sure. Right now, I feel liberated. I don’t have to write for the line that might close before I get the ms written up to snuff. (And then what?)
I keep thinking of the next generation of readers and writers, and know I’d rather jump on this opportunity while I can, instead of trying to break into something that’s failing in this stifled economy.
I’m sort of the opposite; I’ve got a series coming out from St. Martin’s starting this fall, which of course I’m beyond thrilled about–but I also find the digital publishing model very attractive. Like you, I think the ideal would be to have one foot in each world.
I think you have to put your complete focus into whatever you’re writing, and whoever you’re writing for. I think those authors who look at digital publishing as merely a stepping stone might not take it as seriously, might not focus as much, might not put their best work into their product, which could ultimately hurt them.
I started out in digital publishing, and at no time did I think of it as a stepping stone to NY print publishing. It was my main career for three years until I got an agent who signed me to two NY publishers.
I’m still in digital publishing as well as NY publishing. Why? Because digital publishing is a different business model, because I’m published more frequently, because I can write multiple stories in different genres. Because I can do things in digital publishing that I can’t do in NY publishing.
Digital publishing is simply a different business model and you can be very successful at it if you know what it is and you take it seriously. It’s not Step 1 of your publishing career or something to pass the time until your big break in NY publishing comes along.
Great blog topic, Shan.
Rather than seeing digital publishing as a stepping stone to somewhere, I think on it as another model that can be taken in addition to or instead of traditional publishing.
I do both and I’m not the only author who does. I do both for a lot of reasons – digital publishing is more flexible because the model gives them different challenges and benefits. Digital publishing is more immediate, their model allows for them to take on material that NY doesn’t very often. This means the overhead issues, the acquisition committees that hang up some stories in NY aren’t nearly as big a factor with digital publishing though they have other considerations NY doesn’t as well.
My career plan for the forseeable future will continue to include both digital/boutique publishing as well as traditional NY publishing. They both offer me different challenges and rewards. For me, that’s a huge benefit and it allows me to stretch my wings in many different ways.
I don’t think all epublishers are created equal any more than all NY publishers are and any author has to be careful and research the house before signing anything. But I think the model of digital publishing is vibrant and fresh and has many things to offer authors if they go with a house that is reliable, pays on time, puts out a well edited product with good covers.
I think even though digital publishing is a different business model than NY, it still offers valuable lessons for authors, especially those who see it as a branch of their career rather than just another rung on the ladder leading to NY. As someone who hopes to be able to juggle both types of writing careers, I have to say I’m not sure I would have had the stamina to stay in this business if not for the success I’ve had [and the paychecks] from digital publishing.
I would consider submitting to an epub, and not think of it as a step backwards. I admire authors who are able to strike this balance. Not to mention write fast enough to satisfy both audiences!
THANK YOU for saying it: digital is not a poor man’s New York nor a cross to bear on the road to “real” publication. Epub is the fastest growing and most eco friendly publishing route, with many advantages. What’s more, some authors are making a decent living at it–while sitting at home with the family.
I have great editors with my epub books and they’ve taught me plenty. The one on one easy communication with my editors does have me spoiled a bit. I have a fantasy book coming out with a mid-sized print only pub next year under a different name, but I plan on continuing my romance career in the digital market. One of the best things it has taught me is about promotion. That can only help in the print market.
I’m fortunate because (at this time) I don’t need to live off my writing. That frees me up to write the books I want.
I write those books and then look at the right publisher for the books. Right now, that’s small/e press. The market for my books is too small for large press.
I’ve been e-press/small press pubbed for 7 years now, and have sold 8 books (2 were reissues). In that time I’ve been told that I’m published, not published, kindof published, and every permutation in between. I don’t consider e-publishing second rate or anything of that nature, but apparently many people do. I don’t see my current publisher(s) as stepping stones but as learning opportunities–just as I will see a large-press sale if/when I get one. I think the thing that spurs me on is the feeling (right or wrong) that once I sell in this market, I will be “legit.”
I’m not saying it’s the way it should be; only that it’s out there, and I’m getting really tired of it.