It didn’t take long for Napavine author Kyle Pratt to take advantage of the information in Saturday’s newspaper about Timberland Libraries joining the SELF-e program.
By Monday morning, he had already submitted several of his six independently published books to the SELF-e program, although I noticed Timberland already carries 10 versions of his “Strengthen What Remains” action/adventure series and his two science fiction novels.
“I had worked on my craft, and submitted stories for over 10 years, but usually received no response from agents or publishers,” Pratt said. “It got to the point that I knew I could write stories worthy of publishing, but did not have the means. When e-books came along, I saw a way to bring my stories to readers. It took several years to build up my readership, but now I do e-books, print on demand, and audiobooks.”
The same thing happened to Micheal Hurley, of Mossyrock. After receiving “a plethora of rejection letters and a couple of scam agents,” he self-published his first book, “I Solemnly Swear: Conmen, DEA, the Media and Pan Am 103,” in 2004.
At that time, self-publishing didn’t have a good reputation, primarily because many authors failed to hire professional editors and proofreaders.
“Editing is critical,” Pratt said. “I use critique groups, beta readers and hire professional editors before any book is released. I also hire graphic artists for the covers and e-book formatters.”
So does Hurley, adding “I like to use local talent whenever I can.”
Gatekeepers in publishing houses have always rejected the majority of manuscripts, but because technology advances have made self-publishing easier, many authors simply skip the traditional route.
“I prefer the term ‘indie publish.’ Self-publish has the image of boxes of books stacked in the garage that will never be sold,” Pratt said. “I keep a few copies of my books to give to reviewers and bloggers, but other than that I have no inventory.
“If I had waited to be traditionally published I might have one book out, maybe none,” he continued. “By using indie publishing, I now make a living running my own publishing business and writing books.”
Indie publishers can obtain tips at the Sept. 17 third annual Southwest Washington Writers Conference at Centralia College. In addition to hearing from memoirist Jennifer Lauck, conferees can attend three of 15 workshops. Early registration deadline is July 15, after which the $60 fee increases to $80.
Pratt, who belongs to four writers critique groups, will present a workshop with Centralia author Carolyn McCray called “Indie Publishing: Amazon KDP Select vs. Everyone Else.” McCray publishes exclusively through Amazon; Pratt uses Nook, iTunes, Google Play and other vendors.
“Successful indie publishers must be good writers, but they also need to be good marketers and business people,” their workshop description states.
Maggie Lynch, author of 15 books including “DIY Publishing,” will explore what services indie publishers should pay for and why.
Jill Williamson, a traditionally published author, will teach “Punctuation 101” and “Writing Great Villains,” while marketing expert Veronika Noize will present sessions on “Marketing your Work (& Yourself)” and “Social Media Strategies and Hacks for Writers.”
Traditionally published writers will also share what they’ve learned. Lauck will teach workshops on writing memoirs, novels and essays, while Mary Daheim, whose name brought up 80 Timberland Library listings, will discuss her 30-year publishing journey in “Writing Mysteries and Developing Characters.”
Melanie Dobson, Leslie Gould and Terri Reed will talk about “Navigating the Publishing World.” Each will teach another workshop too — Dobson, “Writing Historical Fiction”; Gould “Romancing Your Novel”; and Reed “The Anatomy of a Well-Layered Story.” Jennifer Anne Messing will discuss how to “Publish Consistently in Magazines.”
To register, visit the website at http://southwestwashingtonwriters.com/conferences/
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at memoirs@chaptersoflife.com.
