Why I Chose to Fight the Odds
by Ryan Graudin
These days in the writing world, there seems to be a growing rift in opinions regarding traditional publishing vs self-publishing. Why go through the endless hoops of rejection and blind-luck that accompanies the world of traditional publishing when you can control every aspect of your book and make it widely available to the public on your own?
When you look at the statistics, it?s easy to see why so many writers choose the path of self-publishing. Frankly speaking, landing a contract with a traditional publishing house is hard. This article by Michelle White dives into more details about the numbers, but it seems the odds of landing a single agent and securing a book contract is around .0001%. No matter how you look at it, those numbers are daunting and heart-wrenching.So, as a writer, why did I choose to fight those odds?
I?ve been on both sides of the publishing spectrum. I was 17 when I self-published my first novel. It was my senior thesis for my creative writing major (I went to an arts high school), a 250-page fantasy novel entitled Shadows Fall. As a part of the course requirements, I had to self-publish the novel. This was 2005, mind you, and self-publishing was still a relatively new concept. In the end I sold close to 300 copies to my very eager family and friends.
Fast forward eight years and I?m now fortunate enough to be a part-time writer with a two-book contract with HarperTeen. Those eight years were filled with a lot of writing, re-writing, rejection and tears (I would say sweat and blood, but unfortunately typing only burns so many calories). I faced a lot of fears and set-backs, but I never really considered going back to self-publishing.
Honestly, I?m glad I didn?t. Despite the odds, traditional publishing provides one thing self-publishing doesn?t: accountability. My agent and my editor have made me write and rewrite and tweak my manuscript in ways I would never think of on my own. What I would?ve considered publishable on my own was actually only a third or fourth draft out of ten. Traditional publishing has pushed my work to be the best it can be before it faces the world.
This isn?t to say there aren?t self-published books of literary merit, or that all traditionally published books are masterpieces, but after going through both processes I?ve begun to appreciate the sieve that traditional publishing provides. As a reader, I?m much more likely to choose a book that?s first been plucked from the slush by an agent and an editor. As a writer, it?s invaluable to have a team of professionals guiding me through the process of sharing my stories with the world. They have insights and ideas and resources that are far beyond my scope. For me, it was worth fighting the odds and taking that risk to give my book the chance to be the best it can possibly be.
What about you guys? For the writers among you, what method of publishing have you chosen to pursue and why? As readers, do you hold any bias for or against a book based on its publishing process?
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