Sunday 12 June 2016

My Writing: Self-Publishing and Beyond

I am currently getting ready to query agents about Amber & Ice (which has a brand new title that I'm really excited about but am going to keep to myself for a little while longer).

This doesn't mean that I have given up on self -publishing. The Elements of Power trilogy will continue to be available as ebooks (and hopefully in physical copies when I eventually get around to it). I have loved my experience self-publishing and my writing is so much better for it. A&I wouldn't be the book it is without the helpful feedback I've received on Elements of Power from bloggers and reviewers. I have a better sense of what works well, where my weaknesses lie and have improved my pacing and plotting so much as a result. I now know that I'm good at character who polorise opinion; something I'm going to put to good use in the two other novels I have in the pipeline at the moment.

I've also learnt how to market and sell my work. Experience I never would have gained without self-publishing.

I'm proud of the sales I have achieved (and am still achieving, over a year after Air was published) with Elements of Power. I get such a thrill when I log into Amazon and look at my sales dashboard. Self-publishing has never been about making money for me, but about sharing my work and every sale is another person who is reading (and hopefully enjoying) the novels that gave me so much joy to write.

However, I know that my writing can be better. I know that the experience a good literary agent and editor can bring will be invaluable to my writing. And I still want to realise that dream of walking into Waterstones and seeing my name on the shelf. That's why I'm still searching for representation, even after my brilliant experience self-publishing.

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