New project keeping me busy. · 4:31pm Mar 26th, 2013
So I'm starting a new, non-pony project with the hopes of self publishing. I've written a few novel length works before, but none were really good enough to sent out into the world. Writing here on fimfiction has certainly been great practice, so thanks to everyone who's liked or commented on my stories.
This might slow down my posts here, but given my habit of writing in bursts and then taking a break for a bit, I kinda doubt it. I'm halfway through the next chapters of Harmonics and Falling Feather, so they'll be up sometime this week.
I'm tempted to set up some blog for my new project, as the chapter by chapter feedback has been more motivating than I would have thought, but I'm not sure anyone would be interested in non-pony stories, or how a blog like that would affect the story once I got into rewriting and eventually trying to get the story sold. Any opinions on that matter? Has anyone self published before? Traditional publishing is more appealing to me, as I've wanted to be a writer since I was old enough to read, but I honestly don't think that's feasible while I'm in college.
Of course this is all assuming I can write anything worth a damn. Which I should be doing now, and not procrastinating on my blog.
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I am a self published author and a regular blogger. I actually am publishing a story in increments on my blog I plan to publish when it's all done. It results in constructive criticism and helps give you a better understanding of the story actually. I've had people point out plot holes and things I then get to work fixing. I think it's something that could help. You'll actually build up a fanbase before you're published which would result in some initial sales
Even if you offer something to someone for free if they like you they will buy it to support you.
Oh and don't worry about making sure it's anything worth buying, I have seen some terrible things that people have self published
948569
Thanks for the advice. Do you know of any specific blog sites that would be good for something like this? And as for the terrible things people have self published, that seems like even more motivation to write something good and avoid being one of them.
I'm quite interested in non-pony stuff.
948623
I use Blogger.com personally but other people use WordPress as well. Those are the major two and nothing says you have to use them. Let me know if you decide to make a blog and I'd be happy to promote you on mine to help get your foot in the door and offer any help I can. But much like writing here has improved your writing, blogging here means you'll probably be able to just jump right in
948636
Thanks, I think I will.
948629 Ditto'd by a ditto.
The most concise advice about self-publishing is: don't. If you cannot write something interesting enough to find a publisher to risk his/her own money on printing and distributing, then you as a person are most unlikely to find book-stores who will lend you shelf-space. And even if you managed to sell your book, you would never find real success beyond pocket money: you don't have the distribution and marketing systems of a proper publisher. That's what a friend's father learned the hard way during the late 80's, when he couldn't find a publisher to accept his book, so he got a mortgage, printed his book and, well, still has a few cubic meters worth of yellowing paper.
And don't be blinded by self-published comic books: those are an always-rolling uphill battle for the author, mainly having to balance the cost of travelling around to conventions versus the profit that this or that convention gives. In fact, many authors don't travel at all, just publishing enough for the local conventions. They only find real success once they get picked up by a publishing house, like the case of Hellboy being picked up by Dark Horse Comics, or a number of comic strip web-comics eventually being picked up by some newspapers.
949083
I've actually done tons of research into publishing and the industry as a whole, and while this may have been true as few as 5 years ago, with the rise in ebook sales, self publishing has become much more acceptable and less of a gamble. True, I won't be getting my own display in Barnes and Nobel's across the country, but self publishing and indie anything is a growing market. Even accepted agents and writers (Nathan Bransford for example) have gone or are going into it.
You're definitely right about printing/distributing costs and finding stores to carry it. In those cases, people rarely turn a profit.
And that's not to say I think I'll become a best seller. But even the average writer going through traditional publishing can be met with limited success. Fame is an exception in writing, not a rule.
949301
I guess you are right: I still prefer paper on my hands, so I don't really think too much about the ebook market, where the publisher's name is little but a quality seal. Besides, I wouldn't add any self-publishing into my resume: I feel that's cheating, regardless if it sells or not.
And never forget that, in all of the North American landmass, out of more than half a billion people, there are only a couple dozen full-time writers, only a few of which have become rich from their writing. Kind of funny that you have better odds of making it into the astronaut corps than making a living out of writing.
948636
I have decided to make said blog: Left Write and Center
I'll probably put it up in a journal post here in a bit, but I'm sending it to a few people first to see if they like it, and thought you might know enough to spot any glaring problems.
Uh, if you're interested in looking, that is.
953790
I had a look at the blog and I thought it looked just fine and I left a comment there on the story itself 
Well done I have to say, well done indeed.
Sorry about the delay, I was out and about when you sent that