Every day, I read social media posts from deflated / soon-to-be-deflated writers seeking advice on how to become a ‘published’ author.

It’s the dream, isn’t it? Rather than work nine-to-five in some crummy office, reporting to a boss with coffee breath and overactive sweat glands, you’d soon spend mornings in a chic cafe, laptop open, researching how to construct a sub-aquatic nuclear shelter for Chapter Five of your latest best-selling novel.

That’s it though, isn’t it? A dream. The dream. For most of us it is.

Of course, we’re all dreamers. It’s in our psyche; part of our make-up. Dreaming is a prerequisite for what we do.

Sadly though,that dream can easily become a nightmare … (apologies for the cliche.) That desire to become a ‘published author’ can lead to some blinkered, rash and rushed decisions.

Now, I’m certainly not knocking the notion (I myself hope one day to be on a publisher’s books) but we should all think hard before rushing into a publishing agreement.

Last year, I submitted my first book to a small, independent publisher who had advertised for new writers. My book, Damp Dogs & Rabbit Wee‘ had sold over four hundred copies within a few months of it being released back in 2015. That’s not spectacular, I know, but without spending much on marketing (I used social media and the occasional Amazon Countdown deal) I was reasonably happy.

I then left the book on Amazon’s virtual shelf, gathering virtual dust for several years, until I saw an advert for new writers in a book I was reading. I submitted … and was promptly accepted. Now, I should have thought it through – I saw an advert at the back of a football related book; several other titles in the publisher’s catalogue were football related. However, there were a few children’s books, so I figured the publisher was simply trying to branch out a little.

My first real concern came when I was presented with the ‘author’s copy’ of the book – there were a couple of misspellings on the cover! And the font / text colour for the additional tag line did not match or even compliment the main title.

Apologies and excuses were offered and accepted. All good.

However, there were no sales in month one. I didn’t see the blaze of expected marketing activity. Well, there was a post on the publisher’s Facebook page, that had two ‘Likes,’ from the the twenty or so views the page attracted.

Hmmmn. I was now having second thoughts.

Long story short, – eleven months went by and despite requesting several times what marketing had been put in place, no replies were received. Neither was any marketing implemented at all.

Consequently, come the end of Year # 1, there had been no sales made. None. Zilch. Nada. Zip!

I was not a happy bunny, terminated the agreement and following a bit of hassle with Amazon over having the rights reassigned to myself, I sold eighteen copies in the first week back under my control.

Lesson one, learnt!

Lesson two came just a few days ago and prompted this post.

After seeing a similar type advert for new writers, this time from a large publisher whose name I was familiar with, I submitted the same book – Damp Dogs & Rabbit Wee …. well, why not? I know it generates some interest and sells ok when given exposure.

That was about six weeks ago, then at the weekend I received a reply. It was a long letter (e-mailed) very complimentary in nature, and it was quite apparent from the content that somebody at the publisher had actually read at least some of the book.

It was all looking very positive. There was even a contract attached, ready for my signature and return.

Then I reached the part of the message when it really got ‘down and dirty.’ This offer was to be ‘hybrid’ in nature: the publisher would look after the formatting; provide editing suggestions; produce the cover; type setting etc; take care of marketing …. pretty much everything.

However, and here’s the sting – such input is expensive, and so they reasoned it was fair that a portion of the costs should be borne by myself. £1900 in fact!

If you say it quickly enough, £1900 doesn’t sound too much. However, I used to be a Bank Manager. I know this stuff. The publisher had offered me what they considered top-notch royalties of 25% of each book sale. So, say it was priced at £10, then £2.50 for each book sold.

On that basis, I’d have to sell 760 books before I started to earn anything. And they paid royalties after twelve months from initially going on sale, but on 31st December. As I understood, it would be 31st December 2024 before I’d receive any money due.

In short, for me to make £100 I’d have to sell 800 books and I wouldn’t get that £100 for almost eighteen months.

Whereas, if I do some basic marketing myself and retain the book on Amazon alone, I could make £100 on royalties from the sale of 35 E-book sales alone. And I’d have that money by October. This year.

Duh!

I know a proper publisher will get my books in front of a whole new world of a prospective readership, and maybe some day I would go on to sell thousands / millions of books.

Right now though, I’m in a different league to Lee Child and J K Rowling etc., and until my name is well enough established with some more ‘smaller’ but well appreciated books under my belt, I have to accept I’m unlikely to reach a huge number of people.

That said, I’m just about to submit all three of my books to yet another publisher – this time to one I’ve done my research on, and who specializes in genres that match my writing.

Hey – it’s all part of the learning process, right?

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