Queries, Rejection, & Self-Publishing

Joynell Schultz, , ,

For LOVE, LIES, & CLONES, I promised myself  I’d send out queries the traditional publishing route until I received ten rejections, then I’d self-publish. I know, ten rejections is not nearly enough, but I really want to self-publish. I’m interested in the idea of controlling all the aspects of my book – cover, editing, marketing, pricing, etc. In fact, I’d love to have the freedom to give it away free – if I want to.

Well, I’m sticking to my commitment to send out ten queries. I’ve sent out seven in the last week and received two rejections already… Only eight more rejections until self-publication. It’s a funny feeling – these rejections coming in aren’t discouraging. I actually feel relieved to see them.

I just heard of a program through Amazon, Kindle Scout. Anyone out there tried this? It seems like a hybrid between self-publishing and traditional publishing – but I could be completely off base. You post your book (it has to be completely done) and then readers/authors vote on whether they think Amazon Publishing should consider the project. I’m torn – you give up control, but Amazon does some advertising for you.

I’m off… I need to find three more agents to query.

–Joy

llcfinalcover

17 Comments

  3. Okay… I’m incredibly confused by this post. If you “really want to self-publish”, why are you wasting your time with the query process? I don’t get it. Why put yourself through the emotional roller-coaster that comes with querying if you have already made up your mind to self-publish?

    Just because you might snag an agent doesn’t mean your book would actually sell to a publisher. There are some out there who have had an agent for a year, with no sell. The knock backs come at you from all angles. I’m sorry, but I just don’t get why anyone would put themselves through that if they’ve already decided to go a different road.

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    1. So true. Nice reality check. I wanted to go through the process of querying agents to know what that whole process was all about and what it entails. I have another book that I’m going straight to self-publishing, no querying. I just feel every writer should experience the “emotional roller-coaster”, but maybe I’m wrong. I’ve learned a lot in the process though. How to write a query letter, a synopsis, and how to even find agents/publishers that match your genre.

      Thanks for reading and the comment!

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      1. I appreciate that you wanted to experience the emotional roller-coaster for yourself, but dare I say, because you had already chosen to go a different road, didn’t have your heart set on the traditional path, the highs and lows that you would experiences wouldn’t be to the same level. I’m not saying that the rejections wouldn’t still hurt (or course they would), but it’s a completely different mindset, so the rejections are viewed in a different light.

        It is good that you have learnt about the query process and, in my mind, it’s not wasted effort (the learning and actually writing of the submission packet, that is). The blurb you devised for your query letter could be potentially used on your book jacket. The synopsis would have forced you to look critically at your manuscript: is it really a completed story arc? The efforts of finding agents/publishers in your genre would have forced you to see what is actually selling. It is material that you can use in the self-publication path, but the actual sending of query letters is pointless unless you are determined to head down the traditional road.

        Just my thoughts.

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          1. You didn’t offend me in any way. I just thought your comments were odd.

            In truth, I’m pleased to hear that you took the time to actually write a query and whatever else you needed for the submission process, but not for reasons you might think. You say that you want to self-publish, but by taking the time to write these other materials means that you also took the time to polish your manuscript to the best of your ability.

            The number of people who “rush the process” and publish just because they want to published is insane. Many people are far too quick to publish that first draft, only to be slammed by the critics for the poor editing and lacking story development. That is one aspect that the traditional publication road does force a writer to do: to edit their manuscript to the nth degree, ensuring that story is the best it can possibly be. If more people who self-publish did that too, then self-publication wouldn’t have such a bad reputation.

            I have read some AMAZING books that were self-published, and I have read come CRAP books that were traditionally published. Whatever path a writer chooses to become published is a personal choice. Regardless, they should still put the same effort and time into their beloved story to make it that precious gem sparkle and shine, so it becomes a priceless diamond.

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  5. I’m with you, I’m really not certain what the Amazon thing is. I need to check into it. Congratulations on getting to this point! I hope whichever path you go down, you find lots of success.

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    1. I think we forget to see the forest thought he trees sometime. It’s a big accomplishment to even get to this point — thanks for the reminder!

      Amazon scout is kind of a book election — or popularity contest. It’s probably not the answer, but you will get some exposure by participating in it.

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