My guest today is W.J. May, author of the Chronicles of Kerrigan stories, Rae of Hope and Dark Nebula.
Traditional Publishing vs Indie
by WJ May
This is kinda the age-old talk for the past
few years. When I first started looking to publish my writing I swore I would
never go self-published, that I would find an agent, a publisher and “let them
do all the work.” I figured I had little
marketing ability – to a degree. I own my own business and 90% of what we sell
is online. So I do know how to market online. Sorta. My business deals in
vintage jewelry. Marketing a book and a Victorian ring have different
clientele. Or do they?
Shoot. I’m already off topic. My title for this blog deal with traditional
publishing versus self publishing and I’m already talking about marketing. Let
me set the course back where I should be.
I did start out as I fully intended and
luckily got picked up by the amazing Dawn Dowdle from BlueRidge Litary Agency (http://blueridgeagency.com/). I signed
my first contract January 2011, just a day after the New Year.
It was exciting and an awesome process of
learning how to edit, seeing my cover for the first time, doing more edits,
finalizing and then having the book come out in print. I tried watching sales, but it’s hard to do
and quarterly reports only came in, (lol) four times a year. With self pubbing, you can check anytime you
want.
Here I am now self-pubbing a series. It was
incredibly frustrating learning how to do everything; from setting up the
format, finding someone to do my cover, etc… I got very lucky and have a great
writing friend who started writing around the same time as me and went the
indie route. She’s had great success and suggested some great formatters, cover
designers, etc… I’d have been lost
without her.
I’ve just started January 15th
with my first book self published so it’s hard to say traditional or self
pubbing is better. For each pro, I can
think of a con and vice versa. I’m on the fence. One thing for sure – the
marketing is the same amount of work. Publishers want you to market and get
your book out. They want you to tour or consider book signings, blogging,
facebooking, twittering, etc… etc…
I bet in six months I’ll have jumped off
the fence and picked a side to enjoy the grass on. The interesting question is
if it will be on the Indie side or the Publishing side? What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by and reading my
babble. Enjoy your day and be good—ish J
WJ May
Rae of Hope
The Chronicles of Kerrigan
The Chronicles of Kerrigan
Book One
W.J. May
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy (Paranormal, Romance, Suspense)
ASIN B00B1NNFR0
Number of pages:
248pgs
Word Count: 81,000
Book Description:
How hard do you
have to shake the family tree to find the truth about the past?
Fifteen year-old
Rae Kerrigan never really knew her family's history. Her mother and father died
when she was young and it is only when she accepts a scholarship to the
prestigious Guilder Boarding School in England that a mysterious family secret
is revealed.
Will the sins of
the father be the sins of the daughter?
As Rae struggles
with new friends, a new school and a star-struck forbidden love, she must also
face the ultimate challenge: receive a tattoo on her sixteenth birthday with
specific powers that may bind her to an unspeakable darkness. It's up to Rae to
undo the dark evil in her family's past and have a ray of hope for her future.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/gILAwXxx8MU
Dark Nebula
The Chronicles of Kerrigan
Book Two
W.J. May
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy (Paranormal, Romance, Suspense)
Word count: 85,000
Page count: 265 pages
Book Description:
Nothing is as it
seems anymore.
Leery from the
horrifying incident at the end of her first year at Guilder Boarding School,
Rae Kerrigan is determined to learn more about her new tattoo. Her expectations
are high, an easy senior year and a happy reunion with Devon, the boy she’s not
supposed to date. All hopes of happiness turn into shattered dreams the moment
she steps back on campus.
Lies and secrets
are everywhere, and a betrayal cuts Rae deeply. Among her conflicts and
enemies, it appears as if her father is reaching out from beyond the grave to
ruin her life. With no one to trust, Rae doesn’t know where or who to turn to
for help.
Has her destiny
been written? Or will she become the one thing she hates the most—her father’s
prodigy.
About the Author:
Wanita May grew up in the fruit belt of Ontario -
St.Catharines. Crazy-happy childhood, she always has had a vivid imagination
and loads of energy.
The youngest of six -- four older brothers, and a
sister -- taught her at a young age to be competitive in all aspects of life.
At sixteen, she began competing in athletics
(track and field) and before she turned seventeen, she was representing Canada
in high jump. She continued to compete, breaking Canada's JR High Jump record
(1.92m - 6' 3 1/2" for those metric-ly challenged). She attented
University of Toronto, and Kansas State University - winning CIAU's and
becoming All-American 6x - NCAA Indoors Runner Up + more.
But you're not interested in her athletic career -
unless of course you're curious to know she stands 1.70m (5'7") and has
jumped 20cm over her head on more than one occassion. She's represented Canada
at the World Championships, World Jrs., won Francophone Games, and loved every
minute of every competition. From the grueling workouts, the crazy weights she
lifted on her back, the days she thought her lungs were going to spit out of
her mouth for lack of oxygen, the travelling around the world and the
opportunity to read - her favourite past time.
Wanita and her husband now run an online business,
dealing in antiques and collectables - particularly jewelry and porcelain.
After her father passed away in 2009, from a
six-year battle with cancer (which she still believes he won the fight
against), she began to write again. A passion she'd loved for years, but realized
life was too short to keep putting it off.
She is currently represented by Dawn Dowdle of
Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Wanita is a writer of Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction
and where ever else her little muses take her.
Twitter: @wanitajump
thansk for sharing :)
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