I frequently see posts from poets who seek recommendations for agents, publishing houses, magazines, and etc. Having wracked up more than a few hundred miles pursuing traditional publishing outlets, to little effect, I went "Indie." I am more and more convinced that the best advice I can give to a poet is to do likewise.
At first take, self-publishing might appear to be a pretty daunting task, fraught with myriad obstacles, both real and imagined. A reasonable amount of skittishness is understandable when one is considering running counter to the established norm. Fortunately, a new alternative "norm" is available to us: it is called networking
As defined by dictionary.com: "Networking is a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest."
To begin down this path, finding and joining at least one small contingent of fellow poets and authors is key. In California's Silicon Valley, tech jobs are very often acquired and enhanced through this important process, and success can come down to "who you know."
In my case I had the happy privilege of working on Echoes with Emily Thompson, author of Clockwork Twist. I am also loosely involved with a wonderful group of writers who I met at the Clockwork Alchemy Convention. They have been warmly supportive of my efforts, as am I of theirs. To be in a group that reads and honestly reviews each other's work is incredibly reassuring.
Communing with other writers in blogs, in online groups, and at conventions and conferences is proving a huge advantage. Any poet who wishes to self-publish their work need not go it alone as networking, and self-publishing are coming into their own.
My poems are out there now, in paperback and in digital format, and are benefiting from this most advantageous and promising avenue well beyond my expectations. In my next post, I will be exploring this theme a bit further. A single post is not quite enough on this.
At first take, self-publishing might appear to be a pretty daunting task, fraught with myriad obstacles, both real and imagined. A reasonable amount of skittishness is understandable when one is considering running counter to the established norm. Fortunately, a new alternative "norm" is available to us: it is called networking
As defined by dictionary.com: "Networking is a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest."
To begin down this path, finding and joining at least one small contingent of fellow poets and authors is key. In California's Silicon Valley, tech jobs are very often acquired and enhanced through this important process, and success can come down to "who you know."
In my case I had the happy privilege of working on Echoes with Emily Thompson, author of Clockwork Twist. I am also loosely involved with a wonderful group of writers who I met at the Clockwork Alchemy Convention. They have been warmly supportive of my efforts, as am I of theirs. To be in a group that reads and honestly reviews each other's work is incredibly reassuring.
Communing with other writers in blogs, in online groups, and at conventions and conferences is proving a huge advantage. Any poet who wishes to self-publish their work need not go it alone as networking, and self-publishing are coming into their own.
My poems are out there now, in paperback and in digital format, and are benefiting from this most advantageous and promising avenue well beyond my expectations. In my next post, I will be exploring this theme a bit further. A single post is not quite enough on this.
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