Research

It's been two weeks since my last blog and, when not earning a living and sleeping, I've been researching and writing (apart from a short holiday...and a shopping spree...but I bought books both times so that counts as writing).

I started a spreadsheet which I keep losing because I'm slowly moving from my 10-year-old Windows 10 laptop to my new Windows 11 laptop, partly because I'm security conscious but also because [lowering voice] the old one is getting very slow and the battery no longer holds charge so I'm worried it's going to suddenly stop working altogether.

You can see the spreadsheet in my amateurishly obfuscated image.

Three of my potential publishers were at the London Book Fair and, after speaking to them, I could see they all had their advantages. One offered a good profit margin and local resourcing, another offered access to a vast distribution network, and the other could take over the whole process for a price.

The strong distributor is expensive but I'm reminded of trying to source ten copies of a self-published title when I worked for Waterstones: after listening to an elderly man rummage around in his loft, I was told to wait for the next print run which my customer declined. I'd prefer Are We Still Friends? was easier to get hold of.

The other two were at opposite ends of the spectrum; good margins for doing my own work or easy life with less control or money.

There is also hybrid, which I haven't researched yet. A fellow writer has used a hybrid publisher and, last time I asked, was very pleased with the work they put into it; yes, I should email her again, especially as I've heard differently from elsewhere. I did email another writer friend who told me that her self-publishing house was considering moving to traditional and she'd get back to me with more info later in the year - watch this space.

Meanwhile I've been working on my website (as you can see) and setting up a Libraro presence which led me to think cover ideas, which I'll share at some point. I also read through Are We Still Friends? and made some editing notes; this process seems more important if I don't have a publisher's to dot the is and crossing the ts.