Tag Archives: Self-publishing

The One and Only Lesson Self-Published Authors Can Learn From M.R. Mathias

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Not too long ago, self-published author M.R. Mathias went on quite a tirade at fantasy-faction.com about how his self-promotional forum post should not have been moved from the general books forum into the self-published/small press forum.

You can read the whole thing from Fantasy Faction’s perspective here: “The Man Who Thought He Was King.”

Now, I don’t bring this up to badmouth Mathias. I don’t know the guy, nor have I ever read his books. I followed him on Twitter until just recently, but never really interacted with him. So what I’m saying, I’m saying based entirely on the forum posts he left and the Tweets I’ve since gone back and read.

In a nutshell, Mathias argues that he’s not a self-published author because he uses pen-names, and “publishes” the work using his real name. These days, self-published authors are their own publishers. We’re our own marketing departments. Our own PR reps. We’re everything. We do in fact act as publishers—and everything else—in addition to being authors.

So Mathias isn’t wrong there. From a certain point of view.

The issue with Mathias here is that he’s being a complete and total dickbag. As Chuck Wendig puts it, he’s a screeching moonbat. He’s getting a lot of press, and I hope for his own sake that he’s selling a lot of books for it.

But here’s my take on the whole matter: you’re only as good as your name. Even in a day and age of pseudonyms and anonymous avatars, your name matters. People remember your name, and more than that, they remember you if you’re a screeching moonbat dickbag. You can hide behind fake names and faulty logic for a while…but as that one guy said a while back, truth will out.

So let this be a lesson to you, self-published and indie authors. Learn from this. Learn from M.R. Mathias. Know that there is only one rule of being a self-published author. (And no, it’s not write write write, though that help help helps.)

The number one rule of being a self-published author is simple: don’t be a dick.

If you learn that, live it, practice it, you’ll find readers. You’ll find more than readers. You’ll find fans. No, you might not make the big bursts of sales these kinds of controversies stir up, but you’ll make up for that in having a loyal fan-base that can support you in most, if not all, of your future endeavors.

Of all the authors I follow on Twitter, the ones whose work I’ll go back to over and over are the ones who actually respond and have conversations. They’re the Myke Coles, the John Scalzis, the Chuck Wendigs, and the Tim Pratts. They’re the Stacia Kanes and the Tobias Buckells. They’re the ones who will get my money.

And you know why? Because they’re not dicks.

Writing My Novel: The Stigma of Self-Publishing, Part 2

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For those of you just joining us, we talked last time about the different kinds of self-published authors we’ve had contact with. Today, I want to talk about my decision to lump myself in with those folks and the logic behind it.

Over the past year, I’ve read a lot about the publishing industry. What it takes to be an author (number one rule, kiddos: put your butt in a chair and write), what it takes to be published, how to get an agent, what kind of money debut/established authors make, and almost any other topic I can get my grubby little hands on.

I’ve read horror stories about the Big 6. I’ve read success stories about the Big 6. I’ve read tragic tales of how self-publishing ruins careers before they start. I’ve heard tragic tales of how New York publishing ruins careers before they start. I’ve seen middle of the road logic applied to both. I consider myself fairly well-read on the subject, and I try to stay as current as I can.

And through all my research and reading I realize one thing: making a living off writing is probably a pipe dream. Or is it?

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Writing My Novel: The Stigma of Self-Publishing, Part 1

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My wife works in programming for a public library, which means that part of her job is setting up book talks and signings with various authors. When I see a program I want to attend, I always ask Jenn the same question: “Is the book self-published?”

Whether the answer is “yes” or “no” has yet to sway me from or convince me into attending a program. But it’s still the first thing I ask because I want to know what to expect from the author, the book, or both.

I see self-publishing in a much friendlier light than many people, but there is definitely a stigma attached to self-publishing and those who choose that route for their books. Some people don’t consider self-published authors as “real” authors. And even those who are seen as legitimate have rarely made a living off of their fiction.

So I find it kind of interesting that my current (yet tentative) plan for writing involves having two self-published ebooks online by Christmas 2011. Part of that plan involved deciding whether or not I could deal with having that stigma applied to me. I realized that I can because, like everything else in life, there is not a single label that defines who I am.  And if I can make a living off my writing and do it with self-publishing? Yeah, I can stand some people not taking me as seriously as traditionally published authors.

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