Hi all,
I have a completed manuscript - the first book in a YA fiction trilogy - and have reached out to myriad agents and publishers but have had no feedback (in nearly four months). Resolutely, I am beginning to seriously consider self-publishing on Amazon/Apple iBooks etc. but fear this will limit potential book deals with big publishing houses in the future... I have read that some are rather sniffy about it but that, on the other hand, some prefer an author to have a lot of digital traction and evidence that their material is commercial and well received.
If you could shed some light on this predicament, I'd appreciate it a lot.
Thanks
Olivia
No real light, Olivia (the name of the star of my book "Not Now, Daddy!" http://jimmsfairytales.com/olivia.htm ;P), just thoughts. I would guess that it's a gamble: if you sell scads of e-books and attract a following and/or reviews in the [virtual or printed] press, you'll have them lining up. (HA!!!) However, this is going to take a LOT of self-promotion and a HELLUVA lot of energy, as well as a cracking book to start off with.
On the other hand, if you put in all that energy and the book doesn't sell, agents/publishers are going to have a REASON to ignore you.
Just my thoughts to your dilemma...
I myself have self-published one of the most original books ever for 3-6-year-olds. (See the above link. And it's been IMPROVED since I created that page.) Admittedly, it's not an e-book. (What's the POINT of an e-picture-book meant to be looked at by parents and children together? My book has almost A4-sized pages. How much detail is going to come through on an iPad?) I also haven't tried selling it on Amazon or other well-known channels. I haven't sold a single copy over the net. Just a few face-to-face and in stores on a sell-or-return basis.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
Jimmy