Great point! That’s another reason to go the self-publish route, if traditional publishers just aren’t going to “get” what you’re trying to do.
I very specifically wanted my book to be short with short chapters so that it would be easy for my audience to read, and a traditional publisher likely would’ve wanted me to hit a much higher word count.
I’ve had books published by Harper Collins, but the rejection is still there when I decided to write books outside of my expected ‘silo’. I’m now publishing my novel weekly on Substack. For me it’s a way to create some much needed pressure to keep going (I have a good third of the novel still to write), but I am not pushing it. My main goal is to finish it, and then see what life it wants to take. That easing of pressure is crucial for me or I risk staying in the dead zone of overwhelm procrastination where the story lingered for 4 years. I love the flexibility that we have now.
Thank you for writing this and I look forward to reading later articles. I've already got my beta readers lined up 😂 I think I'll struggle to be told what to do with my book (when I get to that stage) and while I think what I have is pretty solid it is very different from a lot of what I'm seeing in printed format via traditional publishers. I think as an AuDHD individual self publishing would be my preferred route but I'm a way off that stage yet!
I have been thinking about exactly this same issue 😅 I don't want someone else to control my ADHD life guide in any way, shape or form. But the marketing would be much easier I guess. These choices are hard.
The idea for my series was too genre-bending to go the traditional route, so the choice to self-publish was easy.
Another person can't see your completed vision until after it's done. So, the unconventional path is where indies pioneer new ground.
Great point! That’s another reason to go the self-publish route, if traditional publishers just aren’t going to “get” what you’re trying to do.
I very specifically wanted my book to be short with short chapters so that it would be easy for my audience to read, and a traditional publisher likely would’ve wanted me to hit a much higher word count.
I’ve had books published by Harper Collins, but the rejection is still there when I decided to write books outside of my expected ‘silo’. I’m now publishing my novel weekly on Substack. For me it’s a way to create some much needed pressure to keep going (I have a good third of the novel still to write), but I am not pushing it. My main goal is to finish it, and then see what life it wants to take. That easing of pressure is crucial for me or I risk staying in the dead zone of overwhelm procrastination where the story lingered for 4 years. I love the flexibility that we have now.
Thank you for writing this and I look forward to reading later articles. I've already got my beta readers lined up 😂 I think I'll struggle to be told what to do with my book (when I get to that stage) and while I think what I have is pretty solid it is very different from a lot of what I'm seeing in printed format via traditional publishers. I think as an AuDHD individual self publishing would be my preferred route but I'm a way off that stage yet!
I have been thinking about exactly this same issue 😅 I don't want someone else to control my ADHD life guide in any way, shape or form. But the marketing would be much easier I guess. These choices are hard.