An Interview With Matthew Williams: A Science Fiction Writer’s Perspective on Self-Publishing

Matthew Williams is the author of several science fiction novels, including Source, Data Miners, and the riveting zombie thriller Whiskey Delta, all of which are self-published. I recently had an email exchange with Matt to discuss his views on self-publishing and his own experiences with this radical new form of publishing.

Rami Ungar: Matt, why did you decide to go into self-publishing?

Matthew Williams: It was a mentor of mine, Mr. Fraser Cain – creator and publisher of Universe Today – who first got me interested. For years, I had been writing and seeking a book deal, but all in vain. It seemed that publishing houses were taking less and less chances on new manuscripts and would always respond (when they responded at all) with form letters saying what my writing was “not what they were looking for.”

Mr. Cain was the one who told me that this was to be expected in this day and age, where new media and indie writing was making the traditional publishing route a thing of the past. It was a paradox, to be sure, and I understood what he meant. On the one hand, it was harder to get published because of self-publishing and new media. On the other hand, these same phenomena were offering opportunities for authors that were never before available.

After speaking about it a few times, I came to see the wisdom in what he was saying. By becoming an indie and using all the tools that were at my disposal, I could bring my message directly to an audience without the approval of the “gatekeepers” – i.e. a publishing house. This meant I would have to do all the legwork, but it would also mean I would reap all the rewards. On top of that, it would get me out of the slump I found myself in, waiting for others to recognize me and give my work its big break. This way, I could make that break happen for myself.

RU: What was your first step when you decided to self-publish?

MW: Well, the first step was finding a press where I could get my books into a readable, buyable format. I already had some experience with Print-On-Demand and did not want to repeat that, seeing as how that route requires you to shell out a chunk of money in return for basic services that do not guarantee any sales. What’s more, there are renewal fees and the price for an individual book can be prohibitively high. But after talking it over with Fraser and a few other people who are experienced on the subject, I learned of Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, Lulu, Createspace and a host of other services where you can do publish your books independently and have a far greater degree of control over the process. I shopped around and experimented for a bit, but finally found a combination I liked that allowed me to publish ebooks and paperbacks and get them to a wide audience.

RU: You have several titles out now, including the widely reviewed Whiskey Delta. After so many books, do you feel like a pro at putting together your own books and publishing them?

MW: To be honest, no. Sure, I sometimes feel like I have a lot to share whenever I’m giving advice to people who are completely new to the indie writing game. But there is always someone more experienced, as well as new and humbling experiences that make you realize you’ve still got a lot to learn. I imagine that at some point, I’ll feel like I’ve got things down pat. Perhaps when I’m moving enough books that I can dedicate myself to writing full time, or have several titles that are all making an impression. But for now, I still feel like I’m relatively new to this business and toiling in relative anonymity.

RU: What are some techniques you use to spread the word about your books?

MW: Well, there are plenty of ways. Social media presents plenty of opportunities for new authors to get the word out and online writing groups are also effective at times. These include groups like Authonomy, Wattpad, and services like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. And of course, it’s crucial to have a website that presents followers with updates and insight into your ideas, process, and inspirations. And the most important thing is to make sure that they are all linked, so that any and all updates can be shared across multiple forums, and potential fans are given every opportunity to see where your books can be bought.

RU: Potential fans? So that means you have some sort of fanbase. What’s that like?

MW: Ha, yeah it’s nice. It’s a modest following, but from what I can tell, some people seem to enjoy what I have to offer. It does bolster your efforts, I’ve noticed. Hearing that people like your work and are willing to pay you regular compliments really does make you feel good and spurs on your creative efforts. But it also makes you aware of the fact that now there are people out there whose approval you want to keep. When you’re starting out, the only person you want to please is yourself. So in a way, having a fan base can take away some of your creative freedom. But no artist wants to toil away in anonymity forever!

RU: Yeah, that’s true. Now here’s a question that burns in every self-published author’s mind: if a traditional publishing company offered you a contract, what would be your reaction?

MW: That is a good question, and one I’ve struggled with of late. On the one hand, I would be losing some of the freedom I have right now if I signed a deal. On the other, a publisher could offer me promotional and editorial services I don’t currently enjoy. And in the end, any indie writer has to consider whether or not they would be willing to compromise on their independence for the sake of a comfy contract. I guess it would all depend on what they could offer and if the price was right.

RU: How do you see the publishing industry as it stands today?

MW: I guess the best way to look at it would be as a shrinking community. The gatekeeper gets to decide who comes in, and membership has its privileges. But the community is shrinking and its resources are diminishing. So they’re naturally letting fewer and fewer people in and, if I may say so, lowering their standards. At some point, the community is likely to be gone altogether, though I imagine that will take some time.

RU: That sounds rather apocalyptic, in a way. My final question is what would you say to someone who is considering self-publishing and you wanted to encourage them to try it?

MW: I’d most likely say, “Good for you, because that’s the way to go these days. Most people want to be discovered, to be given a big break, but that’s rarely the case anymore. This way, you can make a name for yourself and make your own breaks happen. It might take longer, and it will all be on you – so prepare to work hard – but the rewards will be yours as well. And if it’s what you love, it will well be worth it. Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing your writing in print and knowing that people are reading and enjoying it.”

Matthew Williams books are available in both digital and print formats on Amazon, Lulu, and other distributors. You can also read his work and receive the latest updates in science, science fiction, and geekdom from his blog, Stories by Williams.

3 Reasons to Traditional Publish and 5 Reasons to Self-Publish your Book

There is nothing wrong with wanting to traditionally publish your book, just as there is nothing wrong with wanting to self-publish your novel. The US versus THEM mentality is amusing for only so long.

Traditional and Self-Publishing are just two roads to the same goals. Depending on what your goals are, one might be better than the other for you. Although I’ve noticed a trend were best-selling authors have turned to self-publishing their back-list or new books. Some authors even straddle the fence and do both.

Sometimes one option is better than the other for the author or the books.

Reasons to Publish Traditional

#1: because that’s the way the market currently works. Publishers have built-in credibility that self-published books have a hard time earning.

#2: the “big name, big-budget” publishers offer advances, promotional material, and gather reviews from major publications. (True, but how many authors actually earn that advance. How many have to pay it back? Then there is the marketing and promotion of the book that, unless you are a big selling name, you have to pay for, usually with that advance. So either route you’re paying for it.)

#3: Publishing houses can get the books into stores where customers may buy them and self-published books may not be accepted.

Reasons to Self-Publish

#1: Your project doesn’t fit the mold or format of traditional publishers. (Richard Paul Evans’ The Christmas Box, too short to be a novel and too long to be a short story.)

#2: Don’t have time to wait for acceptance. Or the information in the book is time sensitive. (Lu Ann Brobst Staheli’s When Hearts Conjoin, the author and mom of the conjoined twins wanted it done before the surgery to separate the twins, the documentary, and their appearance on Oprah.)

#3: Closed or limited publication opportunities.

#4: There is a targeted niche for your book and it won’t fit with traditional publishers.

#5: to break into traditional publishing (I’m adding this one, because the entire article implies this a few times.)

I had more to say, but rather I’m just going to link to this post because Kristine Kathryn Rusch says this so much better than I tried to. It starts out as a bit of a rant and moves into the Pros and Cons of Traditional and self-publishing in regards to business.

Do you agree or disagree? What are your reasons for Self-Publishing?

My reasons? I want control over the content of my book. I want to have a say in the rewrites. I don’t want the added stress involved in the traditional publishing route, the need to produce on a deadline rather than at my own pace. After all, I’m a full-time writer, mother of two rambunctious girls, and a rancher.

What Would You Do?

I was reading a  blog the other day, interestingly enough by Ruth, where she discussed Twilight and wondered if she’d written it whether Bella would have ended up with Jacob or Edward. (Before I make her sound like a Twilight freak, this was just a passing thought she had on starting the book).

My initial reaction to this was to say, “Well, if I wrote it she would have gone for the wolf boy.” But, after thinking about it, I can tell you that she wouldn’t have – she’d have gone with Edward.

Bear with me, there is a point to this.

Why? You ask. Because, if I were Stephanie Meyer and I had a contract to write a vampire romance series, then a vampire romance series is what I’d write. From book two on (Jacob isn’t a viable player in book one), people debated and argued over who the annoying Bell would choose, while I rolled my eyes and said, “The vampire! Duh! It’s a vampire series!” And, locked into a contract for a vampire series, a vampire series it would remain, whether the characters wanted that or not (And I don’t think they did.)

This leads me to one of the reasons that I like the independent -or self – publishing movement.  If  Twilight had been self published, then when Bella and Jacob fell in love, the series could have gone to a werewolf romance without that terrible contract problem. Of course, there is a chance she would have lost readers who were expecting a vampire series, but that’s the risk any author takes when they change the direction of something, whether traditionally or self published.  My point is that as a self published author you have the freedom to do that.

That’s not to say I’m against traditional publishing because I’m not. People say that a traditionally published author is more “serious” while a self published is only “playing at it”, and maybe they’re right to the extent that there is a difference.  It’s like the difference between an “artist” and a “graphic artist” (simplified terms used for the point of this blog!) As an “Artist” you’re encouraged to produce something meaningful, something expressive. It might take weeks to do, and in fact you tend to be applauded for days and days of toil because the goal is perfection. Meanwhile the “graphic artist” is encouraged to churn it out quickly, on command, and draw whatever is needed at the time. In fact, I’ve read several professional illustrators who give you the tip to trace photographs in Illustrator to create vectors because “it’s faster”.   The mainstream factor is there, but not the soul, while the “artist” has the soul but not the mainstream exposure.

Is that to say one is better than the other? No. I do both, myself. I draw on command, and I “create art” just for me. Both are good things, both are necessary, and both are art. it’s the same for traditional and self publishing. traditional authors can write on command, while many self published choose not to go that route.  Both are good things, both fill the entertainment void, and both are viable and “real  writing”.

In the end, it just comes down to what you prefer; exposure or control.

Q&A: Self-Publishing

Dear Self-Publishers,

I was wondering how you all went about getting yourselves published? Did you go directly to self-publishing or did you try the more traditional way of Publishing? Or was it a little bit of both? Who did you find did the best job for you? Who was the most affordable? Who would you warn people away from?

Kind regards

My Reasons to Self-Publish

I was talking to a friend the other day about traditional publishing and self-publishing. She is a self-publisher, I’m heavily leaning toward self-publishing. Why?

~I’m already busy with housework, two children, ranch work, editing, and writing without adding the stress of an employer, deadlines, and rewrites.

~I like the freedom to create and move my business at my own pace. I would rather start slow while the kids are at home and work toward growing my writing career at a rate I’m comfortable with. I don’t want to have the worry that I didn’t make enough sales and ruined my chance of another contract.

~I may want a reader base, but I don’t have to have a large one to feel fulfilled. Like the story tellers of old, I love sharing my stories with others, I always have. That is what drives me to write, not fame or money.

~I want my stories to be mine from start to finish. I don’t want someone telling me what I have to change or rewrite. I don’t mind suggestions about what I could do to make it better. And who is to say the editor is right and not the writer. However, there are times when an editor is needed to read a book and point out the mistakes. 🙂

How about you? Do you like the idea of Self-Publishing? Or Traditional Publishing?

Create your own Publishing House to sell Your Book

Sometimes life takes a strange turn, not for the worst and not for the best, but for the different. My entire life has been all about writing. And the one thing I’ve realized, that while that dream will never change, the way I’m going about it has.

I have never send my writing into a publisher and so I have never had the moment when I’ve held that envelope in my hand and wondered if it’s a acceptance or a rejection. And while I may have doubted my writing over the years, I have never given up on it.

The more I read about the publishing industry, the less I want to pursue this course. The cons far outweigh the pros. The typical traditional published author receives a small portion of their book sales, but they have the backing of the publisher and sale more books. While the Self-published author pays out for their book printing and markets the book themselves, they may get the less sells but they keep more of the profit. For awhile I wanted to use a Self-publishing firm to publish my books, but the more I learned about the companies, the less appeal it had. Yes, they are a rapid way to publish work, but even they have their down side. So what is a writer to do?

I found an article that provided a more efficient and economically rewarding route, a true form of self-publishing rather than the facade that the traditional publishers and self-publishing firms have given us. Depending on your goals as a writer and your business experience this route can lead to greater freedoms, rewards, and it is surprisingly easy.

If the plan is to publish more than two books, then definitely look into the route of creating a publishing house for yourself. Over and over again I’ve read that the savings over time are tremendous and you can work directly with a POD service that deals with publisher instead of authors like Mill City Press and Lightning Source (Lightning Source seems to be the most talked about and reputable). These POD services do not provide design, file work, editorial, promotional or marketing services. These are solely the responsibility of the publisher.

Like we all haven’t heard that one before.

Self-publishing

Lately I’ve been looking into all types of publishing to chose the type of publishing that would be best for me. While traditional publishing has been one form that I’ve looked at for many years, but it is self-publishing that has drawn my attention for the past two months. However the more I read about it, the less I like some of the companies out there.

This hasn’t stopped me though, I found some particularly interesting articles. The first mentioned some highly respected and bestselling authors turning to self-publishing. The second suggested creating a publishing house for an author to use a book printing company that will only deal with publishing houses and giving yourself more control over everything dealing with your book without the fees I’ve been told about.

I’ll post more for interested parties as I learn more, but please feel free to ask questions. 🙂

The Writing Life of a Romance Novelist