1. Mordred85

    Mordred85 Active Member

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    When is the right time to consider publishing?

    Discussion in 'Self-Publishing' started by Mordred85, Feb 29, 2016.

    So, I've been on here for a bit, and learned from some errors in past short-stories I've posted. I do feel that that I can flesh out longer stories and I've only put together small, 300 word tales here and there. My latest idea comes from my past experience as a disciplined screenwriter. Basically, I write longer when I have serious intentions with specific material and plans to use them for gaining exposure. It's just the way I am. I can't always write for leisure.

    Now, I've gained some comfort in writing literature and the structure isn't as foreign to me, but I still have a certain fear. The fear that I might not write as eloquent or elaborate as people want me to and the fear of friends, family, fellow writers, etc critiquing my work with negativity. This comes from both mental illness and the insecurities that have been implanted in me since my youth. I know I haven't contributed much on this forum, but I have had film scripts produced and can be professional when I have to be. (Deadlines, Marketing, etc)

    Should I just stop giving a fuck about what others might think? Is worrying about my work being a a complete failure wrong? Or, is this fear a valid one, indicating that perhaps my skills are still premature and that I need to "educate myself" a bit longer before giving this a try?

    I've been strongly considering working on a decent short-story to include in a collaborative anthology with other fellow writers of similar genres. I've even posted about it in the collaboration section on this forum. My idea is to have something out there for the sole benefit of exposure. I'm not looking to acquire rights to profit off of other people's writing or any of that shady nonsense. So, should I go forward and attempt to spearhead my project? My current plan is to find about 4-5 other writers who are aspiring/amateur authors with 1 or less published works and want to gain exposure. I'm just scared like a little schoolgirl about this and I'm unsure if I'm "good enough" to have published work out there, even if it's self-published.
     
  2. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    There are quite a few other venues for short stories other than co-operative self-published anthologies... if you're looking for exposure it would probably make more sense to pursue one of those (magazines, publisher-issued anthologies, etc.)

    And, closer to the point of your question, these might be more useful to you as you try to determine whether your writing is "ready" or not. The gatekeepers can be a nuisance, but they can also be kind of reassuring--if they say your work is good enough, that's a nice boost to your confidence. Where as if you just self-publish, you won't get much of a confidence boost unless sales are outstanding.

    So I'd say it would make sense to submit some stories to relevant journals and anthologies, and see what happens.
     
  3. Mordred85

    Mordred85 Active Member

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    Your suggestion is a good one, although I don't really feel like competing for a page in a magazine. I just feel that it may be possible to gain exposure considering the fact that we all have friends and family to show our work to. For example, I find 5 writers, the'll have their own plans of posting it on their social networks (fanbase if any) and telling family and acquaintances. So, I figure that multiplies the effort by how many writers are involved, including myself. I'm not trying to profit off the book and also not paying to hire writers. Their benefit will be exposure, but it doesn't mean I'm opposed to spending money on FB advertisements so it wouldn't just sit on someone's hard-drive.
     
  4. izzybot

    izzybot (unspecified) Contributor

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    It wouldn't be very much exposure, especially since you're targeting people with 0-1 published pieces and thus no audience of their own, but it would be no-risk, too. No chance of rejection. What's the worst thing that could happen, really? There's unlikely to be any reviews, much less bad ones, and those that do crop up are probably going to be from people's family members who'd be more inclined to be positive and nice. It might be good for your self-esteem.

    As for not caring what other people think, honestly, I'm pretty sure that's the only way to go about writing, because there's always going to be someone who disagrees with what you're doing for no reason :D And I think we all struggle with thinking we're not good enough. It's better than suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect. Probably.
     
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  5. Mordred85

    Mordred85 Active Member

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    I was hoping that paying for some advertisement would improve the chances of garnering some interest, outside of the family & friends circle. :confused:
     
  6. izzybot

    izzybot (unspecified) Contributor

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    I don't even know how fb ads work, or how much attention people pay to them, so I could be underestimating their effectiveness. I'm just assuming it's not a lot.
     
  7. Mordred85

    Mordred85 Active Member

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    I believe they start with 1 dollar a day, but can cost more if you choose to target people with specific interests.
     
  8. Sack-a-Doo!

    Sack-a-Doo! Contributor Contributor

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    Short answer: yes.

    We all have that fear at some point... maybe always. But this is what was meant when someone said, "Write first for yourself." A hard nut to crack, to be sure, but that's the crux of it.

    It helps if you're writing in a genre/sub-genre you really love. That I can tell you from personal experience.

    As for eloquence, my take on this is: Make your writing clear so that your ideas are clear and that in turn will make your story clear. There is no other priority.
     
  9. Mike Kobernus

    Mike Kobernus Senior Member

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    I would suggest that you do not even think about trying to write eloquently. All you need to do is to tell a story. Tell it simply. That is eloquence enough.

    You might try starting out with some flash fiction. Get something accepted into one of the many online magazines, or into a book. Nothing better than getting something into a book. That is a major boost in confidence.
     
  10. pyroglyphian

    pyroglyphian Word Painter

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    My friend has a similar complex, albeit concerning music. I told him there's always going to be something else to learn, that he'll never reach the end of all knowledge, so the danger is he never feels ready to activate himself commercially because he's forever telling himself, "I just need to learn this next little thing and then I'll be ready..."

    I think you learn through doing, so it's best to get on with the doing.
     

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