Orange Moon Publishing wasn’t an easy decision to make. I wanted to do something based on everything I’ve been through as a writer. I started submitting novels and short stories before they (and me) were ready, way back in 1995. I read a lot of How To books since then, and started publishing short stories around 2000 - 2003, but what I wanted to do was write novels, and now I write novels. Along the way there was three chances I took (three non-traditional publishers), and I feel I was royally boned three times, put away wet, and have yet to be offered a traditional after-sex smoke. It happens. There are a lot of people that prey on aspiring writers, and their stories litter the World Wide Web. Now I’m careful, seeking only publishers who have a proven track record, and actually pay their writers money. I learned some harsh lessons and moved on.

I want to do more with Orange Moon Publishing, but I don’t have the money. A little publicity aside, I haven’t sold one book from my site. What went wrong is simple enough to explain. I needed to give away signed books. I needed to give them to newspaper outlets, television outlets, talk radio stations, and all the reviewers I could possibly find. Several hundred books, and all the postage that involves, is several thousand dollars I don’t have. Think about how much it would cost if I gave out a thousand books, because, to be fair, that’s how many I would have to hand out to make my book a success, and my publishing company a success. Fifty books ordered and delivered runs me about $350.00, and would cost me about half that in postage to mail them out. There is no guarantee that any of these media outlets are going to do anything for me, free signed book or not, which is why I would have to hit so many with a free signed book. If I’m really lucky, about a third would respond in a way that gives me some needed publicity. That blanket coverage would generate some good sales figures. Since I live on a fixed income, I have to generate my own cash flow. I have to figure out how to generate publicity on the free, first. If it costs me money, that’s secondary.

It costs me $200.00 to produce one book, and it takes me three sales of that same book to pay for the storage fees. It runs me about $350.00 per year to maintain Orange Moon Publishing, regardless. Add $15.00 dollars per year, per book. The startup costs ($1200.00 give or take a sawbuck) are done and over, and now I have the year to year costs of being Orange Moon Publishing. Do I proceed? Should I let it fail?

Money aside, I have six finished novels. These novels are as perfect as I can possibly make them. First, I submit to a long list of accredited agents. Second, I submit them to various publishers who allow submissions from authors without agents. Ten to fifteen publishers. Three big publishers, the rest small publishers. All the small publishers are recognized by agents as real publishers. Publishers of quality, not clearinghouse publishers. After that, I have me, and my own publishing firm.

The problem with publishing yourself is, nobody takes you seriously. So many people out there are writing books, and most of them are of such poor literary quality, they give us serious writers a bad name. We all get thrown into the same sad slot. Only a few gems make it on their own, becoming big reader hits, and when that happens, publishers step in and buy them. One or two books a year might make it to that higher level. Those books then become traditionally published bestsellers. One book alone can give a writer the money to buy a house, a car, new furniture, and pay off past debts.

My options are limited. I start with agents, go to publishers, and then small publishers; then I produce them myself. That’s it. Either way, this is all I have to go on, while I try to break into traditional publishing. That’s the point of this blog. I’m figuring it out as I go along. See you next week.