I would hope by now that my readers know that I'm a big fan of knowing exactly what you're getting yourself into. If you can understand all the pros and cons—and the hidden traps—of a particular path, then you are prepared for whatever might come your way.
The book How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell is one of those books that lays it all out for the world to see. It's the harsh realities of the mindset that you need to develop when it comes to your writing practices. It's a discussion about the pros and cons of BOTH traditional and self-publications roads. And there is even a discussion about working with editors and book cover designers.
It doesn't matter which path you're taking in your writing career. I would suggest that you get your hands on a copy of this book and keep it on hand for when you are moving in to various stages of your careers for that little dose of reality.
How to Make a Living as a Writer (James Scott Bell)
More writers are making money today than at any other time in history. With the rise of ebooks and indie publishing there are now more opportunities than ever for writers to generate substantial income from their work. And there is still a traditional publishing industry that needs new talent to keep growing.
In How to Make a Living as a Writer, you'll learn the secrets of writing for profit and increasing your chances of making a living wage from your work.
This book provides the pros AND cons of both the traditional and self-publication roads, along with some insights on how you need to treat your writing as a business.
More info →
The Rarity of Understanding Traditional & Self-Publication
It's not often that I will go out of my way to recommend a book to my readers, but the clarity of this book and the fact that it balanced towards both traditional and self-publication makes it a rare gem.
There are many books and blog posts out there that provide the pros and cons of traditional and self-publication, but more often than not, they tend to be skewed in one direction. And more often than not, they tend to be quite negative against traditional publication.
Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with heading down self-publication roads, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with heading down traditional roads either. So, it was refreshing to discover a book that talks about both paths with equal standing, highlighting the true hidden traps associated with each.
In this book, there is a full discussion about what steps you need to take to head down traditional roads, but more importantly, there was a full discussion about some clauses that you should be on the lookout for in your contracts. There was discussion about the red flags for working with agents, but also the dangers with working with publishers in today's eBook and print-on-demand market. And there is some suggested wording on how to rework some of these clauses into your favor.
For those heading down self-publication roads, there was a discussion about the merits of going wide or working with Amazon only. And there was a discussion about budgets associated with producing a book. AND James Scott Bell successfully presents his arguments about how publishing is a business and how many writers either take too many shortcuts or don't treat their writing as a business. (There's a self-publisher's checklist included.)
The reason why James Scott Bell is able to produce such a balanced view is because he is what is known as a hybrid writer. Some of his books are traditionally published, while others are self-published (including this book). He has walked both paths and he knows the realities that both camps face.
Things I didn't know about James Scott Bell...
I have known about James Scott Bell's connection to the film industry for a while. And I'm familiar with his thrillers. I've known about his books on writing for some time (they were sitting in my To Read pile for years). But it was a surprise to discover that there are many aspects of Bell's writing life that seem to mirror my own.
He uses Scrivener, a word-processing program that is designed for writers, and a program that I adore.
He occasionally takes part in NaNoWriMo, and he fully drafted a manuscript on contract during one of his NaNoWriMo seasons. (I've taken part in NaNoWriMo every year since 2014.)
He enjoys sharing his knowledge about writing with others. (Hello... You're reading this blog, and this is one of my methods of sharing my knowledge.)
And he continues to be a hybrid-published writer.
Craft & Dissect—Books that I will keep going back to...
I have marked my Kindle version of this book for my personal "Craft & Dissect" collection. These are books that I revisit again and again as I grow and develop as a writer. Some books in the collection are references for writing, such as the Thesaurus Series by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi. Some are my dictionaries. But this book will form part of my "reality check" books, the ones I refer to when I need a gentle reminder of the path I'm on and how it is meant to be hard work.
Other books in my "Craft & Dissect" collection on my Kindle include Prosperous Creation by Monica Leonelle (which I reviewed a few weeks ago).
If there are other books that you think would be ideal to add to my recommended book list, drop me a line and I'll check them out.
How to Make a Living as a Writer (James Scott Bell)
More writers are making money today than at any other time in history. With the rise of ebooks and indie publishing there are now more opportunities than ever for writers to generate substantial income from their work. And there is still a traditional publishing industry that needs new talent to keep growing.
In How to Make a Living as a Writer, you'll learn the secrets of writing for profit and increasing your chances of making a living wage from your work.
This book provides the pros AND cons of both the traditional and self-publication roads, along with some insights on how you need to treat your writing as a business.
More info →