It has been a really long time since I have posted in this blog. I have a very good excuse, however. I have been revising COMPENDIUM like mad. I recently completed my second full revision of the manuscript and have begun to submit the manuscript to beta readers. It has been particularly difficult to find a developmental editor. Of all of the recommendations I have gotten, all but one was too busy to take on my project, and the other has not responded.
So, while I continue the editing process, I am soliciting feedback from friends and family. For COMPENDIUM and the rest of the Artifacts of Lumin Series, I have made the decision to go straight to independent publishing. I have waffled back and forth repeatedly on whether to send my manuscript to agents/publishers or whether to go independent, but I feel like there has been a change sea over the last year or two which makes it financially advisable (if you are willing to commit the up front costs of editing / marketing) to retain your rights and publish directly.
Because I do have the means to afford this direction, I cannot think of a good reason to shop my book for a months, get offered an almost non-existent advance, lose all control over the cover and other aspects of the book, wait another year for it to hit the market, and then lose the rights for years when there is a very real chance the book would go out of print very quickly. Not to mention, this book is definitely part of a series, and I want to write the whole series. Am I guaranteed to succeed as an independent publisher? Not at all, but at least I retain ownership and control, and I can keep my book on the market for as long as I want.
The logistics of going it alone are daunting, but I’m an entrepreneurial person by nature, so I am excited as well as nervous. So, what does that mean for COMPENDIUM? In the coming weeks, hopefully I will have a free short up for people to read. I will likely open it up for pre-orders at some point. I am aiming to have the novel launched by year-end. Lots to do, but all exciting!
On top of COMPENDIUM, I have started thinking about scenes for OCULARIUM (still not sure whether to call it OCULARIUM or OCULARIUS). NaNoWriMo is coming, and I want to be prepared to write in November! I also have to decide what I am submitting to FDU for my trip to London.
I have booked my tickets to London for January, and I am very, very excited to be going. So many amazing opportunities for me right now. I have a lot to look forward to. So, that is my update. In my mind, this rambling seemed to have more form and be more substantive, but there you have it.
About the photograph: This photograph was taking at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC in April, 2013.
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Alia Luria - BLOG 