Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Indie vs Traditional Authors: Is it a battle created by Misconceptions?
Indie vs Traditional Authors:
Is it a battle created by
Misconceptions?
By S. E. Smith
This blog comes a day after I had a very
interesting experience with my local ‘hometown’ bookstore. Let me start by
describing how the day began to help put it in perspective for everyone.
Yesterday was my official, in my mind, first day as a full-time writer. In
truth, I’ve been a full-time writer for the past two and a half years. Over the
course of the past two plus years I have published twenty-six books including
one that made it to the USA TODAY Bestseller’s list and the majority which have
been either #1 on Amazon’s Bestseller’s list in Science Fiction Romance or at
least in the top ten in one genre or the other.
For my first day, I had to make some
serious decisions. One was to keep a promise to my husband and myself. I
promised that if I gave up one forty hour a week job that I would take better
care of myself.
So, being the type of person I am, I set
to work to accomplish that goal with the same tenacity that I attack everything
else! Of course, today I am paying for my typical gun-ho behavior… note to
self; do not set a one hour goal on the treadmill when you first start. Five
minutes would have made more sense, but of course I thought I was in better
shape than I am! Another note to self…. You are definitely out of shape, dummy!
My second promise was to set up a writing
schedule so that I didn’t work eighty hours a week again. Okay, I’m not doing very
well on that one either, but this is only day two. So how does this fit in with
Indie vs Traditional Authors? Well, that comes to the next part of my day.
I had an appointment in town and decided
that after said appointment would be a great time to visit the locally owned
bookstore that ‘promoted’ author events for the community. This bookstore has
been in business since I moved here almost thirty years ago. I often took my
children there and as a classroom teacher, I loved to take my students there.
After all, bookstores are there to share information and knowledge. To open the
mind to all kinds of new and exciting things… like adventures, romance, and how
to do things like… maybe become an author!
This was not my first time at stopping by
this bookstore since I began writing. I received a mild brush-off that time,
but thought what-the-heck, I’m relatively unknown still so I’ll give it time
and promptly forgot about it. I wasn’t ready for a book signing event at the
time anyway as I didn’t have the confidence. Oh yeah, that is something else
that I forgot to mention! It takes a lot of confidence (or just finally a swift
kick in the pants) to talk yourself into approaching a business like a
bookstore about the fact that you are an author and would like to see if they
might be interested in your work.
Back to my story, the afternoon had turned
dark and thunder rolled across the ever increasingly heavy sky as I pulled into
the parking lot. Determined not to turn tail and run, I made it inside the
store. I love bookstores and the smell and feel of this one brought back the
memories of going there over the years. I browsed the upstairs area that was
now set aside for children and young adults, picking up a few items for my
grandson before moving back downstairs. Of course, during all the browsing I
was fast losing my nerve to ask anyone about the possibilities of letting me do
a presentation for would-be writers. As I approached the checkout, I remembered
suddenly that I needed a map and out of nowhere one of the store’s
representatives magically appeared.
I thought it must be an omen. After all,
the skies were pouring their hearts out outside so I couldn’t leave without
being a drowned rat and this man suddenly appeared from between the
bookshelves. Gathering my flailing courage with both hands, I asked him if it
was possible to leave my business card with the store with the hopes of doing a
guest appearance.
Now, this is where the sky turned dark on
the inside of the store. I will stress that the man was polite. It was not so
much all of what he said, but what he didn’t say that raised the red flags.
There is a huge misconception that self-published or Indie authors do not have
the same degree of professionalism as those of the traditionally published
kind.
The moment he asked who my publisher was,
I knew the door was shutting. I just didn’t expect it to be with such a loud ‘bang’.
I swear his nose lifted an added inch when I looked him in the eye and told him
proudly that I was an Indie Author.
He politely told me that the store
received numerous requests such as mine daily from new authors or those who
wanted to write a book and they could not accommodate each request. I pointed
out that I was a USA TODAY and Amazon Bestselling author and currently had
twenty-six books out. Do you hear that? It is the sound of several more nails
in the door to keep Indie Authors out. His nose went a twitch higher when he
asked me if I was a New York Times
Bestselling Author and informed me that Amazon didn’t count. He pointed out
that Amazon was NOT on the big six publishing companies’ good graces at this
time because of their handling of some very well-known authors.
I so wanted to point out all the books on
the shelves behind him that were not on the New York Times Bestsellers, or even
Amazon’s Bestseller’s list, but I was a good girl and kept my mouth shut. The
final nail came when he asked me what I wrote! Hide my head in shame (not), I
told him I was primarily a Science Fiction Romance writer. He haughtily
informed me that their Science Fiction area was bigger than it should be and
that their ‘clientele’ was too conservative for that genre. He said if I could
perhaps encourage some readers to come in and ask for my books or even Science
Fiction that he might consider it.
Being the good girl (not) that I am, I
smiled politely, paid for my purchases, and left. As I got in the car, I
decided I wouldn’t darken their closed-minded store again. This might explain
why they have a shrinking ‘clientele’. Not all the people living in my area are
conservative. Some of them actually like to step out of the box, open their
minds, and live a little.
Yes, I think there is a difference between
Traditional published authors and Indie. The problem isn’t with the authors so
much as with the die-hard bookstores and publishing companies that are
resisting listening to readers who are telling them that they can no longer
dictate what readers are allowed to read. There will be other opportunities to
share my stories and help budding authors reach their dreams. If you must know,
I prefer being outside anyway.
S. E.
Smith is a USA TODAY and #1 International Bestselling author who has always
been a romantic and a dreamer. An avid writer, she has spent years writing,
although it has usually been technical papers for college. Now, she spends her
evenings and weekends writing and her nights dreaming up new stories. An
affirmed “geek,” she spends her days working on computers and other
peripherals. She enjoys camping and traveling when she is not out on a date
with her favorite romantic guy. Fans can reach her at SESmithFL@gmail.com or
visit her web site at: http://sesmithfl.com.
Join me for additional information about the books at http://pinterest.com/sesmithfl/s-e-smith/, http://twitter.com/sesmithfl, http://facebook.com/se.smith.5 and at my new book discussion forum at http://www.sesmithromance.com
Additional Books or for links to purchase the
books readers can go to my website, Amazon, Kobo, Lulu, Smashwords, iBooks or
Barnes and Nobles.
Abducting Abby (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 1)
Capturing Cara (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 2)
Tracking Trisha (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 3)
Ambushing Ariel (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 4)
For
the Love of Tia (Dragon
Lords of Valdier: Book 4.1)
Cornering Carmen (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 5)
Paul’s Pursuit (Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 6)
Choosing Riley (Sarafin Warriors: Book 1)
Ha’ven’s Song (Curizan Warrior: Book 1)
Hunter’s Claim (The Alliance: Book 1)
Razor’s Traitorous Heart (The Alliance: Book 2)
Lily’s Cowboys (Heaven Sent: Book 1)
Touching Rune (Heaven Sent: Book 2)
Indiana Wild (Spirit Pass: Book 1)
River’s Run (Lords of Kassis: Book 1)
Star’s Storm (Lords of Kassis: Book 2)
Jo’s Journey (Lords of Kassis: Book 3)
Rescuing Mattie (Lords of Kassis: Book 3.1)
Tink’s Neverland (Cosmo’s Gateway: Book 1)
Hannah’s Warrior (Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 2)
Tansy’s Titan (Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 3)
Cosmos’
Promise (Cosmos’ Gateway:
Book 4)
Gracie’s Touch (Zion Warriors: Book 1)
Krac’s Firebrand (Zion Warriors: Book 2)
A Warrior’s Heart (Marastin Dow Book 1.1)
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