www.inkthinkerblog.com — Q: I have written a collection of short stories, and I was in the process of submitting them to a small presses. But I noticed that many do not want short stories and also most are closed for the year because of high volume submissions. So I was thinking about doing self-publishing with a company I found on Publishers Weekly (so I know they are reputable).
I wanted to know your thoughts on that. Should I do self-publishing to test the market and see how I do and also see if I get noticed?
A: I think there are pros and cons to self-publishing: it can go phenomenally well or it can make things worse, and it really depends on the publisher you choose and, frankly, how good you are.
Before you make a financial commitment toward self-publishing, I recommend that you enlist a good editor who will give you an honest assessment of your manuscript and can help you clear up any errors in grammar, spelling, usage and punctuation that may mean the difference between a mediocre book and a great book. No matter what your budget is for publishing, hiring a pro is an investment that will pay for itself over and over.
If you’re not ready to go the self-publishing route, you may consider submitting individual stories to literary magazines and reviews and to reputable contests. That’s a great way to get your name out and get some publishing credits. And if you’re lucky, you may get some feedback from editors or judges along the way.
– Kristen
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