If you walk past St. Kilda Readings today, you may notice a familiar cover in its window:
No, not The Martian! Right next to it, look!
Yep, there she is, looking a little freaked out to be in such distinguished company. How did she get there, you ask?
Turns out that all you have to do is ask.
This has gone a long way to power up my batteries – I’ve been feeling a little down lately and ended up reading a few ugly articles thrashing self-publishing, one going so far as to declare that self-published authors are “neither published, nor authors”. Well – up yours, dear critic. If it looks like a book, and it reads like a book, and, gosh darn it, people like it and are willing to display it on the top shelf next to a bestseller – well, that means I’m a published author. And the fact that I did it all myself makes it that much more special.
Aaaaahhh…Isn’t life grand?
Ana Spoke, author 
Congrats, good for you!!
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Thank you, Ellie 🙂
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Wonder how many books “Critic” has had published?? Good for you, Ana! You inspire me every day!
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Thank you, Donna! Imagine this – it was an author, who started with a declaration that three of his dozen or so books were self published!
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Well that’s freaking awesome. Well done.
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Thank you, Allie 🙂
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That’s amazing! And look at it next to The Martian, which was also self-published and look where that got Andy Weir! 🙂 A good omen…
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Omg, didn’t even think of that! Thank you, Claire!
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Congratulations! In today’s world, there’s nothing wrong with self-publishing, so kudos on your perseverance.
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Thank you – and I completely agree. I do hope self-published authors take time to edit and produce the best quality work, though. The articles did make a good point about how self-published work is often unedited.
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As an editor, I agree with you wholeheartedly! If they don’t, though, they won’t find much of a following. Good luck with your book in the store window 🙂
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Thank you again! Yes, I think eventually the wave of poorly written and published in a hurry books will subside, as people will realise that it takes a lot of time for very little return (unless your book is awesome and goes viral). I think the current landscape is overpopulated with “writers” hoping to make a quick buck – they will move on eventually…
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Self-publishers rock! There are always going to be critics. We outnumber the critics. Congrats! The book looks good there. 🙂
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Thank you, Jackie! Can’t wait till there will be more self-made films – lately I can’t stand the dribble Hollywood seems to churn out…
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Hear, hear!
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🙂
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Wow! That’s wonderful. Must be such an amazing feeling to see your name in those bookshelves! Don’t listen to people dear, you’ve done it. Just strive to do more and more! 🙂
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Thank you, Syeda 🙂 This will power me up to write more of the sequel today…
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Glad to be of some use 😉
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If the gatekeepers of traditional publishing weren’t so narrow minded maybe we wouldn’t need self-publishing. As it is, you practically have to be G.K. Rowlings or a movie star or past president to get your book published. Many excellent books are turned down by traditional publishers.
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Couldn’t agree more! It’s the pressure of the sales that makes the publishers so risk averse, and the lack of resources and qualified staff – I think in the world in general, there are more and more expectations every day, and less and less money and time to do it…
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You are one clever dude! Einstein once defined genius as the ability to recognize the obvious. You not only recognize the obvious but you seize it! Congratulations!
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Thank you, James – the genius in this case was actually Josh. Didn’t occur to me – I’ve tried an underhanded tactic once of moving the book to a spot near the couches inside myself, but the next day it was back on the shelf (yes, I’m stalking it regularly!)
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It would seem, then, that the two of you are in need of the plural form for genius! 🙂
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Haha, thank you again! Genii?
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Congrats. I imagine that feels awesome 🙂
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Surreal 🙂 I can still remember when it was just a dream, and have the very first post on this blog to remind me…
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The amount of snobbery in the publishing industry never ceases to depress me. Anyway, you did the right thing ignoring that particular arsehole. Good for you for getting your book in the window.
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Thank you! It would further agitate you to know that the article was by an author, who started with a disclaimer that he self-published three of his dozen books…
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Can you whisper his name?
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Whoa, I had trouble finding the particular article, but look at this! Attacks self publishing, then has ads for self publishing at the bottom!!!
http://goodereader.com/blog/commentary/self-publishers-should-not-be-called-authors
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Can’t find it! But here is a reference to it – apparently it was in NY Times
http://bondwine.com/2013/10/04/told-by-an-idiot-no-6/
Says we are not published – we are writers who have their books “printed”.
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I’ll take a look and the Goodreads link. Thanks for finding the articles.
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Your book looks great up there, Ana! It’s right where it should be.
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Thank you, Amy! I couldn’t agree more 🙂
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Congrats!
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Thank you, Isabella!
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Congratulations Ana, fighting snobbery one step at a time! This is a dream of mine 🙂
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Fighting snobbery? Yes! Maybe as a masked superhero…
Seriously, though – it took a bit of guts and a year. Well, and some money, if I’m perfectly honest…but still, anyone can do it!
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Well however you did it, it’s amazing and what I meant was that it’s admirable having secured a place in a window, next to the Martian! My challenge is getting the words onto the page in the same manner as they float around my head! x
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Thank you again, Jam 🙂 What can I say, it’s hard – I’ve been working on the sequel for months, and it goes in great bursts, then in long stretches of scilence…
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Yes. Yes it does (make you special).
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Awww…thank you 🙂
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Love this! Thanks for giving hope to aspiring authors.
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Thank you, Cynthia 🙂 one step at a time…
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Yes. In my case, I am still working on getting published and most of my writing work has to get done during summers off from teaching. Slow going.
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I know what you mean – I wrote a lot of Shizzle, Inc on my tram commute…looking forward to my five months off work, which starts in three weeks!
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Oh dear god! You’re amazing!
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No…I wish I could say I thought of it – Josh did it, actually.
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Way to go, Ana! Yeah, for the first time I’ve been getting a little ‘down’ with my sales – or more accurately, lack of. Having three weeks away on holiday (India, so interested in your follow-up!) and no promotion, it’s getting so I’m more anxious t start my new book. But seeing this shows there’s hope. (I just wish I could create as much time for writing / promoting as you seem to do. 🙂
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Thank you, Cee Tee! Truth be told, there has been little of actual book writing…instead I’ve stayed up till midnight photoshopping…need to get myself sorted on priorities!
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Excellent! In general I find that ‘self-published’ is not as dirty a word as it used to be, so I would said person’s views are in the minority now.
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I think so too – which made it that much more shocking. And it’s an author, too, and the one who admits to have three of his or her dozen books self-published…
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Pretty awesome
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Thank you, Nic 🙂
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Congrats Ana, I love your chutzpah!! And yes to asking- I made a request at a new bookshop in Avslon Beach, NSW and the lovely book owner agreed and has bought ten. Professionally edited indie books are fab, we say!! PJ
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Thank you, and congrats to you too!! Professionally edited is the key…
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Bravo!
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Thank you 🙂
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Awesome! Congratulations Ana!
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Thank you, Mary!
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Congratulations! Now to get that movie deal like the neighboring book… and perhaps the female equivalent of Matt Damon on the cover.
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Thank you! Well, I have sent a copy to one of the Coen brothers, so now we wait…
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I think the person who said that is jealous of your talent, courage and commitment – congratulations!
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Thank you 🙂 that was apparently an article originally printed in NU Times – the person definitely has a chip on his shoulder…
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Good for you Ana! Congratulations.
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Thank you 🙂
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You are most definitely a published author! I hope you’re proud:)
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Thank you, Matt! Yes, I am – and not ashamed of it, either 🙂
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Thats good how do you get stores to carry and sell your books tho?
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Ugh, “manually” – I offer it on consignment. So far it’s in two bookstores.
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Ohhh thats a start tho!!
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You go from strength to strength! You work at it like a demon and thank you so much for all your sharing of the obstacles in the way; you give us lesser mortals hope and inspiration!
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Thank you, Peter 🙂 So happy to hear that you’re inspired – but no negative self-labeling, okay? In any case, credit in this case goes to Josh – I did not phantom something like this working, but he just went in and asked them. Proof that, once again, the impossible becomes possible almost as soon as you imagine it and try. Thank you again 🙂
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Ask and you shall receive…. a PLACE in the FRONT window!!! Next to a best seller (mind you self published,too). What better advertising could you wish for??? Ohhh, you are so on your way to being that best selling author. Never get discouraged, look how far you have come with your writing and where your book is now from the time you first started writing it. Did you ever think it be in the front window next to a big best seller and getting 5 star reviews?? The only people who trash self published work are people who can’t write a novel or have been turned down too many times so write articles instead of having enough faith in their own work to self publish. Yeah there’s badly published books in publishing houses and self publishing. We the readers decide what is a great read for us not some stuffy shirt behind a desk. I want to self publish so I have control over my books and what gets published with out being totally cut to something it wasn’t meant to be. In my book self publishing is a Godsend to today’s writer. Can you imagine how many great novels we missed out on before self publishing because some stuffed shirt vision wasn’t the writer’s? Someday all books will probably be self published. DON”T ever let that get you discouraged remember the book it’s next to on the self. Enough said. Now get back to work on that sequel and pound out those pages everyone is eager to read!
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Haha, thank you, Olivia! Working on it today – sits been hard, as I’m having some personal issues at the moment, but my five months off is just three weeks away! Will be on fire then…
In terms of self publishing, I couldn’t agree more. The proof is also in all the great novels, including some famous classics, that were self published and then hit the mainstream big time. When I was pestering agents, the silence was enough to make me quit, and I would have, if not for this option. So thankful to all the people that make it possible! (I know, they take a cut, but I’m so glad to pay it 🙂
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Congrats! That’s a big achievement 😀
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Thank you 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Go you!!!! Congratulations!!!
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Thank you!
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You’re welcome!
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“Matt Damon is right behind me again, isn’t he?”
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That is awesome! Congrats!
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Thank you, Kerri 🙂
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Those who control the publishing industry know that self-publishing is a threat to their political agenda. So of course they try their best to discourage anyone from bypassing their politically-filtered, mainstream channels.
As much as I despise Digital-Age technology, in general, I cannot deny its positive aspects. And one of these positive aspects of Digital-Age technology is that it enables writers from all backgrounds, and with all perspectives, to bypass the puppetmasters who control the publishing industry.
In this way, readers all over the world have more access to the unfiltered truth than ever before.
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It’s a threat to their wallet, that’s for sure…
While publishing industry may survive for a while, one profession that’s under threat is a literary agent. The only reason I can see needing an agent in the future, is to sell movie rights.
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Congratulations… it’s amazing that you follow my blog. Hope I will learn interesting things from you and your writing and maybe one day my book will stand next to you:)… just a dream:)
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Awww, thank you! Read my very first post – two years ago I didn’t even have a first draft and was too afraid to post nothing online…so much has changed, and actually, most of it just in the last 9 months…
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I will read all your posts… from A to Z… promise:)
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Just noticed my mistake… should be next to yours… sorry 🙂
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Well done you – I didn’t notice 🙂 I’m not a native English speaker anyway – I have to use editors 🙂 so the blog, which is not professionally edited, may have jarring turns of phrase, just warning you 🙂
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Congrats! This is motivation!
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Thank you 🙂 anything is possible…
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This is amazing, well done! I can’t imagine how exhilarating this must be for you. Being a huge bookworm I’m excited to read more of your blog and more about your book. Good luck for all future endeavours. 🙂
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Thank you very much 🙂 Yes, every step along the way has been a blast – I still remember getting the first printed copy in the mail as if it was yesterday. Thank you for your support!
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Thank you for sharing!
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Fantastic!
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Great news, congratulations, Ana! 🙂
Best regards from the North,
Dina
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