I know from the many many many emerging authors I’ve spoken with that the decision to self-publish is never an easy one. One of the hardest parts is figuring out all the questions you need to ask yourself, let alone start answering them. When I discovered this infographic mapping out those very questions, I couldn’t help but wish I’d had something like this when I started my publishing journey. For me, self-publishing In Leah’s Wake was the best choice and a decision I never regretted. Even so, I know circumstances change. We have to have flexibility, we have to keep reanswering these questions every time we publish.
This infographic from The Write Life is definitely one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen in terms of setting out these questions and where to go next. My thanks to Nicolas C. Rossis for sharing it on his blog too, as that’s where I discovered it.
Courtesy of: The Write Life
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This poster starts off completely wrong! Where does the maker of this “graph” get off telling people that theyre not ready to publish simply because they have high expectations as far as income. Adopt more realistic expectations???, why because someone thinks they’re going to be the next great or famous writer. What could this poster possible know about any writer that could lead it too gather that they WON’T be the next j.k rowling, Stephen King or whatever they aspire? How dare anyone make an assumption like that after asking one question and then slap it on an infograph and ask serious writers to refer to it!! What it’s saying is you’re not going to be as beloved as these writers so give up on that dream and shoot lower. Garbage! You will get what ever you put in from your writing career. Your success will be a reflection of the work and perseverance YOU put in. No one can predict how far you’ll go except for you. And certainly not some stupid online infographic. I’ve never seen anything so absurd in my life!
Hi Payton, thank you very much for taking the time to comment. While I can’t speak to exactly what the makers (The Write Life) had in mind, I took this that although those huge success stories are very inspiring to see, someone who is going into writing with only that measure of success in mind is possibly destined for disappointment. However, there are many, many rewards to be had from writing and I certainly agree that any success will be hugely impacted by someone’s own work and commitment to it. Thank you so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts! Terri
I’m sorry, but the creator of this needs to add at least two more boxes. My progression proceeded as: “No. I’d just like to earn a few bucks,” to “Yes, I have a Sisyphean work ethic” to “No, I’m just a writer.” I work two jobs, go to college full time, and have a 10-year-old; so, no, I don’t have time or money to promote or publish a book on my own. I’ve spent way too much time completing the first novel and getting halfway through the second in my trilogy, but to say that I am “just a writer” for being in that situation is absurd. I’m sure there are others who’ve persevered and many of us are surely wondering how. The worst part is, is that if I wanted to publish for “bragging rights” as opposed to personal growth and had the time to establish a platform, I’d have gotten to traditional publishing. -.-
Hi Lauren, thank you so much for your comment. I think it’s very difficult to condense the many complicated reasons/journeys we have as authors down into one graphic. While I like the infographic, I do appreciate it can’t possibly be an accurate representation of everyone’s journey! Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and for visiting! Terri