Guest Post

Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk

Lisa here, delighted to play hostess today for amazing mystery author, anthology editor, and indie publishing expert Judy Penz Sheluk. Welcome back to Chicks, Judy–and hold onto your feathers, Everyone, because Judy’s here to tell us about her new step-by-step guides (1 recently published, 1 coming soon) that are sure to provide both inspiration and information to countless aspiring (and veteran) authors, no matter which publishing path they choose.

Finding Your Path to Publication

by Judy Penz Sheluk

As an author, I’ve had the privilege of facilitating several writing workshops. Some of them revolved around the creative writing process, some were on the crafting of short stories, and others on prepping for NaNoWriMo (https://nanowrimo.org). While the content of each differed, one thing remained constant. When it came to the Q&A portion of the program, the number one question asked was “How do I get published?” I always answer it the same way: “That depends on you.”

The thing is, when it comes to publishing, one path doesn’t fit all. Further, there are pros and cons to each path, though how you define those will depend on your individual needs, wants, and personality. If you’re super organized (a nice word for control freak, as I tend to be), you may not want someone else to have complete control over your book, in which case self-publishing may be right for you. If you like the idea of control but aren’t so much into the heavy lifting self-publishing requires, hiring a hybrid service might be the ticket. And if your heart is set on a traditional publishing contract, then you’ll need to research literary agents and independent publishers, bone up on synopsis writing, and polish your query letter to perfection.

Regardless of the path you choose, resist the urge to send your book out to the world before it’s truly ready. By that I mean NOT the day after you finish NaNoWriMo, and not before you’ve gone through a few drafts and had it edited (hopefully by a professional and not your Great Aunt Gertrude who used to teach English and likes cozy mysteries). In other words, no arbitrary deadlines such as “by the time I’m 40,” “a year after I retire,” or “as soon as the last kid is in college.”

And now, here’s a quick recap of five popular publishing paths:

Traditional (Trade Book) a.k.a. The Big Five: Many aspiring authors dream of signing a contract with one of the “Big Five” traditional book houses (Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster), publishers with a team of professionals who take care of everything from editing, proofreading, interior book design, cover art, digital and/or print advance review copies (ARCs), book blurbs and uploading to retail, to detailed sales reports to accompany royalty payments, and assistance with advertising and promotion. Advances on royalties vary but are usually 50% on signing and 50% on publication. Submissions are only accepted through top-notch literary agents, and time to publication (after acceptance) can take up to two years.

Independent Publishers: If being traditionally published is important to you, a contract with an independent publisher is often more attainable. That’s because unlike trade book conglomerates, many independent publishers will accept manuscripts directly from the author without the aid of a literary agent. Regardless of the size of the press, your contractual agreement should, at a minimum, include paid professional editing, proofreading, cover art, interior book design, uploading to retail, and structured sales reports to accompany any royalty payments. Time to publication may often be quicker than the Big Five, but faster isn’t always better. A very short timeline (six months, for example) can mean a compromise on editing or advance reviews. The larger the independent publisher, the closer their services and advances will align with the Big 5; smaller presses will have more limited budgets.

Hybrid/Assisted: Not to be confused with the term “hybrid author” (an author who is both traditionally and self-published), hybrid publishers offer assisted self-publishing. Years ago, these publishers were known as vanity presses, and there are still plenty of unethical vanity presses out there that will take an author’s money and do little to nothing in return beyond getting your book out there, regardless of whether it’s ready or marketable. When searching for a hybrid publisher, the importance of careful research cannot be overstated. Expect to spend $4,000 and up. It’s unlikely you will recoup your investment.

Self-Publishing: Self-publishing takes hard work, time, and commitment, and for the unknown author, gaining recognition in a very crowded and competitive marketplace can be an uphill battle, and not one for the faint of heart. Another consideration is your own time, money, and organizational skills. As a self-published author, you essentially act as your own contractor, taking on, and paying for, all publishing-related responsibilities. The good news is you won’t have to write a synopsis!

Social Publishing: Self-directed, the emphasis is on feedback and growth as a writer, and the pleasure of sharing your words, versus earning writing-based, royalty income. Examples include blogging, Wattpad, and Inkitt. It’s important to note that any work(s) shared in this matter will be considered previously published, significantly reducing, if not eliminating, any interest by traditional publishers and literary agents for those specific work(s). It will not, however, preclude the author from undertaking an independent or hybrid publication path for those same work(s).

So, there you have it. Any questions? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer it. And who knows, maybe one or more of the Chicks will weigh in as well.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The road to publishing is paved with good intentions…and horror stories of authors who had to learn the hard way.

For the emerging author, the publishing world can be overwhelming. You’ve written the book, and you’re ready to share it with the world, but don’t know where to start. Traditional, independent press, hybrid, self-publishing, and online social platforms—all are valid publishing paths. The question is, which one is right for you?

Finding Your Path to Publication is an introduction to an industry that remains a mystery to those on the outside. Learn how each publishing option works, what to expect from the process start to finish, how to identify red flags, and avoid common pitfalls. With statistics, examples, and helpful resources compiled by an industry insider who’s been down a few of these paths, this is your roadmap to decide which path you’d like to explore, and where to begin your author journey. Here’s a look at the Table of Contents:

Find the book: https://books2read.com/FindingYourPathtoPublication

Coming Soon: SELF-PUBLISHING: The Ins & Outs of Going Indie

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A former journalist and magazine editor, JUDY PENZ SHELUK is the bestselling author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and Marketville Mysteries, both of which have been published in multiple languages. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she also edited. With a passion for understanding the ins and outs of all aspects of publishing, Judy is also the founder and owner of Superior Shores Press, which she established in February 2018.

Judy is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors for five years, the final two as Chair. She lives in Northern Ontario. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com.

36 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk”

  1. Outstanding book, Judy. An excellent overview of publishing. I help people in my small town take their shoebox full of life notes and create memoirs for gifts to family and friends. I also use those indie and self-publishing skills for commercial fiction. Your book gives excellent and actionable advice. Thank you for pulling together the information!

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    1. Thanks so much for referring others to my book, Grant. I really wanted to write something accessible, helpful, and unbiased that would help others. I had literally no clue when I was starting out!

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        1. Our apologies, Judy! We are still trying to deal with this WordPress issue. Looks as if you’re appearing now, but still…grr. Thanks for bearing with us, everyone.

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      2. You’re welcome, Judy! In October, I’ll give a talk at the Books on the Bosque event. Your book was an inspiration for the title: Self-publish Your Book and Make Your Writing Dreams Come True! Your story also inspired me to put together a free workbook for the audience, giving those that visit my website little nudge to get past their fear of the technology and embrace the possibilities.

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  5. Judy, I’ve known since we both started out and have been endlessly impressed by your writing and your journey you’re amazing. Can you articulate some of the costs involved with self publishing I think it would help people understand the commitment going in.

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    1. Hi Ellen, yes, we met at Bouchercon 2015 our debut year — at the Crooked Lane table — and look at YOU now! Wowza. As for the costs to self-publish, I recommend hiring a good editor — the cost varies by the length / type of book and the type of editing — I do go through the various types in the book. Lisa might be able to give a better idea on cost for that, but I’d say you need at least $1,000 and I also recommend that you hire a proofreader. You will need to hire a graphic artist for your cover art (unless you are good at those things) and realize that any images you use, you must have the rights to. A good cover will cost anywhere from $250 and up. You will need to format your book. I recommend purchasing formatting software and learning to do this yourself. I love Vellum, which is around $250, but you can use limitless times for multiple books. But it’s Mac-based only and you need desktop computer. I cover other options in the book. Advertising — you’d be helping with those costs regardless, but it’s all on you, as is any swag. Realistically you are looking at a minimum of $1,500 (and that’s being very conservative) as well as your time. There is a definite learning curve. Thanks for asking.

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      1. Re: editing costs, the answer is always “it depends”–mainly on your word count and type of service requested (developmental or line editing or both, etc.). I charge per page (250 words/page is industry standard), but some editors charge by word or offer estimates after reviewing your ms. Many professional editors set their fees, as I do, in accordance with the rate chart offered by the Editorial Freelancers Association: https://www.the-efa.org/rates/

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  7. I would just like to add that both of Judy’s guides (she was recently kind enough to share a pre-pub version of the new one with me) are simply awesome. SELF-PUBLISHING will be available for pre-order soon. I’m recommending both books to all of my editing clients considering their publishing options. The great thing is that authors can have those clear steps and resources right in front of them as they approach each point and task.

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    1. Thank you Lisa, that means a lot to me. I really appreciate it. If there’s another professional editor out there interested in a copy of my book(s), contact me through my website contact link.

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  10. Judy – I recently purchased “Finding Your Path to Publication” and am looking forward to diving into it once my debut novel is ready to ship back to my editor. And if I decide to go Indie, “The Ins and Outs of Going Indie” will be my next purchase!

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    1. And, of course, this is Anonymous Becky. My pals even came up with the title for my as yet unwritten how-to publishing book — IT’S NOT THAT HARD. 🤣

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