Plan B

My Experience: From Self-Published to Traditionally Published

by Jeff Rivera

There has never been a more opportune time to be an independently published author. I have been down both routes with my originally self-published novel, Forever My Lady and its trek through the major publishing house Grand Central Publishing (formerly known as Warner Books).

I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Through joys and literal tears of frustration, I've experienced it all.

The journey began when I worked at a K-Mart for a boss from hell barely for minimum way but one thing I've learned is that even when you're struggling there are blessings in disguise if you're willing to see them. I met a coworker there that changed my life forever. At first glance we had nothing in common. He was a former gang member, I was a black kid from Hillsboro, Oregon. His idea of fun was tagging a building, my idea of fun was watching a movie. But at heart, we connected over something we both had as a common thread. We both were lovers of love and his love was manifested in letters to the love of his life.

She was a girl he had grown up with and at the age of 19 was still in love with only she seemed to not love him back. He would read me letters and poems he had written to her and I anxiously came to work every day wanting to hear what happened next. That experience inspired me to write my own story based on my own experiences and what would become first novel.

I tried and failed to make it a screenplay, first being rejected by Hollywood more times than I care to remember, then I tried the independent film route. First enlisting half a dozen friends to be part of the cast and crew but with no funds and no sign of funding anywhere near the idea crashed and burned.

I practically gave up, moved from Las Vegas to Orlando, Florida and eventually just outside of Boston to regroup. I had failed, I failed miserably and I needed to heal. But the story, that special story of a boy who only wanted a girl to love him back stayed with me. It haunted me and I decided after years of rejection I would not be rejected again. I would write this story as a novel and somehow I would self-publish it and become a success. Now, I look back and wonder how I had such a crazy idea. I had no money to speak of barely enough to get by but I had read stories in John Kremer's newsletter about people who had self-published and somehow got picked up by a major book publisher and I wanted to be one of them. I felt it, I wanted it more than anything. And every day I set out writing, sometimes wanting to give up, wondering what the hell I was thinking. But I kept on writing.

Finally, I finished. With no money in my pocket other than a couple hundred bucks to print off the first few copies, I had no way of promoting the book except to go online. So, I did. I let me people read it wondering if they'd like and guess what? They did. In fact they loved it and before long I had an audience of thousands who had bought or downloaded the book.

It was enough to garner the attention of a literary agent and shortly afterward, Warner Books.

I accomplished my dream, the contract was signed but I soon began to wonder, was this really what I wanted? After the slow moving process, expectations unrealized, minimal promotional and publicity support, I wondered was it all worth it? I was after all, promoting the book with the same amount of effort as I was when I was self-publishing and yet I'd given up the rights?

The publishing company offered me credibility, a full-editorial staff, national distribution and even some advertising but was it worth giving up the rights to "my baby"?

For the education, the experience, absolutely. I used the experience as a calling card to open up other doors as a consultant, a paid speaker, a journalist which allowed me to make many more times the money I made from my advance. And it allowed me the opportunity to help others get agents and get published.

Here I am years later, finishing yet another novel and I'm at a cross roads. Do I publish traditionally or do I do so independently?

I've thought about it and after careful examination, I figured out a way to reap the benefits of both.