Soapbox

A team who believes that what I’ve written is worth publishing. I needed that validation. But it doesn’t come cheaply.  

As an unknown author with a first book, the only publishing contract I could hope for was a hybrid one. In other words, I pay about half of the publishing expenses. My tuition gets me line editing, design, promotion, and printing. What’s more, it gives me someone who tells me what to do, how to do it and when. Without which, I’d be making it up and likely lost, wasting time and money. Additionally, I pay for a website designer, book tour expenses, contests to enter, and who knows what else? And I’m just getting started.

There is someone out there, many someone’s is my bet. They/he/she is waiting tables tonight. Maybe s/he is a single parent and has a day job too, when her/his kid is in school. S/he can only chisel out a little time here or there to write. Bonnie Raitt sings Luck of the Draw about her. S/he is an avid reader and, from childhood, has always written. Her/his writing has been praised. S/he keeps at it. Writing is part of who s/he is.

S/he has a story to tell. The world would be a better place to read it but it will never happen. S/he barely had the time and energy to write a book. S/he can’t afford the money it would take to get through publishing’s sieve. How many good books never make it to print? How many stories and voices do we wish we could have read?

Publishing appears elitist. I’m lucky and have privilege.