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Online publishing is the way to go
by Bradford Boisvert
This is an article promoting online and self publishing. It is written for people who are new to the business, and written by a first time author. I began to write my first novel when I was eighteen years old. Actually, it was the first novel I completed. I wrote a one hundred and twenty page manuscript, but never finished it before I began to write Delirium. It only would have taken me a year to write it, but problems certainly did arise. For starters, I was in my first year of college, and was doing work study for money around the town. At the same time, my first computer crashed. Right then and there, my novel was put on hold for a indeterminate length of time. Finally I bought a laptop, and I started up the novel again, trying to begin from where I had initially left off. Anyone could have guessed what would happen next. The laptops "A" drive broke, so now I couldn't transfer files any longer to my new desktop computer. The laptop was a very old model, and I was writing the entire novel on the word pad program. Word pad has no spell or grammar check either. Yet, I managed to finish Delirium, but I had another problem. How could I effectively edit the manuscript, and combine what I had written on there with what I had written on the desktop? After trying several different techniques and problem solvers to fix the laptop or to switch over files, I found that the entire process was futile. Then along came a friend, who managed to fix the unfixable laptop, and get me the entire file off of it. Hey, even the titanic was deemed unsinkable. By this time, I was twenty-two years old. I finished the editing, going over the story several times, when I finally had a complete, two hundred and sixty eight page novel on my hands. Now, what to do with it? I began looking for a publisher, compiling sample chapters to send, writing query letters and a synopsis, and entered into several short story contests. It was while searching the http://www.writersweekly.com website and entering into their twenty-four hour contest, that I saw an advertisement for publishing your own work. So I decided it couldn't hurt to look into it. My options at the time were limited. Either, I write to publishers and agents and play the waiting game, or I take out a loan and have a select number of books printed, and hope I make back my money. Then again, I was a first time author, so who in their right minds would want to buy a book from a no name? I had never heard of publishing your work online. Remember, I was green around the ears. I had been writing for years, but I literally knew nothing about how the business worked. So I read up on it. Seems all I had to do was send in a computer file of Delirium, and I'd hear back within a week whether or not it would be accepted. Of course, I didn't expect good things. I've personally always thought it best to expect the worst. That way, when something great happens, you can be ecstatic. Or, if the worst happens, then you were prepared for it. The worst didn't happen though. Delirium was accepted by http://www.booklocker.com, which is owned by http://www.writersweekly.com. All I had to do next would come up with some cash, look over the novel again, and submit. People were making me wary. I had been reading up on everything, but people closest to me and I thought this could all be a fraud. Well, I didn't think it was. I had just done a short story contest with them, and went searching through their websites. I was aware of what I was doing. It was everyone else that was beginning to worry me. Let me be one to tell anyone out there that is looking for a way to get your foot in the door, online publishing is possibly the best thing going today. I paid the money to have my novel made into a glossy paperback, complete with a beautiful cover. Five weeks after I had submitted the manuscript to http://www.booklocker.com, I had received my copy of Delirium, and I couldn't have been any prouder. Granted, Delirium isn't written up to par with the work I do nowadays, but it was my first paperback novel with my name on the cover. I felt like a bonafide author now. Shortly after receiving my copy, Delirium was posted on the http://www.bn.com website, as well as http://www.amazon.com and several others including my publisher's website, http://www.booklocker.com. So I had a novel ready for people to buy, and a grand chance to get my name on the marquee. The only problem was, I was still green around the ears, I was still thinking about hitting it big some day, and I had no idea as to how to market my book so people knew that it existed. So I began to market my new novel, taking it to bookstores, donating copies to local libraries and writing online articles about various subjects. Granted, this is only the first novel for me, and I would still like to have an agent for this career that I feel is just starting out. I think that my word, coming from a novice, might help out someone who is in the shoes I was wearing prior to where I am now. I am receiving royalties for every book sold, and these royalties are much better than what a publisher would normally offer. The money isn't important. I don't expect to make any money. I do hope to gain respect and maybe even a following. After all, even John Grisham, Stephen King, and J. .K Rowling were first time authors at one point. My best advice to anyone that wants to have an in for a career in writing, would be to first consider publishing your work yourself. In most cases, such as mine, I am free to look for agents and publishers while my novel is available for sale thanks to http://www.booklocker.com. While my book is for sale, I finished writing second novel, and began writing my third. I am looking for an agent to represent my work, and people everywhere can check out Delirium and determine if the subject matter is for them. As best I can see, this is a win, win situation for anyone like me. I wish anyone who takes my advice the best of luck.
About the Author
Bradford Boisvert has published one novel to date, entitled, Delirium. Delirium was published by Booklocker.com and is currently available. Bradford currently resides in Bellingham, Ma. As of this time, Brad is finalizing his second novel, Fugues, and is writing his third novel, Vicariousity.
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