Publishing Choices and The Money Thing

Printing department at National Cash Register, photo by William Henry Jackson (1902)

I’m a little weird. 

I listen to all the traditional publishing advocates and the self-publishing advocates and everyone is talking about money.  Money. Money. Money.   And then also, there’s the secondary discussion:  Money.  Money.  Money.

I’m bored.

I know.  You see?  I’m weird.

I once had a representative of a long-distance phone company call me up and ask me if I’d like to save money.  

I said, “No.  Not really.”

He laughed.  “You’re okay with leaving money on the table?”

“I’m okay,” I said.

“But you’re just burning money with that phone company you’re using now.”

“Maybe so,” I answered.  “I’m warm.  I’m happy.  I’m okay.”

“But MONEY!”

So, yeah.  I hung up.  I wasn’t mad. I was just bored.

There are plenty of things to get excited about in publishing right now, but very few of them are about money or getting rich.  If that were my goal, there are infinitely better options than being a writer.

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This week I’m writing about the process that led me to the decision to self-publish my debut middle grade novel, Spillworthy. If you’d like a sneak peek at the cover, opportunities to win advanced reading copies, or if you’d just like the inside scoop about upcoming book-release events, please request admission to the private Spillworthy Facebook group.