Considering self publishing

[bluemeanie]

So I have a completed graphic novel just SITTING there now due to the demise of Insomnia.

Am putting out a few feelers with publishers but while everyone seems to want to publish it digitally, its all very vague about whether we'll actually get hard copies at any point.

Im thinking about going the Lulu or Amazon routes.

Anyone had experience with this or can offer any pointers?

[Bolt-01]

Rich, you'll have mail in a minute.

[bluemeanie]

Nice one, thanks boss

[HOO-HAA]

The self-published route is one which even long-standing genre writers are contemplating - consider this blogpost from horror/ thriller veteran, Brian Keene:

'As stated before, I intend to experiment with self-publishing, and reprint Fear of Gravity, Unhappy Endings, The Rising: Selected Scenes From the End of the World and Earthworm Gods: Selected Scenes From the End of the World. These will be available in both digital and trade paperback. The first volume, Selected Scenes From the Ends of the World is an omnibus edition of the latter two collections, and should be out in time for Christmas.'

http://www.briankeene.com/?p=4566

[locustsofdeath!]

Someday I'll have to tell you about the 'Curse of Brian Keene' I've been suffering from for the past four years.

[locustsofdeath!]

But seriously, this is something I'm very interested in as well. I've written a GN that has fallen into the same limbo (art had only been started so it's not complete) and have been considering self publishing as well. I hope to get some revealing insider info from this thread - thanks for stating it, bluemeanie.

[Emperor]

So I have a completed graphic novel just SITTING there now due to the demise of Insomnia.

Am putting out a few feelers with publishers but while everyone seems to want to publish it digitally, its all very vague about whether we'll actually get hard copies at any point.

Im thinking about going the Lulu or Amazon routes.

Anyone had experience with this or can offer any pointers?

A lot of former Insomnia folks are in a similar situation and I see they have a project on the go at Kickstarter:

www.planetofthepenguins.com/2010/08/12/wake-up-insomnia-publications-its-the-sleepless-phoenix/

Why not go one step further? Speak to some of those and perhaps band together to start a small company to print graphic novels - possibly even go down the Kickstarter route to get some initial capital so you could skip print-on-demand (where there is not a huge return on sales, even if that isn't an important aspect any more it'd be nice to get something back for your efforts) and get the books properly printed up. Possibly talk to Martin and some of the other Insomnia editors... This time though take things slowly, don't overstretch yourself and build up momentum gradually. I'd imagine there are already graphic novels at all stages of completion so you'd be able to start out almost immediately and stagger releases. Basically rise from the Insomnia ashes but do things right this time round.

[bluemeanie]

Yeah, I got one or two storied in that kickstarter project

Basically its all the stuff that was done for Insomnia's Layer Zero project but thats obviously all fallen back to the original creators so as the theme was "Survival" it seemed a good fit to push it forwards anyway.

Not sure about starting a collective though. Have visions of it all going a little animal farm. Few people taking it all, and themselves, a little too seriously for my liking.

[House of Usher]

The self-published route is one which even long-standing genre writers are contemplating

I would have thought established writers would have the edge there. It's a different proposition to come from nowhere via the self-publishing route.

[HOO-HAA]

The self-published route is one which even long-standing genre writers are contemplating

I would have thought established writers would have the edge there. It's a different proposition to come from nowhere via the self-publishing route.

Which is exactly Keene's reasoning. He feels he has enough of a following to be able to put something out, and make money from it, without the push of a publisher.