It’s surreal when I stop to think about how long I’ve been writing books. Ten years. A decade! Wow. Ten years ago I sat down to write my first Highland historical romance to see what this whole Kindle Direct Publishing thing was all about. I determined that I would consider “success” to be earning back the meagre $30 that I paid for the cover (if that doesn’t date me, then I don’t know what does!). Much to my surprise, my Highland Loyalties trilogy did far better than I could ever have imagined. Ten years and twelve books later, I think I can conclusively say I’ve learned a thing or two.
Though I started out in the self-publishing sphere, I don’t mind admitting that I had always wanted to be traditionally published. Growing up as an avid reader in the eighties and early nineties, and having a mother who was a voracious reader, my desire to be a published author was shaped by factors like our basement shelves, groaning under the weight of stacks upon stacks of books by powerhouse romance novelists such as Kathleen Woodiwiss, Judith McNaught and LaVyrle Spencer. I wanted to be just like them; to have my books in the hands of voracious readers like myself. But the world turns and technology marches forward. As I started my own writing career, I began to reconsider whether seeking traditional publication was the right path for me… even while I was in the midst of researching publishers to whom I might brave the step of submitting my novel to.
The reason I decided to write this was because I came across an Instagram post from Carly Watters, a literary agent whom I’ve been following for as long as I’ve been writing. Her post says, “The ideal client chooses me because they trust me to have their best professional interests in mind, always.” It got me thinking that this is very much how my relationship with my publisher felt. It was about trust. I was lucky enough to earn the enthusiasm and support of the wonderful team at Boroughs Publishing Group, and from the get-go it was a relationship of true mutual trust. But leading up to, and indeed in the early stages, of that foray into working with a publisher, I confess I had my worries.
They were, admittedly, stoked by internet chat, mostly from pro-indie blog and reddit posts. And while I don’t mean to downplay any advice out there, because everyone’s experience is different (and indeed I continue to publish independently as well), some of the advice I was coming across – or perhaps the manner in which it was offered – felt a little alarming to me. My biggest concern was, of course, that I would lose creative control. I imagined the manuscript which I’d so painstakingly crafted, and characters that I’d fallen in love with, being ripped from my virtual grasp and worked over until it was no longer recognizable as mine.
The reality, I am happy to say, is much, much different. In fact, one of the first things the Boroughs team said to me was “We don’t want to change your voice or your work. It’s unique to you.” So, for anyone that might be considering a traditional or digital publisher, and harbours the same concerns I did, here are some of the ways my concerns were put to rest during the publishing process.
Cover Art – It was nice to have a professional team design a cover for me. My suggestions were taken into consideration, but largely it was simply taken care of. It was a major step off my plate when my main priority was polishing my manuscript. The result was a stunningly beautiful cover that I wouldn’t change for the world. I never dreamed that my vision would be so well represented visually.
Blurb – I don’t know why I was worried that this would not be the case, but it was clear that the blurb was written with my book in mind. The writer had actually read my book, and in a few short paragraphs, they were able to condense the plot and its subtle nuances into a succinct pitch to readers in a way that I have always struggled to do as the author when it comes to my independent works.
Editing – One point of pride for me was that when my book came back with edits, the overarching comment was that not much needed to be done. However, there were one or two spots that my editor suggested needed more, and upon reflection, she was absolutely right. It took her eyes to spot the weak parts in my novel, which then gave me the ability to augment those parts and strengthen the overall story. And she did it with kindness and professionalism which in no way felt like criticism to my fragile author’s ego, lol. And yet, when a question arose about a stylistic choice I’d made to deviate from standard practice in POV switching, my explanation that this was done deliberately was respected. It made me feel valued, and enhanced that feeling of mutual trust.
If you’re considering moving from independently publishing your works to having them traditionally or digitally published, or if you’re seeking traditional publication on your first novel, of course, start by doing your own research. But if, like me, your research leads you to worry about possible scenarios when giving your work to someone else to manage, I hope that my experience will help you to make the decision that is right for you, your work and your writing career.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Veronica Bale's Blog 
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