How Far?

 by Charlotte Hinger

The job market is changing. More than a few friends and family have been beating the bushes for jobs. This includes people with degrees and an awesome work ethic. 

One I especially admire was a young woman who was let go very unexpectedly from a job she had held for 10 years. She wasn't particularly treasured at this place. She was a (token)woman in a STEM field. For that matter, she didn't just love the company. Their philosophy was a bit on the dinosaur side. 

But a decent salary is a decent salary. If you don't believe this, try going without it. 

She took any job she could find: housekeeping, dog-walking, driving for Amazon, Ubering, child care. These little jobs paid the bills. It went on for a year and a half. Then lo and behold at a job fair she was invited to interview with a fabulous company who hired her on the spot at twice the salary she had earned previously. She sparkled and got promoted and promoted. 

But during the time she was wandering in the wasteland, I marveled at her ability to keep trudging along. Applying for jobs. Applying for jobs. Applying and applying.

I call this "chaining the black dog." Earnest Hemmingway referred to periods of depression as "Black Dog Days."

Today, so many writers are accepting a bitter reality. They will never be published by one of the houses that dominate the market. Black dogs threaten their well-being.

So they do the sensible thing and turn to one of the variations available: self-publishing, independent publishing, hybrid publishing. The reading public is the winner. Books that deserve to be published and wouldn't be through the traditional route are available. 

The biggest barrier to writers going the nontrad route is money. It costs. A lot if a hybrid publisher is involved. There are scams galore. 

There's a way to do it for free. Or nearly so: Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. KDP.

So why wouldn't an aspiring writer go that route? It's really really hard work, that's why. And most of us don't know what we are doing.The experience will help writers understand why books cost so much money. What do you actually know about book design, font size, spacing, cover art? Probably nothing. 

I've only had one experience with self-publishing. I helped an elderly priest publish his memoirs. Working with KDP was tedious, but worth it.

Now there is a cottage industry of people whom you can employ to do all the aspects of creating a book. I met a lady last Sunday who is a graphic designer for independently published books. I would hire her in a heartbeat. 

How much work are you willing to do to getting a book published? Is it more important to you to save money or time? Or are you nervous about creating an inferior product?