If you are a new writer, you may have found it isn't easy penetrating the literary marketplace. The competition is pretty tough, and if you like to write about controversial or irregular subjects, it's even tougher. Also, with the changing economy and the publishing houses merging with each other, their resources are running pretty thin to be taking chances on us "greenies."

      That's why I explored the option of "self-publishing" or "subsidy publishing." This is where you pay someone to print your book and you do all the rest of the work like editing and the proofreading. Or some charge a fee for marketing your book. Also you can do all illustrations and layout. It was pretty time-consuming for me, but I maintain complete control over the content and marketing. That is an important thing for me, as I have put a lot of work and thought into my writing and have reasons for everything I write. If anything, the whole experience was very educational and I had a lot of fun.

      And with the advent of the Internet, our advertising options are pretty limitless. You can build a big ol' web page as a base of advertising, and take it from there. The whole arena of the Internet is expanding at a phenomenal rate, so our access to a reader's market is boundless.

      Another point is education. I am still, as of this writing, going through a pretty good correspondence course (Oh, it's called "distance education" now. I guess that is to get around the long held idea that a correspondence course is somehow "inferior" to a classroom college course. Let me assure you, it is not) on journalism and short story writing. It has been invaluable and extensive in opening up the world of writing. How to approach magazines and publishers and who does what, how the whole industry works.

      This is where I took the course. It was very good and I learned a lot pertaining to the publishing and writing industry. The Instructors didn't mess around! I had a few of the lessons sent back to me ungraded with a firm "do it over" along with them. Ha! They take their work very serious. I will never forget them. The cost was about average for a college grade course.

Click on the writer to view their website!

      The outfit that printed my book is named "Morris Publishing" and they did a pretty good job I thought. Their art department was very good as they had a tough situation dealing with my artwork. But they overcame it. I was very impressed with everybody's "yes, we can do that" attitude. They are located in Kearney, Nebraska. Click on the MP logo to see their website!

      I don't think I will ever regret it. But if you take this road, by doing it yourself, you better think you are good enough and your subject matter worth reading! And make sure you have the financing to back it up. Have a game plan, a plan of attack.

      These are a few U.S. government links you can check out to see how a self-publisher has to go through the process to secure a copyright for their literary work. It's pretty interesting reading! It took me about six months to get the official copyright form back in the mail, but they answered my e-mail very promptly when I asked them what happened to my submission.

This is the United States Copyright Office Homepage.

This is the U.S. Library of Congress Homepage.

      I hope this has been a little help if you are a writer who is looking for different options. There are usually ways around the "mainstream" way of doing things. When you walk with God, you learn that as long as you are alive and breathing there is a way out of any impossible situation; no "one" way of accomplishing and conquering the objective. As long as you aren't dead, you keep fighting. Adapt, adjust, improvise--overcome! But hey, that's what being a Christian--what Salem the Soldier, is all about.

              
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