Hello Again

This last week, I've gotten dozens of spam comments on various posts on this blog. I haven't posted since 2015, so I don't know what's up with that sudden change. But I decided to come check it out.

It feels weird lol

Typically I write blog posts on my own website (www.arielesieling.com) but coming back here affords me a great deal of nostalgia. In addition, I noticed that there's something super appealing about the simplicity of "just a blog." Here, I don't have to think about ecommerce and CPC and CPM advertising, there's no SEO or making sure my content will feed the algorithm. I don't have to delve into analytics or consider the business decisions involved in whether or not I should post something or the frequency with which I write. I could, but I don't have to.

It's just a blog. 

If people read it, they read it; if they don't, they don't.

And given that the last time I posted here was 2015, I think "frequency of posting" can be thrown out the window entirely.

If you're reading this, and haven't followed me from Blogspot to all of the other places I exist in the digital realm, a lot has changed since 2015. I have 30 books published. I'm a full time author. I have moved several times. I'm married. I have a large dog.

Time keeps on slipping into the future I guess

I hope you made it through 2020 and 2021 unscathed. Happy today.

And come check out arielesieling.com/blog if you want.

We've Moved!

Are you looking for new blog posts by Ariele? Check out her new website, www.arielesieling.com for the same old and brand new blog posts, books, and stories. 

An Offer From A Publishing Company

Today I received a voice message from a very nice-sounding lady. She said,

"Hello, Ariele. This is Melissa calling from Book Whirl Publishing. I would like to talk to you about your book, The Clock Winked. You can call me at 877-207-1679, extension 323."

Naturally, I was very curious, and, having grown up in the generation of the unlikely-sounding email forward, I was very suspicious. Let me give you a run down:

• They help publish.
• They help market.
• They create cover art.
• They do interior book design.
• They do ebook and hardcopy distribution.

Etc.
It all sounds great, right?

Their best package is $699.

Now perhaps I'm mistaken, but $699 is a lot of money. Of course, that's not to say it's not worth it. Let's see what you can get for $699:

• Paperback Design
• Ebook Design and Distribution
• A Variety of Trim Sizes
• Full bleed, full colour
• 25 images
• 25 pages
• Electronic and Paper Galleys (proofs)
• 3 free paperback copies (minus shipping and handling)

Now, for anyone interested in self-publishing, let me tally up what all of that costs if you do it on your own:

• Paperback design - you can get a Word Template for free. MS Word 2013 costs approximately $100.
• Ebook Design - you can download Calibre for free, and use a WebPage format in MS Word.
• Ebook distribution - costs a few cents per copy through Amazon or any other distribution service. One book costs me about $1.00 (35%), but only if I sell a book.
• If I go through CreateSpace (or other online printers), I can have a variety of trim sizes.
• A 25 page book through CreateSpace would cost me about $1.00 to produce (plus shipping).
• I can have as many images as I want in CreateSpace, although colour printing costs a few cents more per page.
• Proofs for a 25 page book would cost $1, maybe $2.
• 3 copies would cost the same as the proofs

Even if I bought MS Word twice - one program to use for the ebook, and one to use for the interior design - I would still be spending less than $250. To buy fifty copies of my book would cost an additional $200 - still less than $699. For $699 they don't offer copy editing, they don't offer cover design, and they don't offer marketing services - the three things which authors find most difficult.

To get these services, you need to purchase one of their other packages: The Challenger, at $1,299, or, to get copy editing - but only up to 40,000 words, The Visionary for $4,899.

I could hire a professional copy editor to do more than my full novel, and then order some books and maybe a college student to help me set up a website for that kind of money.

I understand the allure of publishing, and I understand fear of the unknown, and I understand the pain of having to learn to do it yourself. But don't let these guys lure you in. I think a company like this could be really useful to do-it-yourself self publishers like me, but only if they alter their model to actually be what we're looking for: reasonably priced, focused on the hard stuff (like cover design and marketing), and flexible enough to meet the demands of the changing publishing industry. But for now, I strongly feel that you or I can do better, either with a big publishing house or on your own. Don't fear the unknown, and don't be afraid to learn.