Announcing 'Young Mancunians' - a Short Story Cycle
Serialised
After spending the last few months trying to find a publisher for my debut work - a short story cycle entitled Young Mancunians - I’ve decided to take out the middleman and put it out there on my own terms. This decision is primarily one of impatience, as I’ve become tired of waiting around for publishers. This isn’t just about awaiting a decision either. I’ve found that a lot of publishers have submission windows, which is frustrating when you find a publisher you like, only to find that you can’t submit any work to them, for a few months in some cases.
The problem, then, is not necessarily in the rejections, these are to be expected as par for the course, but in the lack of choices, especially in the UK. In fact, I don’t think I’ve had high hopes on any publisher I’ve submitted to so far, knowing from their websites alone that my work won’t suit their vibe. All the publishers that I have liked the look of haven’t had an open window, and the one whose window I waited for turned out to be only accepting novels. This was one of the last straws.
Initially, I wasn’t keen on the idea of self-publishing. And while the aim is still to get published in the traditional way, it’s an idea I’ve slowly been coming round to. Having read articles on the state of the publishing industry, with the “big five” publishers interested predominantly in celebrity autobiographies or established authors, and with most books published in the traditional way yielding little profit for the author, there is an increasing lack of incentive in pursuing the traditional publishing path. And this isn’t just me talking, I’ve noticed lots of talk online from aspiring writers sharing these frustrations, and have read articles questioning the feasibility, and sustainability, of the method employed by major publishing houses.
I’m also very much attracted to what I see as a kind of punk, DIY, ethos to self-publishing, especially online, and there are a few innovative approaches available to aspiring writers who are struggling to find a home for their debut works. But I can’t lie, the thing that appeals to me most is control. Publishing my work on my terms sounds great to me. There’s no waiting around, I can spread the word myself, and I have the final say on all creative decisions. And from what I have read elsewhere, self-publishing could well be the future. Though people will see the pros and cons of this, anything that creates a more accessible pathway for aspiring writers, and that takes power away from a select few arbiters of what is good and what is not, is great to my mind. Essentially, I want to own what I produce!
Starting on Wednesday, Young Mancunians will be released in serial form, with stories being made available on a daily basis to paid subscribers (I’ve worked too hard and spent too much time on it to give it away for free). I will publish a synopsis before hand, and a short introduction.
From there, I intend to publish the book in e-book form, before finally realising the dream of seeing it as a physical copy in print.