Publishing in Today's Market Part Two

I remember 15 years ago before we started The Wild Rose Press, writers were starting to talk about epublishing and not in a positive light.  But RJ Morris saw that this was going to be the next big thing in publishing and we decided to open The Wild Rose Press knowing there were authors who wanted this option. Some writers were resistant, they didn’t think that was “real” publishing. 

At the same time, authors who were published through vanity presses were scorned.  They were looked down on as not good enough for traditional, royalty paying publishing. How soon the times change. Now small press, traditional, and yes, even vanity publishing, are all options for writers. All are career choices for many successful writers.

While The Wild Rose Press has always been and remains a royalty paying publisher in the traditional sense of the word, it has become apparent over the past few years that in order to stay current and meet the needs of all writers – we needed to offer more.

We worked with our business advisors and came up with a division of the company called The Write Advice (www.thewriteadvice.com). 

TWA is not meant to replace The Wild Rose Press. It is a different and separate option for writers who want more control over their books. The Write Advice allows writers the option to pay the one time, upfront costs to get their books published.

TWA offers options for authors. An author just starting out can pay for coaching/consulting sessions by phone or email or a combination of both. Authors who purchase these packages have the sole attention of a professional editor or marketing person at their disposal for any and all questions.  Again, it is a service that we found was needed. Authors who have purchased this option were thrilled with the one on one attention they received.

There are those who will say that we have become a vanity press. They're wrong and it's just not true. We are and will always be a publisher that is open to what is needed in today’s market. We are offering writers more options. We're a business that wants to meet the needs of authors.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to be published.  Our mission, to grow writers into authors, remains the same now as it ever was before. We are customer oriented and believe in the personal approach to all we do. We are hands on and want what is best for our authors. 

Voted P & E Best Publisher of the Year 11 times isn’t a small achievement. We value your support. Having authors who have been with us since 2006 speaks volumes.  And now, offering more options for writers and not forcing them to only be published in one way is how we continue to evolve.  Vanity press?  Traditional publisher? Small Press? E-Publisher? It doesn’t matter what someone might call us. we will always be here to meet the needs of authors.  We want to be YOUR option when you decide what to do with your next book.  

Rhonda Penders

President, Editor-in-Chief

@wildrosepress

https://www.facebook.com/TheWildRosePress/

Instagram - thewildrosepress 

Never Give Up

As a writer I encounter all kinds of people, often very well-meaning, who do or say things that I find discouraging. It might be a critique partner. It might be a contest judge. It might be a rejection letter. Writing for other people, rather than just for oneself, opens up a writer to all kinds of opportunity for heartache.

A friend of mine, after critiquing someone else’s writing, got back the complaint, “I feel like you just told me my baby is ugly.”

Whose fault is that? The critique partner? Maybe. She might have been un-diplomatic or un-gentle about her criticism. More likely it’s the fault of the writer for taking offense and worse, lashing out at her critique partner. If you can’t take criticism, you don’t have any business trying to get published. Sure it hurts. Sometimes, after years of writing, entering contests, and submitting, I still get my feelings hurt. I cry. I pout. I rage. I eat chocolate. Then I roll up my sleeves, take a second, and hopefully objective, look at the criticism, and ask myself if there’s any truth in their words. Sometimes no. Sometimes yes.

The point is to not give up. If, at some point in the race, you fall down and skin your knees, get up, dust yourself off, put on a Band-Aid, get a kiss from your Mommy (or whoever is in your corner cheering you on), and get back into the race.

Persistence will eventually pay off. And sweet victory will follow.