As if to balance my post earlier this week about indie author pains, Mary DeMuth writes about 7 publishing myths on Novel Journey.

She includes such myths as:

• You’ll get rich. (Most published authors earn little from sale of their books.)

• Rejection stops with a book contract. (Actually, it gets worse.)

• The publisher will market your book. (These days, you have to market it yourself.)

• Book signings are wonderful. (No, they suck, especially if no one shows up to buy your book.)

I’d like to add a few from my list, some of the reasons why I decided to go indie:

• Better writers sell more books. (Stephanie Meyer. Paul Coehlo. Nora Roberts. Need I go on?)

• The reason you’re not published is because your manuscript isn’t good enough. (Ditto.)

• Editors and agents know what readers want to read. (If they did, every published title would be a smash hit. Editors and agents do know how to work the publishing industry, but that’s not the same thing. Ultimately, you need to know what your readers want to read, and give it to them.)

• Getting published is the way to success. (The way to success is savvy marketing, hard work, and probably a bit of luck.)

• When great writers break the rules, it’s because they know what they’re doing. (Actually, it’s simply because they can get away with it.)

Keep writing!
-TimK