Reflections on the Publishing Industry and My Journey So Far

It's interesting how the publishing industry seems to have changed over the years. At one point, not so long ago, a writer put words to paper and a novel was born. If the novel was interesting enough, an author would simply contact an agent who would then take it to a publisher, who would then issue a large advance so the writer could work on writing the sequel. That's still the way it works today, right?

It is for some, perhaps even many, but certainly not for me. I've read articles and attended writer's conferences where I learned about how the publishing industry has changed over the years. Book stores all across the country are closing their doors now as the prices of books are being forced downward by inexpensive, often self-published eBooks. The electronic publishing of eBooks for the Kindles and the Nooks, have forced many changes in the industry. With nearly everyone owning a computer anyone who can type can crank out a novel, and many, many people have. In fact, there are so many people writing these days and so many of them are either seeking out publishers or simply self-publishing on Amazon, that it's really hard to break through the noise level and interest agents enough in my work.

I've written five novels to date and I plan to continue writing for quite a long time. I already have a publisher and have had all five novels published, one with Tate Publishing and the other four with World Castle Publishing. I would still like an agent, however, as I feel it would help me in many regards, not the least of which is getting filmmakers interested in my novels. My strategy has changed, however, from writing query letter after query letter to agents, only to receive rejections, to working hard to continually improve my craft, in the hope that if I write great books and generate enough in sales, agents will come to me. I don't know if this approach will be successful, but it's the one I'm taking!

If you are an author, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences in the publishing industry!