Why I Went Rogue and Published Independently
I spent 3 years writing a book, then I couldn't find a literary agent to represent it. It's a cliché, really. But there were extenuating circumstances. The subject of my book, The True Adventures of Gidon Lev, was in his mid-eighties, and there was some kind of mysterious virus beginning to make headlines. Gidon's dearest wish was to hold his book in his hands, and it was up to me to make that dream come true for him. I queried over fifty agents. Those who responded said the same two things over and over. 'A book about this subject is too depressing' or 'there are too many books about this subject.'
There's a saying in Hollywood: 'If anybody knew what made a hit, every movie would be a hit.' It goes without saying, now as then, that nobody knows anything at all. I knew that my book was good. Maybe even Oprah good. It's not a typical Holocaust story by any stretch of the imagination. My pitch described the book as hopeful and uplifting, a book in the vein of Tuesdays With Morrie or The Choice. No go.
Publishers and, by extension agents, are risk-averse. I get it. I was a story analyst in Hollywood for ten years. In essence, my job was to decide very quickly what kind of material was both well-written and likely to grab the attention of movie fans or, conversely, poorly conceived and likely to be an expensive bomb. I was one of the hundreds of underpaid gatekeepers in Hollywood, and it was a great job. I went on to become a developmental editor and book doctor.
In Hollywood, there's another saying: 'Viewers want the same. But different.' There is a hunger for content that is both familiar and fresh, challenging, and comforting. I knew that The True Adventures fell into the latter category but with a twist: it was also likely to be one of the last books with the words of a living Holocaust survivor. In these tumultuous times, these stories matter now more than they ever did.
But I didn't have time to wait for someone else to have faith in Gidon's story, not to mention the eighteen months to two years it would take to get the book out should I get so lucky. I didn't give up as much as go rogue. I decided to publish independently. The decision was right for Gidon and me both. It got the book out there in the world, which for Gidon was the proudest moment of his long life.
But publishing independently was a strike against the book, right out of the gate. A noteworthy and exciting project on Facebook to help authors with canceled book tours during the Coronavirus refused to consider supporting The True Adventures because it wasn't published traditionally. The majority of high exposure book review media outlets, as a policy, will not review independently published books. Many awards and book competitions either disallow independently published books or put them in their own category. 'We have to draw the line somewhere,' the refrain goes.
I understand. It's math, really. A torrent of content needs gatekeepers, and gatekeepers cost money. It's simply more efficient to use the "off" switch on content with no barrier to entry. Profit, loss, and creativity make for uneasy bedmates.
Creatives tell themselves that "the cream rises to the top," but that's a myth. Good work doesn't "find its audience" magically. There are algorithms and keywords. Publicity is costly and time-consuming. Traditional publishers have the highest barrier to entry for writers and pockets deep enough to set that marketing and publicity machine into motion.
A manuscript is like someone trying to hitch a ride on the highway. Literary agents pass by without a glance. Unless writers have an attractive, almost impossible collection of achievements already: A platform, a strong presence on social media, and the most essential thing - a book that just so happens to have threaded the tiny, dancing needle of "what's selling right now." Having all of those things lined up is like nailing a moonshot from across the gym.
For independent writers, there is no barrier to entry, per se. Anyone can publish a book. But the next hurdle – getting it read at all – never mind reviewed well, recommended, and talked about, is a tough row to hoe. Writing is one thing, but navigating the complicated world of publicity, marketing, advertising, rankings, and keywords on dashboards over multiple platforms is what people have built entire careers around doing. For those writers who know for sure that they don't want to spend the time attempting to learn these complicated, essential skills in a hurry, there is no shortage of services that will do it for you. But if you don't understand the landscape, how do you know what you do and do not need? Who can you trust? What is reasonable to pay?
Online, Amazon and its algorithms are not democratic, actually. It takes considerable time and know-how to figure out the right keywords and how much to spend on your "sponsored" ad "bids." It takes a distinct skill set to write copy for a compelling book description. It takes connections to get some good blurbs, and it takes cold hard cash to get trade reviews.
There are plentiful services and resources to help an indie writer get the word out about the book. But the field is crowded, confusing, and not inexpensive. And there are opportunists. I was offered a service in which, for the cost of several thousand dollars, my book would be a "best-seller." Turns out, with the use of mass emails, advertising statistics, and a short-term boost of your sales, you too can be a best seller – for 24 to 48 hours.
Those who can write equally as well as they can navigate or afford book marketing and publicity in the 21st century like a seasoned pro are rare. Those are the outliers.
I used the chewing and gum and paperclip strategy. I am relatively tech-savvy and already had a website and blog. I have a strong social media presence and have been published as an essayist in some high profile publications. I figured out how to set up my Amazon author page and studied up on keywords. I asked a successful indie writer friend for advice, which he gave me very generously.
After much consideration, I took a considerable risk and spent something like $3,000 for trade reviews. I lucked out – the reviews were stellar.
"In this elegantly conceived memoir...is a remarkable tale of survival and unexpected kinship. A vitally important Holocaust story eruditely captured."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Inventively structured and impeccably written, THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF GIDON LEV is a must-read book for anyone interested in Holocaust narratives."
IndieReader (five star review)
"...the compelling biography of a Holocaust survivor who attests that human beings are capable of both incredible evil and transcendent love."
--Foreword Reviews
"Author Julie Gray gives voice to Gidon Lev's story of resilience and hope in this uplifting portrait of Holocaust survival. ...readers will find Gidon's story an inviting, eye-opening look at an important chapter in Jewish history.
--Blue Ink Review
But good trade reviews only put so much fuel in the tank. These things must be leveraged. I emailed a long list of book marketing and publicity services and had a long hard think about what I could afford to do with what little money I could afford to spend. The number of copies I would have to sell to pay for these costs was just too high. I couldn't afford the risk. But I wouldn't give up.
