As an Aussie author, the rise of the ebook has changed my ideas on what it means to be published.
Once upon a time I thought having a printed book in my hand would make me a published author.
Now having an ebook available online, as a Kindle edition, a pdf, or various differing forms of digital novel can also mean I am (or will be) a published author. Come September I will tell you exactly how that feels!
Once the euphoria of signing contracts fades, the hard work begins. Promotion, promotion, promotion takes up much of my waking life now. Being in Australia makes things more remote, despite the accessibility of the internet. Meeting other authors from the publisher for chats, combining book launches with authors from the same house and travelling to the publisher's retreat are all pretty much impossible.
Without the internet, signing with an overseas publisher would be virtually impossible. Thankfully these days even living 'down under' we can participate in forums and blogs around the world. While waiting for our editor to contact us with revisions, we can still be actively promoting ourselves and our work.
Still... sometimes being an Aussie means you are still isolated.
Not that I am really complaining.
What we might pay for in distance, we make up for by living in a wonderful country and there is no question of not living here. Even with floods, fires and cyclones we are lucky and proud to be Aussies.
Anyhow... this blog is for Aussie authors to share their stories. Their successes and the hiccups they have come across in their journey to publication.
Welcome and call back often to see what we are about.
I second that, Rosalie, and I look forward to this group growing rapidly in the future. It's pretty special to be known as an Aussie author, considering the great names who put Australian literature on the map. So, here is a place to bring our authors together and 'talk writing' the way Aussie writers do. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Rosalie, promotion can be time consuming and exhausting and uses too much of that precious writing time. I've been battling time zones for a few years now. I should be better organized, but I still find it difficult. Many writer's are introverts too. The desire to tuck oneself away and write doesn't always fit so well with promoting one's work.
ReplyDeleteHi Maggie,
ReplyDeleteYour words are so true. I know I would like nothing more than to hide away and write, rather than being a 'public' figure. Seems that by choosing to write, we need to be exactly what we are not.
Here we are showing ourselves to the world, when all we want to do is hide. Funny how things turn out.
The internet and POD has really opened horizons for writers and readers. The success of ebooks has really brought that home. Thank you Wendy and Rosalie for inviting me to join your group. Laurel
ReplyDeleteHi Rosalie and Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for inviting me to join such talented Aussie authors, it is a pleasure to accept. I will have to master how all of this works though.
Regards
Margaret