I sold half a million books. Publishers don't want my next one.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

If you didn't make it to the end of the video... michelleschusterman.substack.com The gist: my posts on Substack are (and will remain) free. I'm considering adding a new series for paid subscribers, at $5 a month (with the ability to cancel anytime) in which subscribers submit anything they like: a query, a synopsis, opening pages, or messages about specific writing/publishing quandaries they find themselves in, and I respond/critique/etc. My thinking is that it's a pretty low-cost way to get a critique/specific answer, plus participants have the semi-privacy of a paywall. If you're interested, let me know by subscribing (again, for free!). :)

[@JosephLayden]

Even traditionally published greats like David Farland were allowed to self-publish their books that didn't get traditionally published, and then continued to get trad deals for other books. It's accepted now. Why throw work away?

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

@@JosephLayden Authors are absolutely allowed to pursue both avenues (and many do)! But as for me, I'm not 'throwing my work away.' Self-publishing wouldn't work for this novel - it's middle grade and specifically written with the school/library market in mind, and partial graphic novel (I don't have the funds to hire an illustrator).

[@katendress6142]

I remember book fairs. They were the highlight of my school year.

[@sherrylatrice8733]

As a middle school English teacher I can attest to the fact that most kids today are reluctant readers. Their number one complaint is that books are too long. Length is only a small factor. They just don't like to read. They think it's boring. The truth is their attention span is too short. These days teachers have to compete with Tik Toc, video games, other social media, etc. It's like pulling teeth to get kids to read today. So, I salute you as an author trying to publish to this particular audience.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

It's a complicated issue for sure! And thank you :)

[@rofernk4837]

17:06 "Getting a book deal is not easy, but it is also not impossible." every once in a while it is important to hear this. Specially in tough times.

[@angelawesneski5029]

I just ran a book fair at my school, and we sold a few of your books! Woo! As a librarian, I definitely want more high interest, lower reading level books. They need to be shorter, but here's the rub: they need to look longer. Even my most reluctant readers are more likely to pick up a long book than a short one. It's really strange! I think it's because it makes them feel capable when they read it, but I know they are not often successful in getting through it. One of my highest circulated titles is Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, which looks huge but has a bunch of pictures that build out that page count. The other big trend for reluctant readers is graphic novels and novels with a formatting quirk that make them quickly readable, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Bad Guys. Not sure that this is actually helpful since I'm not an editor. Just some musings from an elementary school librarian. :D I hope your publishing journey continues well!

[@Chociewitka]

I never liked short books as I had the impression that the invested time needed to get to know the world an the characters could not be paid of if the book was short.

[@hermanphunter_theloreforge]

A common lament in the indie comics scene has been that they lost the spinner rack. Back on the 70s, when you were a kid, you were at that spinner rack looking over the comics, then begging your parents to buy you one. Often times the parents gave in because the comic was relatively cheap, it got their kid off their back, and kept them entertained. Plus there was a ton of variety. From superheroes, to war comics, romance comics, Archie, fantasy, you name it. Those kids grew up, still kept their love of comics and became collectors. Comics got more elaborate, became expensive, and catered to the people who had the money to pay for variant covers, glossy paper, an so on. In that environment, the spinner rack died a slow, horrible death. Yes, you can get web comics. The art and the experience doesn't translate. Like...at all In comes Manga. Inexpensive comics, decent story lines, variety, and now THEY own the spinner rack in this day and age. Marvel and DC? They're dying and have no clue how to take back the market they lost. If the big publishers are chasing those high ticket items hardbacks, they are ceding the spinner rack. If people are reading less, it's probably because they don't like what's being offered. If the only thing being offered to them is a second-rate story that comes with a $40.00 price tag, consumers will turn to binging second-rate videos on Netflix. And there is a lot of evidence to back this up. If publishers were smart, they'd concentrate less on those hardcovers, and more on cheap pulp paperbacks and ebooks. That's what self publish types are doing. And from everything I see and hear, they're eating trad-pub's lunch.

[@stefanielozinski]

I'm an author myself, and an indie at that (launched a new pen name this year and I'm finally beginning to see financial success approaching... woo!) so I understand the investment (including of time and skill) that goes into a book. But when I see a new hardback is now hovering around 38-40 Canadian dollars, and now even trade paperbacks hovering around 25 dollars... I just can't do it. Not often, anyway. Not compared to how much I read from indie authors, who will still make more profit per book sold even at a way lower price point. And that stinks because I love a lot of trad pub authors, and I love the real life bookstore experience.

[@h.a.s.7336]

When people starting out in publishing think it's wiser to self publish, it's not that they think traditionally published authors are unwise. As you've mentioned, you've had good experiences in traditional publishing, so there is hope for you to have a good experience in the future. But for those of us starting out, we see all the cards stacked against us and no real reason to go the traditional publishing route. Either way is risky. Self publishing is starting a business, which takes a long time to build. Traditional publishing is more dependent on the whims of who's making the decisions. There are no guarantees either way.

[@eruvandib.676]

Thank you for this sensible breakdown of the issue, and for giving so much context that is missing from some of the articles that are out there. I've been on the receiving end of the "you must be a moron to want trad pub" treatment more than once ever since that courtcase happened and the articles came out about it, and I'm pretty tired of it. Absolutely, the industry has problems, but like you said, there are still many things that trad can do for me that I can't do for myself and I don't think anyone should be shamed for that anymore than anyone should be shamed for choosing to go indie. I just want everyone to be able to put their books out in the world in the way that's best for them as individuals, so I love that there's more than one path to choose from. I really appreciate the comparison you made between the freakout that ebooks would kill physical books and the way people feel about what's happening now. That's exactly how I think about it and I'm just interested to see how everything plays out long term. To be honest, I hope the discussion surrounding this just pushes the trad industry to make the improvements that need to be made and authors will be the ones who get better deals in the end because of it.

[@cerebrumexcrement]

i heard someone in the industry say that even tho the major publishers look like they arent making that much money, they are making money off the books they sign. they have someone who does the math to make sure they have the best chance to make a profit.

[@Techno-Tanuki]

As someone trying to work on getting a novel done and to print. It’s painful seeing how the industry is right now. It feels as if traditional publishing is in a death spiral which will eventually lead to it vanishing far down the road as self-publishing grows. The biggest issue being money. I know so many self-published authors who have made nothing on their books while the three I know who traditionally published made a few thousand to over a hundred thousand off the bat. Bookstores don’t typically get self-published authors works. And not every town or city has Indy bookstores. My area we have Barnes and noble and books a million which will never carry self-pub. It’s nuts.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Yeah, distribution is the most powerful thing publishers do for authors. And from a bookstore (Indie or chain) POV, I get it - if they were open to shelving self-published novels, in addition to trad pubbed ones, it would be impossible to sift through the gazillions of choices and choose which to actually stock. Especially at B&N, which is already shifting to prioritizing franchises, tie-ins, and classics.

[@SongOfTheNecromaner]

I remember you talking about spotting the trend in the last video, as you brought up again here with teachers and librarians saying there’s a “need” for books for reluctant readers. Since then I’ve thought about it and I wanted to flag the idea that even though there’s a gap identified, it doesn’t mean there’s an emerging trend. Some authors have done really well identifying gaps and serving as trailblazers, but by definition, they’re coming *before* a trend. This can have high rewards, but it’s also possible these gaps exist because there just… isn’t demand. And it’s somewhere between hard and impossible to know which category the gap falls into. I feel like I see this a lot in romance reader spaces where you get readers saying “Why aren’t there more books with X?” and several readers jump on saying “Yeah, that’s awesome!” but if you actually wrote a book with X, the silent, vast majority would not be interested because it’s not to-market. Sometimes big names can make things happen (for example, Lucy Score’s successful group collab on female billionaires, but by and large, the general reader populace when reading an MF billionaire romance wants the M to be the billionaire, and even if readers in reading circles are going “where are the millionaire books? I hate billionaires” they aren’t going to read millionaire books any more than they were billionaire, and the billionaire readers want billionaire). I think your point about it maybe not being the right time-as the gap grows, your book could be an excellent fit. Hoping that happens

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

these are all excellent points!! I can think of a lot of examples (your romance ones are great) where there seemed to be a demand for something, but the trend never really got started.

[@reginaduke7451]

Superb video!!! I need to read more of your substack. Been missing you on YT. So I better get over there and read your articles! Love you! Congratulations on wonderful sales.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Thanks so much, Regina!!

[@momo_genX]

I have only recently been a subscriber and started checking out your content, but I can feel your publishing pain. You have made your publisher lots of money, many times what you recieved for your hard work, but these editors can't even give you the twenty or thirty seconds to say no.

[@JohnAllenRoyce]

Love the information you put out, Michelle, and your positive and hard-working your attitude is. Much appreciated!

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Thanks so much, John! I appreciate that! :)

[@austinauthor846]

Glad to see another video from you Michelle! I'm just finishing up an adult fantasy book with a 15 year old female protagonist. Had every intention of going the traditional path with it until I realized how hard it'd be to escape the trappings of YA categorization with a character that young, despite clearly being a book meant for the adult fantasy market. The good news with going indie with it is as a professional book illustrator and digital painter I'll be able to make all my own covers, book art, and everything else to accompany it within the book series. But it's nice hearing you're working on one yourself, and if it doesn't make submissions then I'd love to hear if you go the indie route with it. Keep up the writing! :D

[@davidmiller7608]

Thank you for sharing your hardships with us! It is just as important as the great advice you give! You’re wonderful! ❤

[@akossiwak]

Middle grade in sub swamps is struggling. Ghosting. Crickets. The landscape is not looking good right now.

[@cynthiaking5308]

What i find funny is people say i’m going the traditional publish route. Like you have a choice. I read the odds of getting a trad deal is one in 10,000. The market is changing and as a newbie I learned to self pub. I think that’s where the industry is going. A polished self-pub book can cost the author $3000-7000. A lot of work has already been done, it’s a finished product. the publisher picks from what’s there that might sell. Or agents pick, but they don’t invest in anybody.

[@samp4050]

😮 Wow! Your sales numbers are amazing Michelle! How did you do so well?

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Thanks! It's honestly just the power of those school fairs. My Otter Half got great promotion and was included in a lot of clubs/fairs "bundles."

[@chuckwieser7622]

Hello, I recently started a new WIP, a YA Horror-Thiller (I think that will be the sub-genere). Would you be able to read the first chapter and tell if it is a marketable concept/premise. And if I'm on the write track? I would love to get feed back from a published author in the industry. Thanks and loved the video.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Hi Chuck! Thanks for watching. I run an Ask the Editor series over on my Substack where I do exactly that - critique opening pages. You can submit over there! michelleschusterman.substack.com

[@chuckwieser7622]

@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Awesome! I look forward to doing that.

[@esthermarieandujar]

I love all of your videos sharing context to all of this articles. I adore how you present pretty neutral commentary while inserting your two cents here and there without feeling like it should be taken like gospel.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Thanks so much, Esther!!

[@persephone3892]

I dont think writers/creators need to use clickbait to get readers. The term has lost its meaning in the last couple years. Clickbait is specifically misleading, not the same as a hook. So as long as your hook/title actually appears in the video/article or is true, its not clickbait. So that person who said they need to use clickbait with the 12/books year thing is just misleading people further (after already lying about the statistic to get clicks) Also your title of the video isnt clickbait, as it is true. Youve created an interesting (truthful) title that gets people to click.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

That's a great point. Clickbait is a lie or very misleading. A hook is a nicer way to put it!

[@Iwasonceanonionwithnolayers]

Ghosting is rude and unprofessional, but even taking 20 seconds per author adds up to over a day for the average number of annual submissions.

[@jankyfluffy898]

1. I love it when I get a thoughtful rejection. 2. Maybe you could make your book needs to be younger and see it works, or send it to a specialty educational publisher. Maybe you just need the right publisher. 3. I heard it’s 15% of books that are sold through traditional publishers sell less than a dozen copies, not 50%. But I was told that also includes small press trad that don't give advances. So the numbers aren't as drastic as people think. 4. What librarians want is not always what publishers are asking for. Librarians complained they want more YA dystopian, but trad doesn't really publish that right now. I've been told that should be self-published. 5, And there are writers who will traditionally publish some books but use pen names and self-publish less trendy books that they feel there is a market for. Both trad and self-publishing is valid, but it depends on why. 6. I buy e-books more than print books, but I still buy print.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

I've definitely thought about making it a chapter book! And you make a lot of really great points here. Thank you for watching!

[@jankyfluffy898]

​@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Welcome, :-) And I hope you find the right publisher for your book. I love your videos.

[@Wallisimo]

Michelle, as always, thank you for making videos with absolutely fascinating insights like this!

[@hunterhatfield7157]

One way to see that trad pub continues to add value is all of the successful self-pubbed authors who have a SUCCESSFUL self-pubbed book which sells tens of thousands, and then they still choose trad pub, not just for a next book but for the same book re-published. They must find serious value if they have already sold a lot, and yet are still willing to reduce to 10% royalties and give away rights in order to re-publish with the trad publisher. I'd really love to hear their stories and logic and post hoc reviews.

[@louisaglancy3394]

Another really great video Michelle. Thank you! Clickbait headlines are something we have to live with, navigate, and also often use ourselves, you are right about this. But it's incredible isn't it, how often information that is completely unverified is passed around and accepted as being factual. As for ghosting, which I know happens to agents as well as authors, I feel really angry that it's become an acceptable way to treat people. It's now really common with job applictions too, even after several interviews candidates get ignored, rather than just rejected. Really bad manners in my opinion. Agents (at least here in the UK) now rarely even send form rejections to authors who submit. I do understand that the volume of submissions they get makes things difficult, but ghosting after a manuscript request or a 1 to 1 chat and manuscript request, (which I have recently experienced) seems just astonishingly rude. I'm sorry you and your agent are being ghosted, as you say, it takes seconds to say 'no thanks'.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

The idea of people going in for interviews and getting ghosted really ticks me off. Wow. And yeah, it’s the same with editors and submissions. It simply doesn’t take much time to tell someone “thanks for your time, but no.” I’m so sorry you experienced that with an agent after a request! It’s inexcusable.

[@louisaglancy3394]

@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Thanks Michelle, the insane thing is this particular agent and I even discussed how difficult it is for authors that agents don't send form rejections. Anyway.... Thanks for continuing to post your videos, I always enjoy them. With a busy life it can't be easy to find time for vlogging, but I'm glad you do! All the best.

[@crlake]

When YOU do 'click bait' it' perfectly fine!

[@smeastwest]

I would never say that someone who goes the traditional route is a moron. I think they're brave. I'm not sure I could do it.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

I think it takes equal bravery to go the self-pubbed route! Both are challenging and risky in their own ways.

[@martellc1008]

@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I want to do both , but I have very equal negative views yet I have no desire to write completely just for me and me alone!!!m😢 I used think traditional publishing was impossible and impossible for people like I am queer & black 27 wanted to write since my earliest memory and always wanted to share it so I always wanted to publish but alas haven’t published at either route and even struggle to write anything Anybody who has practical or even inspiration would be so helpful Thanks,because I am just going to admit where I am at which is pretty much the same place I always been in 😭😭😭😤😤😤😤💔❤️😩

[@martellc1008]

I also love the idea of self publishing maybe it’s my entrepreneurial spirit and creative freedom but really I can see the value and bravery of both I just can’t see it in the context of me doing it 😢

[@JoeyPaulOnline]

Loved this, context is always so important!

[@StingyGeek]

So when your books gets ghosted or not picked up, why wouldn't you just go "Oh well, straight to KDP and away we go?" Why put it in the drawer instead of skipping trad publishing and earning some income from your work? Is KDP a waste of time in your experience for your genre? Or do you know if you keep it in the drawer, the odds are good that down the track some publishers gonna go "This is good. Got anything else?"

[@LouigiVerona]

I have the same question

[@tune_smith]

Because KDP can be VERY expensive. Cover art, line and copyright editors, marketing. All things you don't need to worry about when trad published. I'm trad published with over 1 million copies sold. I'm having a similar issue where my publisher is contracting less and less. I just discovered my publisher is allowing one of their beloved authors write under 4 different names, taking valuable spots away from other authors. This is extremely upsetting. Trad publishing is a game and it's getting harder to make money when you're mid-list as I am. The advances are a fraction of what they used to be. As much as I would like to transition to KDP, the cost is daunting. I don't have the money to lay out. Yes, I could line and copyedit my own books. I could throw on a mediocre cover, but that lack in quality shows and will turn off my current readers who are used to a high-quality read. My trad published books have phenomenal covers and zero mistakes. My editors have caught things I never noticed after a dozen of read throughs before submission. I'm concerned I won't be able to provide that quality when self-publishing. I realize many authors don't care about that, but when you come from trad and your reader-base is used to that standard, you want to continue to provide it. It's s difficult decision to make and one many authors struggle with.

[@LouigiVerona]

@@tune_smith Thank you so much for providing this insight. As a beginning author myself (I have a manuscript ready to go), I honestly don't think I have any chance with trad publishing, that's the thing. Even if my book is good. I am working with an awesome editor, and I think I'll be able to produce high quality cover art. But for me both options - trad publishing and self-publishing seem very similar. No one knows me, so trad publishers likely won't contract me, and the public will not be buying my books. I am not sure what to do. Our civilization is over-saturated with media, I think is the real problem.

[@StingyGeek]

@@tune_smith thanks for your thoughts!

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Great question! The other commenters made great points. I'll add that this book of mine that's on sub is middle grade. My target audience isn't using KDP.

[@Lookintobookz]

I self-pub’d, doing decent with great reviews from readers and spent less than 1000$ on two books. If trad doesnt want it then go self pub!!!

[@brendanmcnally9145]

Good piece!

[@shebreathesingold8043]

I love the paywall thing. Please keep mentioning it because I may not subscribe now, but definitely down the line when I'm closer to publishing I'd want your feedback on my query/synopsis.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

Oh great!! Glad to hear it :)

[@BruceWayne15325]

I wouldn't take it personally. There's lots of reasons publishers turn down authors that have nothing to do with the quality of the work or how well the books sell. Publishers have a limited budget, and tons and tons of competition from authors for a tiny piece of that pie. They can only commit to so much, and then they have to say no even if they know they will make money hand over fist, simply because they don't have the funds.

[@MichelleSchustermanAuthor]

I definitely don't take it personally! I think that's a good way to burn out in this industry :)

[@JosephLayden]

If you didn't get any royalties for the book you sold 15000 copies of I hope you got at least a $15000 advance, because you would have gotten more than that if you'd self-published it. Of course, if it was a middle grade book you may not have been able to sell that many as a self-published title because of the school system's involvement, I don't know. But if it was an adult novel I just can't see a reason for it, since the trads barely lift a finger to market mid-rangers these days.

[@JosephLayden]

How much money have trads lost to self-publishing between your last published book and this one you are selling? I wonder if that's a factor as well.

[@rickallanolsen]

Books are way too expensive. I haven't been able to afford a book in years. I used to buy a book for a dollar. That same book would cost 30 or 40 dollars now. Anyway, why buy them when I can read them online for free. Our local library sucks so that's out.

[@Kirbstompd]

In terms of dollars per hour of entertainment, books definitely still beat movies. Not to mention you own it afterwords. Too expensive is a relative term.

[@kellypicard7927]

Books are cheap second hand at thrift stores.