**** (not a critique here) - as a fellow writer, I'd like to share a thought on the current state of the publishing industry

I came across this sub because I'm currently working on a novel and the first draft is nearly finished. I've never had a critique before, so I'm here to ask for one and to see how it all works. I'll be posting here within the next two months and I'm looking forward to getting feedback from all the reader's here.<br><br>Something quite interesting happened to me this year as a writer. Last year, I published my first book which was a poetry collection and it was a labor of love for me. I spent over a decade writing it and I didn't have much of a budget, but I hired an editor, paid for some advertising, and got professional formatting. <br><br>I spent years studying writing and publishing, putting together the collection, and launching it. When the time came to publish, I shopped the book around and received a few offers from traditional publishers, but chose to self-publish instead. I liked the idea of owning the creative process and thought it would be a great learning experience. So, I self-published, paid for advertising, and worked my heart out to get the word out there. It was a lot of work, but I'm proud of my book and it is exactly what I envisioned.<br><br>I then went on to write a book of short stories and published it in a similar way. I'm happy to say that my books were reviewed favorably by many publications and readers. I've also self-published my work and everything was going fine. At the time, I thought I had finally figured things out after years of trying and failing.<br><br>But then, something strange happened. My work started getting read. Institutional libraries started buying it when I sent them the pdf via email. Individual readers started buying it and leaving reviews. I started getting thousands of impressions on Amazon, all without advertising. I made a lot of money on my books this year, and strangely, it felt like I was doing something wrong.<br><br>How could my work get so much visibility without self-promotion? Why did I suddenly make a lot of money for little effort? It didn't make sense to me. It seemed like overnight, my work went from obscurity to being something people wanted to read. I didn't do anything different, but everything changed. It was a strange thing to realize.<br><br>Then, I stumbled upon an article in The Guardian about how the publishing industry - traditionally closed to new writers - is beginning to crack down. Suddenly, a space is opening up for new writers and they're doing well.<br><br>I also read an article from a UK publication that said something similar. I think it's true. There is a shift happening in the world of publishing and new writers have a lot of opportunities open to them now. Here are a few things I've learned this year.<br><br>1. Always, always hire a professional editor. I've been rejected by many places for font errors, formatting errors, punctuation errors, etc. It's a mistake to think you can do this on your own when you're starting out. I didn't know what I was doing and hiring an editor was instrumental in the success of my books. I'm not saying that all big publishers are perfect. I know there are errors in books published by them. But you'll find significantly fewer errors in big publisher books than in self-published books.<br>2. Have an open mind and be willing to learn. As I said earlier, I didn't know what I was doing when I first started. I didn't know you needed to get a professional editor. I didn't know that formatting was an art form. I didn't know how to write a query letter. It was difficult to swallow my pride and try to learn more. But I learned a great deal and it was really important to my success.<br>3. There is nothing wrong with self-publishing. I self-published and it was a great experience for me. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. But if I were to do it all over again, I would probably go for traditional publishing instead. You'll find more opportunities and more potential for visibility. Open yourself up to new experiences and new ways of thinking.<br>4. Be prepared to put in the work. You can't get a book out there by showing your friends and family and maybe posting on social media. You need to submit your book to publications, websites, and literary magazines. You need to put your name out there and make people want to buy your book. I put in a lot of work every day to make my writing more visible and it's paid off. If you're a writer, you need to get out there and make an effort to be seen. Don't rely on your social media followers or your friends and family to buy your book. There is no single successful author who only relies on people they know.<br>5. You have to hire an editor. I know I said this already, but it's so important here. I know many self-published books read well and are great contributions to the literary world. But I want to say that nine times out of ten, you can tell if a book is self-published or not based on whether it was professionally edited. If you're going to self-publish, hiring a professional editor is crucial. Don't publish anything you haven't had reviewed by a professional or you'll do yourself a disservice. Self-publishing is not something to be ashamed of, but if you're sincere in your efforts, it's critical to hire someone who can prove your credibility.<br>6. Don't be afraid to shop your book around to literary magazines, independent booksellers, and online publications. They're not as seedy as you might think. It's very easy to get your name out there by writing to people who are interested in your work. If you want to be a writer, you need to be willing to be persistent and to make an effort. Don't be any to put yourself out there and be true to yourself. Don't be afraid to ask people if they're interested in your work. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. I've had many opportunities open up for me when I took a chance and shopped my work around.<br>7. You can do it. You have your own voice, perspective, and experiences to bring to the table. Don't be afraid to be yourself and to put yourself out there. That's the most important part of being a writer. You need to be true to yourself and to let your work shine. Don't be afraid to hide behind your insecurities and your fears. Push past them and be bold. That's the only way you'll get anywhere.<br><br>I do not know how long this window will be open or if it will last forever. I do not know how long it will take to break into traditional publishing or if it will continue to be a closed system. I do not know when or if the writing world will return to a closed system of gatekeepers, exclusivity, and lack of transparency. <br><br>However, I do know that right now, there are opportunities for new writers to get their work out there. I do know that there is a way for all of us to be successful. I do know that if we work together, we can accomplish a great deal. I do know that if we put ourselves out there and are true to ourselves, we can achieve great things. <br><br>I hope this helps anyone who's looking to break into the publishing industry. I know that things are changing and that there are opportunities for new writers. I also know that it's not going to last forever and that this window will close at some point. So, let's be bold and let's work together to make the most of this opportunity. I believe in you, I believe in me, and I believe we can accomplish great things.<br><br>Thank you for reading. I just wanted to share my experiences and insights with you. I'm grateful to be part of this community and I hope you find this helpful.<br><br>-Rich