Skip to main content

Opinions for a Twitter Colloquium

For a Twitter Colloquium on Self-Publishing, here are some of author Celu Amberstone's thoughts in this discussion: 

 


I think there are advantages and disadvantages to self-publishing. I am a mixed-race, Indigenous author and for that reason my writing perspective is different than what the established publishing industry is used to. I have been told many times by New York agents and editors, in their refusal letters, “Your writing is great, but I don’t know how to market your books.” But with help from online sites like D2D or Smash words I have been able to offer my books in reputable stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble nonetheless.

Self-publishing isn’t a shortcut to fame and glory, however. It means you have to do, yourself, much that would have been done in the past by a traditional publisher. So, if you want to have your writing treated seriously, then you have to do the work needed to insure the books you offer are the very best you can make them. This means for me, that I spent 8 to 10 hour days for months, years, perfecting my craft. I read all kinds of books, took classes on writing, and sought professional feedback whenever possible.

I am tired of only reading books written from a Western European perspective. I want to hear the voices of others like me. I want to explore new ways of seeing the world. Every one of us has a unique story to tell.

With the availability of self-published e-books, audiobooks, and print on demand books, writers of today have many more options available as well as traditional print publishing, to share their stories with the world. And this also means that readers of today and in the future have a better opportunity to gain a new perspective and understanding of our troubled world through self-published books. 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome

 Welcome to Kashallan Press! Here you will find works by celebrated author Celu Amberstone. Her novels, short stories, and nonfiction books have been enjoyed for years by readers and academics alike. As many of her works have gone out of print, Celu is thrilled these books will now be available again in new editions. In addition, new novels will complete previous series and expand the fiction available from Celu through Kashallan Press.   The literary works of Celu Amberstone are of particular attraction for those interested in Canadian and North American literature by writers of aboriginal heritage. In both her fiction and nonfiction writing, Celu draws on her Cherokee and Celtic history to bring strong cultural elements to her prose. Many of her novels have aspects of speculative fiction and magic realism. In some of her works are elements of the new genres of eco-fiction and eco-gothic fiction. Each of her books is being released in ebook format and soon in print and audiob...

Story collection now available!

 Now available from Kashallan Press is the first collection of stories by Celu Amberstone. Refugees And Other Stories gathers together six stories by Amberstone, including the title story, "Refugees." Among these six stories are themes this author uses with confidence. Amberstone writes of passion, adventure, and even humour with talent and experience. Ebooks of this collection are available now -- choose your favourite bookseller among a dozen online vendors at this link: http://books2read.com/refugees Paperbacks of this collection will be available soon, at the same link. Plan your winter reading, your gift-giving, and your classroom reading with Refugees And Other Stories in mind.