Adjustment to "My Pledge"

Well, folks. I try to be thoughtful and to take my time with all of my posts, but yesterday I got just a little ahead of myself. I posted my pledge to you all, a pledge that included a promise for consistently low prices on my books. In my haste, I didn't take into account the price indie authors have to set for their paperback books; future trends; and traditional publishers' strategic adjustments to regain control over the industry. This industry is changing rapidly, and traditional publishers are now being forced to play "catch up." This article from Smashwords was quite the wake-up call that instigated the need for this adjustment to my pledge. The author of the article is right: traditional publishers will soon lower the prices of their e-books, because they have to. The independent section of the industry is becoming too big: indie authors are selling too many books at a much lower price. It's getting to the point where the Big Six have to do something about it.


I am dedicated to producing quality and I will always be first and foremost, but I had to remove the pricing component of the pledge since there's no way I will be able to offer content for a third of the price as these publishers when they begin offering e-books for $2.99. I will do "free" and "99 cents" promos but it just wouldn't make sense to consistently offer books for fifty cents a piece in order to keep up with my pricing pledge. And I wouldn't be able to offer paperback versions of my books as cheaply as I would like to since the price will have to be about the same as commercial paperbacks, if not slightly more expensive.


A few years ago, the argument against the Big Six's overpricing of e-books would have been a nice salvo to launch against them, but they have caught on, and soon they will begin adapting to the change in the industry. My argument and pricing strategy would have been quickly outdated, so that section of the pledge needed to be scrapped.


My apologies, everyone.

My Pledge to You, the Reader

Yes, I self-publish. And, yes, I fully understand and appreciate the negative perception that goes along with the label; it is richly deserved. I want you to know that I am going to work my hardest, that I am going to do my very best to rise above and break through those dismal expectations. I will become known for the superb quality of my work.


It is also my aim to create excellent content that doesn’t just compare to the best books from traditional publishers but surpasses them in originality, depth, and execution. Allow me to prove myself and to earn your trust.


Actions are louder than words, I know, but as a first step towards establishing a relationship of good faith between us, I would like to lay bare a couple of points that I will firmly commit myself to—a pledge, if you will.


My pledge to you, the reader:

1) Quality. Never will I publish anything that does not meet my strict standards of excellence. Marcuria’s End took me over seven years to write and publish. If it takes me that long to publish the next novel, then so be it. I cannot in good conscience release anything of inferior quality and then ask for your hard-earned money and precious time. I will not stand for that. I care about people, not money, so I will work hard to earn your trust by only publishing content of the highest order.


2) Price. E-books from commercial publishers often exceed ten dollars. How does that price point encourage people to read more? How does that price point encourage anyone to seek out and find new authors to read? I understand it is a business, but in this age of ceaseless distractions and attractions, we should be doing everything we can, as a collective industry, to entice people to read more, to try new genres and new writers; by doing so, we will be encouraging a fuller, broader reading experience, which will benefit all.


I will never ask you to pay ten dollars for an e-book that costs nothing to publish. The high-quality novels I produce will always be at least, or more than, a third of the price required by these publishers for their selections.

Free Sample of My Debut Novel

Just a quick message here to let you know that from now until the end of all time paradoxes you can download a free sample of Marcuria's End from GoodReads. In pdf format, the sample covers the prologue all the way through Chapter 4.

Check it out rrriiighttt (ready for it. . .steady now) HERE.

Join My GoodReads Group

Group name: "Ask Joshua Steelman Anything"

Check it out here.

Come join my scrumdiddilyumptious GoodReads group! I formed it so readers of my book could have easy access to me in order to ask any questions they'd like, no matter how personal. Anything goes in this group; it's that dangerous. It also functions as a discussion board for interesting chats about any of the following topics: the writing process and techniques, why I write / why do you write, "writing and mental illness," the fantasy genre (likes / dislikes), publishing, the state of the publishing industry (self-publishing vs traditional), book discussions, in-depth breakdown of Marcuria's End, and so much more.

This group is open to everybody and I do not discriminate, so jump on in and join us. It will be a lot of fun. I give it my 100% Steelman guarantee.

This week's topic: Likes / Dislikes of the Fantasy Genre (Books)

What I mean by this topic is this: From your experience reading in this genre, what do you like / dislike about fantasy books?

My Take

What I like most about books I've read in this genre: pure escapism, originality in creating new types of monsters and threats--new brands of villains, sense of mystery and wonder, opportunities for discovery (secret locations, hidden or forbidden knowledge), interesting commentary on societal problems, the ability to experience something brand new (something very different than real life).

What I've disliked: reliance on dragons and other standard fantasy monsters and races (pet peeve: since each fantasy world is unique, creatures and races need to be introduced that fit into that specific environment--they should feel like an organic piece of that realm), shallow characters and stories--stories with no substance, bad writing (even fantasy authors published by traditional publishers aren't the greatest writers), bad dialogue, reliance on sex and titillation to "spice things up," political intrigue (so boring I want to cry).

Aftermath

The last week has been rather strange as time has slowed to a crawl while I wait in anticipation for the first Amazon reviews to come out. This is way worse than anticipating Christmas as a child.

For a couple of days after publishing, I was in a complete daze; when I’d go on my daily walks, I’d aimlessly wander around the neighborhood, devoid of all thought. Letting go of something so precious to me, something I had been toiling over for so many years, was quite difficult because of my perfectionism issues. I was convinced that I’d released a book with gigantic mistakes in it, a book that I hadn’t checked carefully enough even though I’d meticulously read through it a million times. And so it was I was convinced that I’d let myself and everybody down.

However, an immense sense of peace pervaded my entire soul from top to bottom, and it wouldn’t allow that delusion to fester and grow. This was perfect peace, clean peace that seemed to infuse itself into my bones until I became Peace itself. Although I’ve always been religious and have often felt the calm presence of the Holy Spirit, I’ve never felt anything like this in my life. This feeling was straight from God: a message letting me know I had actually done a good job and all will be well. For someone like me who doesn’t take medication for serious mental health issues, experiencing peace of this sort was a complete miracle, and it could’ve only come from a divine source. After the extreme difficulties of the last year, I was so grateful for it; it stilled my mind into perfect stillness and all was well inside of me: there wasn’t anything to fear, nothing to feel animalistic terror over. I was utterly whole. For a few days. I couldn’t have asked for a bigger blessing than that.

I just want to take a moment to reflect on the writing of Marcuria’s End. It’s mind-boggling for me to consider how many hundreds of hours I poured into this book. Necessary hours since I had so much to learn about the craft. After I’d gotten started, I wanted to make sure I did it right the first time and put something out there of quality in the fantasy genre since so many novels within this genre aren’t very good. At one point, while I was working full-time, I was waking up at 3 am to work on the book before I’d leave to go to work at 7:30 am because I knew once I got home, there was no way I’d have the energy to be productive and to write like I knew I was capable of. This unfinished novel had already eaten away at me for years; I was so desperate to continue laboring over it that I was willing to do whatever it took. I dreaded being in the workplace then just as I do now because I feel like I am wasting my time when there is so much more that I can do. It doesn’t feel too good to waste away in data entry, to be kept prisoner in cubicle-hell, when there are some truly marvelous things that you can do with your talent.  

Completing Marcuria’s End was a miracle. My head is oftentimes a “no-man’s land” of clear, lucid thought, and my soul is often smothered by darkness to the point where it takes tremendous effort to just do anything, even the simplest tasks. When I’m like that, concentrating on anything is impossible: just watching TV or a movie is difficult during these times since I can’t follow the plot or anything that is happening. The last year has been extremely tough for me health-wise, except somehow I was able to tidy up the manuscript and publish it. I attribute all of this to God’s grace and mercy. Throughout the entire writing process, I spent a lot of time on my knees, and I was assisted greatly in so many ways that I won’t get into because I don’t want to sound like I’m boasting. And I hope I don’t sound whiney. I just want you to be able to better understand exactly what God has done for me, how He has boosted me and made it possible for me to do something like this. There were so many times when I felt too ill to write but I tried anyway, “falling into” a special place inside me where only light and a numb stillness reigns, and it was there that I would write strictly based off inspiration, without the interference of thought or “reason.” I am so grateful to God for what He’s done for me. I am proof that miracles do continue to occur in our day. Through Him, anything is possible.

Now that I’ve finished one book, I don’t feel satisfied in the least; I’m totally antsy to get back to work and prove myself again because the doubt I’m having is that I won’t ever be able to write at the same level as I did in Marcuria’s End. I can’t wait to prove doubt wrong. I wrote the first book in the face of such extreme opposition and adversity (on many levels that I won’t get into) that there is no way I can give up on myself now and relinquish confidence in my ability. I have to remind myself that I can “novel” really well, even when I’m feeling like garbage and completely scared out of my mind and caught up in the midst of nagging, soul-shriveling obsessions.

What I’m working on now

Marketing. Lots and lots of marketing and PR. Yes, it’s as gross as it sounds. A lot of boring stuff, but I also have some fun stuff planned, so stay tuned. What this book really needs right now in order to get some momentum going are reviews—LOTS of reviews on Amazon. Since I am out here on my own as a self-publisher, I must ask for your help during these initial baby-steps. Reviews are what makes everything tick on that site, and they are what makes a book visible to larger and larger audiences. The more reviews you get, the more your work will be seen. And let’s be perfectly honest: no one other than friends, family, acquaintances, and good Samaritans are going to buy a self-published book without reading any reviews for it first. This is why I need your help. Just one review will make a difference. Just one. An honest review. So, please do a bit of service after you finish reading Marcuria’s End and write up a quick review. These really don’t have to be long to be convincing. Much heartfelt thanks in advance.

Once the book gets those recommendations, I think that will get the train rolling. This is a novel that can really go places. It is strong enough. I do believe that this book can sell at least 10,000 copies. Accuse me of being crazy (and you would be right), but based on the excellent quality of the work, I don’t see why that number can’t be achieved. With your help and with your continued support, this can happen. You will see. J

I love you all for the support you’ve already shown. It has honestly been overwhelming, and your lovely comments have nearly reduced me to tears on several occasions. (I’m too numb for tears these days. I’m all dried out.) Thank you all. You truly are a blessing.

Formal Announcement

Marcuria's End is out now on Amazon.

What it's about:

The world of Marcuria nears its predestined end. This is the last Age. The final Cleansing. Three unwitting harbingers—whose lives have been carefully constructed, vigilantly directed onto dark paths—are being prepared for this culmination. Monsters they are destined to be, not the heroes they always dreamed.

Alyn sees what others cannot: the Dark. This darkness infests the land, swarms over all creation. Even those he loves are infected with it. Hatred for the Dark festers as Alyn battles a raging torrent inside: an alluvion yearning to sweep this perceived blight out of existence.

Jarrod is a carousing layabout haunted by the trauma he suffered as a young child. He drowns himself in drink and the occasional girl to escape the constant, hellacious memories. Yet this isn’t enough. It can never be enough. For years, he has mulled over a solution, but his cowardice is too great of an impediment. Even so, the notion of revenge never wanders out of reach as it foments his craving for knowledge.

Gherart has just celebrated a major promotion to join the ranks of the Eldest’s personal guard. These elite guardsmen are recognized as national heroes, exemplars of virtue and honor. To have come this far, Gherart has had to transform himself into a new man, a religious man. This mighty change entailed purging his life of every connection to his criminal past; however, there is one tie he can’t cut loose: his best friend—a brother in spirit. . .a thief envious of Gherart.