And so I ask the Internets...

Listening to: Fallout Boy, "Homesick at Space Camp"

I came up with an idea a few months ago. At first, I was all gung-ho. Now I'm vacillating back and forth, unable to really decide. So I thought, since it involves the Internet, I would ask the Internet. I fully welcome any and all honest opinions in the comments or, if you're too shy, email me at krisbaxter AT gmail DOT com. Really, people, I need your help on this one.

So I have this little book that I wrote. And edited. And edited. And edited. And queried. And queried. And queried some more. And I mostly got rejections, although a few requests made me temporarily happy and hopeful--only to have the usual disappointment. And I love it, still, after all that. I really, truly do.

It's my third novel, to be exact. I did not experience that post-editing love with either of the first two. Not...in...the...least.

And I have this domain that I bought over a year ago. I have yet to use it. I'm waiting for The Husband to be a little less busy, so he can help me with all the aspects of website creation that I don't really get.

So I'm thinking...my list of agents to query is ever-shrinking, although I have every intention of querying each and every agent that reps my genre before I move on to another step. And that step, for the first time, might not involve trunking the novel.*

Yes, that's right. I'm thinking about self-publishing, but on the Internet. On my own website. Essentially, the idea is that I love this book and I want people to read it, or at least give it a chance. When I think about it, I think about my protagonist Hazel, who I adore in all her snarky, sarcastic, loner glory. I love Hazel, and I want people to get to know her. It's as simple as that.

I have a few promotional ideas in mind, mostly involving giveaways. Awesome giveaways, by the way, although I'd prefer not to get into them right now. That might draw at least a few people to the site, and that's really all I want. I feel the expenditure on my part would be worth that. And, as it's a YA novel, it's more likely to draw readers due to that generation's higher use of the Internet.



But then I think...maybe I'm deluding myself. Maybe the book isn't all I think it is (note: I don't think it's spectacular or anything, and I know I can do better with my next novels, but I think it's at least somewhat entertaining and quite readable). Or maybe I will, against all odds, eventually find success in this business, and regret this move, because the Internet is forever. Maybe in five years I'll hate the book and wish I'd never put it out there. Maybe everyone will hate it, and I'll get tons of horrible feedback and spiral into a pit of self-pity and depression.** What if, what if, what if.

Important Note: This would all be happening sometime around April or May. I entered the novel in question into the Golden Hearts, and so I'd wait to see if I finaled before making any serious moves. No, I don't actuallyexpect to final, but the hope exists at least. The finalist list is, I think, release in March.

And so I ask you, Internet. What do you think? To Internet-self-publish, or not? Please, honest opinions and thoughts.

P.S. If there is some positive response, I'll publish a short synopsis, essentially the meaty part of my query letter, in a future post. Not quite ready for that yet, though.


*Don't worry: I continue to work on my next novel, and will go the usual query route with that, as well. I'm not solely focusing on this one novel--writing-wise, I have moved on.

**Okay, so I have more faith in myself than that, after all the rejections, which I've learned to handle rather well. But still, the potential is there.