authonomy without the ‘h’

Aside from being a well-know and much loved authonomist, today's guest blogger Simon A Forward is an author of a number of Doctor Who books and audio dramas, as well as three novelisations for the BBC’s Merlin series and other works of licensed fiction, penned under a pseudonym to protect the innocent. These days he is primarily focused on developing and promoting his own original creations, which range from adult SF/Horror through children’s and YA fantasy to the downright Evil.

authonomy. The ‘h’ softens the ‘t’ considerably. Worth bearing in mind when you’re stuck at No.1247 with what feels like no chance of ever standing out in the crowd.

It’s a jungle out there and whether you land the fat contract or decide to strike out alone, you’ll find the ‘h’ gets dropped pretty quickly and you’re playing the new game of Autonomy with a hard ‘t’. You might think it’s tough now, but that’s just peanuts to independent publishing.

So how the heck d’ you get to be King of the Jungle? Sorry, I don’t know. I’m still battling my way through the undergrowth. But it occurs to me that the lion is not your best role model. It’s not about who can roar the loudest and lions spend most of the day sleeping, letting a band of loyal lionesses do the work for them. Not a bad life, but I don’t see the approach working in this jungle.

So how the heck d’ you get to be King of the Jungle? Sorry, I don’t know. I’m still battling my way through the undergrowth. But it occurs to me that the lion is not your best role model. It’s not about who can roar the loudest and lions spend most of the day sleeping, letting a band of loyal lionesses do the work for them. Not a bad life, but I don’t see the approach working in this jungle.

Better off being a mouse. Quick, smart, out hunting for every little scrap and being opportunistic. Of course, in the Hitch Hikers Guide universe, mice were actually super-intelligent pan-dimensional beings. It’s fitting that they’re my role model for publicising my SF comedy, Evil UnLtd. I’m lacking in the super-intelligence department, but I aim for a degree of pan-dimensionality where possible.

That is, be creative and come at the task from inventive directions (e.g. our (silly) Free E-Shirt offer). authonomy is small enough to be a community, where your efforts are more likely to be noticed. When you have people’s attention don’t just run around the exercise wheel of self-promotion – offer something fun, or thought-provoking, or whatever you feel best reflects your book. Grab the crowd’s attention – then reward it.

That’s how I hit the Editor’s Desk (twice). It helped that people liked my books, but neither they nor I would have known if it hadn’t been for some basic hard graft.

Independent publishing is like that, but worse. You’re trying to entice people to read your work when they have to pay for the privilege. You’re viewed by many as a second or third class citizen. Autonomy grants you the freedom to work even harder and you’ll have even less time for the stuff that matters most – like, say, writing. That’s my one real gripe. But would I have been any less industrious if I’d landed a contract? Simply put, no.

Ultimately I write because a) I love telling stories and b) I want people to read them. Publishing contracts will lend you added confidence and validation in many people’s eyes, but if b) means as much to you as it does to me, then your approach to publicising your work will be the same.

Whatever else authonomy is for you, it’s a good training ground for that approach.

Out here in the jungle, you’ll stand a better chance of perhaps more than just surviving. You might even show those lions a thing or two.

SAF