Published Author of Good Books for Teens Dispels Self-Publishing Myths

In the not too distant past, writers and authors who self-published were thought to do so simply because their work wasn’t good enough to be picked up by a legitimate publishing house. Oklahoma career author, Norma Jean Lutz, who writes good book for teens, is extremely thankful that that sigma is quickly disappearing. “It’s a myth that might have been true in the past, but no longer,” she says.

Today, many well-known authors who were at one time connected with a large publishing house, are choosing to cut the fetters and fly solo. Most of these published authors have a number of out-of-print books that they can procure their rights, and then re-release those books.

Norma Jean is among that number. Her genre is good books for teens and a few years ago, she’d completed a teen novel that she was sure would sell. But after two years of peddling her manuscript to both agents and publishing houses, she hadn’t received even a nibble. This was in spite of the fact that she was author of over 50 titles under her own name, and had a following. It was a time of frustration and discouragement.

“In retrospect, it was the best thing that could have happened to me,” says Norma Jean. “It forced me to consider becoming an indie author. That’s why I’m thankful that the stigma has all but disappeared.”

Another myth about self-publishing is, because it’s easy to upload a manuscript to Kindle, KOBO, Nook Press and others, the uninitiated author may think that’s all there is to it. “That’s a deceptive myth,” Norma Jean points out, “which adds to the influx of thousands of self-published books now on the market.”

Is this fast growth a good thing, or a bad thing?

Norma Jean believes it’s a good thing and doesn’t find the competition a threat. “The cream will rise to the top,” she states, “and readers will find their favorite authors and buy from them repeatedly.”

Another myth has to do with marketing. Norma Jean understood right away that she would have to become an entrepreneur and market her Clean Teen Reads brand and her good books for teens. “I estimate that about 75% of new indie authors are unaware of the importance of marketing.” Norma Jean consulted with a marketing expert who explained that a great marketing strategy was to give away her first title in the Norma Jean Lutz Classic Collection. (This is a collection of sweet teen romances authored in the 90s and now being re-released.) “After I started giving away “Flower in the Hills,” things began to escalate.”

None of these myths are earth shattering and the determined authors break through them every day. Says Norma Jean, “I know what it’s like to send manuscripts out to publishing houses and for months see only rejection after rejection. After suffering through all that grief, being an indie author and marketing my own books, is a piece of cake.”
 
Clean Teen Reads exists under the auspices of the parent company and publisher, NUWS Link, Inc. The publishing company offers choice books for teens authored by Oklahoma career author, Norma Jean Lutz. Norma Jean’s career spans over 30 years of bringing out good books for teens and children. Her published titles number more than 50. In addition to being a published author, Norma Jean is also a freelance writer, ghostwriter, editor, novel critique consultant, and writing instructor.
NormaJean@BeANovelist.com
http://www.cleanteenreads.net/prfith/

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Norma Jean Lutz

President

NUWS Link, Inc.

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