Attorneys & Appendectomies: Ann Patchett Speaks in Nashville About the "Business" of Writing

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Many of you know about my desire to write and publish the accounts of a "family living on the fence" and what it takes to find God's greener pastures ... or about the ViolentSilence that sent a crushed man of God to the TraumaCondo on an early Saturday morning. Given my renewed passion for completing these works, I was excited to learn that best-selling author Ann Patchett was speaking at our downtown Exchange Club of Nashville luncheon on Tuesday. Her topic: the "business" of a writer.

Since Patchett was talking to a group of local bankers, professionals and businessmen, she felt compelled to speak ... not about her literary works ... but about her business experiences as a published author. She spoke about the process of finding a literary agent, shopping a publisher, and negotiating every imaginable royalty. Patchett explained that authors receive additional royalties for the books sold following the "earn out" of an advance. She had the crowd laughing gleefully when she shared her Top Things an Author Does Not Want to Hear from a Fan, including:

• "I just bought the latest paperback edition of your book!"


• "You won't believe this ... I was on the waiting list at the local library for three months for your most recent book."


• "I borrowed a copy of your book from a friend and it was great!"

During the Q&A period, I asked Patchett what she thought of self-publishing, particularly given the same day announcement from Thomas Nelson about a new division called WestBow Press, which will offer self-publishing services. Her response:

Self-publishing is a lot like "representing yourself in court without an attorney ... (audience laughs) ... while giving yourself an appendectomy ... (more laughs)..."

Certainly Patchett did not know I was an attorney or that I have represented myself in court on a few "alleged" violations of the local traffic laws. And while I do not intend to perform any medical surgeries to remove my own body parts, I am not sure that I would flush the self-publishing option. Although he has a dog in this fight, Michael Hyatt raises some valid points about non-traditional reasons for self-publishing. And so does author Carol Hoenig.

Photo: Diego DeNicola