Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

There are others here with more experience than I, but if your website is also a blog, I've read in numerous places that you should start it 6-12 months before you publish. However, that would also mean you need to blog about something, hopefully related to writing and/or your subject matter.

I've also read that some agents Google you, and if you have no web presence at all, they're not interested. I'm not enough of an industry insider to comment on how many. It could be a tiny percentage.

It sounds like you'd like to go the trade publishing route, which means you'll have plenty of time for your novels. Those usually take years to publish. But if you're submitting your short stories to e-zines, those can happen much faster. Mine have all been pubbed within a couple months, unless they were part of an anthology.

On novellas--I don't think the trade market is particularly robust in this area. Some folks who trade publish novels self-publish their novellas, although some small publishers will look at them. I've only self-pubbed one collection, and it took me three months, not counting the time it took to actually write the stories and get them critiqued on Share Your Work.

Hopefully, that will at least help in terms of scheduling.

CBJason said:

So, I've got about 10 works at various stages of completion, short stories, novellas, and novels that cross a few genres. I am debating actually pulling the trigger and:

1. Finding an editor
2. Finding an agent
3. Setting up a website
4. Hopefully selling

So, assuming the first 3 of these are feasible at some point, my question is: what order should I proceed with these?

I can set up a website myself (and have done so, but it's still private), waiting for me to flip the switch, and would be ok with that, but would not want to piss off, upset any possible representation down the road by having the site up. So, what comes first here?

My thought is the above, thus also giving me time to fully sanitize the website too and make sure I have all my proverbial T's crossed and I's dotted. Thanks in advance for any input!

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If 2 is a goal, you don't need 1 and I don't see the point of 3 unless you're personally interested in doing it for some reason -- in which case, go nuts, but it's not really related.

CathleenT said:

There are others here with more experience than I, but if your website is also a blog, I've read in numerous places that you should start it 6-12 months before you publish. However, that would also mean you need to blog about something, hopefully related to writing and/or your subject matter.

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If you're working with a good trade publisher there's no need to have a blog, although it can and often does help sell a few books here and there. Self publishing? Yes, you need one, and you'll usually need it to be established and successful if you want to sell plenty of books.

I've also read that some agents Google you, and if you have no web presence at all, they're not interested. I'm not enough of an industry insider to comment on how many. It could be a tiny percentage.

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This isn't true of the agents I know, but I have heard some of the more clueless newbies and scammy agents suggest this.

I'll completely defer to cornflake and Old Hack in this area. They both have way more experience than I do. The novella thing made it sound like being a hybrid author was a distinct possibility, in which case a blog is helpful. Some small trade publishers want you to have a marketing plan, which to me again says blog.

I think of it more like hedging your bets. I'm querying now, but I have no idea if my books will attract agent interest or not. If I can't get an agent, small publishers and/or self-pubbing look like the best option.

And I've liked having a blog, for the online friends I've met and a chance to build an audience with short stories. I don't know if this is a thing that would interest the OP or not.

I don't know that you need a blog at all.

You do need web presence; even if it's a "business card" site, which has the bare minimum in terms your name, your books, and a way to contact you.

If you're planning on self-publishing, I'd first work through your own revision process, including leaving the works to lie fallow for a while. Then I'd go through SWY and working with beta readers, then I'd look for an editor.

If you're planning on trade publishing, do all of that, but don't hire an editor; that's you're publisher's job, and they know what they want, and what their house style is. Don't waste your money and an editor's time second-guessing.

I would not set up a website primarily about your works if you're planning on trade publishing because you don't know yet when they'll be available, where, how or under what titles.

I did not have a blog or author site until about a week before my book deal was announced. My agent thought it would be useful at that point. I write fiction.

I still don't really blog. I'd like to, but my day job involves lots of writing, including blogging for a publication, so that's where my energies go.

First comes bacon, so you have grease to cook the eggs in.

Develop a website, plus some sort of following, if you can. It helps sell your book. Next, finish a damn project. 10 in the works is nine ways to procrastinate on the tenth. When you finish it, including editing, rewrites, betas, more rewrites, more betas, more editing and finally have a manuscript ready, then concentrate on finding an agent to sell it for you.

Jeff