I’m often at a loss for whether I want to seek an agent and publish via traditional channels or publish independently or find some happy hybrid blend of which I haven’t yet seen any compelling success stories. And having only self-published, I yearn to understand the traditional model so that I (1) know what I’m missing and (2) can replicate it as best I can. Debbie Weil has trod both roads and favors whistling to her own tune. You see, she’s published with Penguin. While that yielded an education in managing a relationship with a Big 5, it did little else. She sold roughly 10,000 copies of The Corporate Blogging book—a not-so-insignificant number by any means, but to Penguin it was tater tots opposed to owning the potato farm. And if you were to ask her today if she could redo it, team with Penguin over self-publishing through her own company Voxie Media, you’d receive a different response forged from dense steel that can only be crafted through experience.

In this episode of Bleeding Ink, Debbie Weil (that’s pronounced while not wheel) and I delve into this very topic. We also branch into audience building and the inner workings of book editing. It’s a great conversation. You will be delighted with her positive energy. She’s a smart cat—after all she did study English at Harvard—but she’s also humble. She doesn’t conflate her success and intelligence with superiority, rather she uses her life-experience to enrich those around her. I admire Debbie’s kind of people.

And to answer the enigmatic question of whether an author should publish traditionally or not, it is “it depends.” And as we continue to speak with author after author on this show, you will develop the necessary tools to make that decision for yourself.

Scott James clanked this out on his typewriter just for Bleeding Ink! You'll hear him recite it at the start of this episode.

My ignorance was strong when it came to traditional publishing. It’s the kind of stuff that requires an insider’s perspective that has witnessed a book’s journey from wads of crunched paper to a well-worn dust-jacket with the words “National Best Seller” printed under the author’s name.

the depth of my ignorance was chronic, ignorant to its own severity

David and I met at a writer’s meet-up, an impenetrable gaggle of potential clients assuaged him which required a friend-of-a-friend to penetrate and allow for an introduction. David’s a literary-looking guy with a slightly nasal New York accent, thick glasses, scruffy beard, sweater covered button-up and intelligent eyes—and affable, accepting my request for an interview without the slightest hesitation. I am thankful for this—you see, the depth of my ignorance was chronic, ignorant to its own severity. David helped me crawl out from the darkness.

You too will feel that warm glow of enlightenment if you give this episode a serious listen.

It’s a wonder he allowed me to stay in his store after I hoisted him off the floor.

I settled down and asked Drew for the latest gravy on literature. His response instilled in me a great confidence that this evil city had acquired a most sparkly gem. There was a lot of “You like Nabokov? He’s one of my favorites, have you read his lectures?” and “Greywolf Press is an imprint we carry a lot of, have you seen this release?” and “I’m from New York and I grew up around books. I always wanted to open a bookstore, why not here?” I bought as many books as my wallet would permit.

Drew accepted my offer to interview him as any humble gentleman would

You see, it’s not just the phenomenal selection of books that affirms The Writer’s Block. It’s a warm nostalgia that coats your skin when you step foot in the store—a sense that books are alive, kicking, breathing and relevant. A dear selection of my childhood memories were committed in quaint, endearing bookstores and these bubbled delightfully into the forefront of my brain-stuff. Oh, they also have a nifty area dedicated to local events and writing workshops for kids.

Drew accepted my offer to interview him as any humble gentleman would. He smiled and appeared genuinely delighted to set aside some precious time. For that I am thankful—Drew possesses a wealth of knowledge when it comes to buying books and this can help steer the indie author onto many more shelves.