So you've finished your book and have decided that self publishing is the method that you're most interested in. Many authors move to self publishing as a secondary option, after trying to secure a traditional book deal and losing patience with the tedious process. However, an increasing number of authors are moving directly to self publishing methods, including those who have been traditionally published with some success in the past. Why, if they experienced success, would they move to a different method of publication? Finances, usually. Many authors discover only when they're in the thick of it that being traditionally published doesn't mean they can sit back and let the publisher do everything for them. They have to market and publicize their book just as much (sometimes more). With this understanding, they opt to cut out the middle man, do more work themselves, and keep all the profits for themselves. To be clear, self publishing is NOT the same as hybrid or vanity publishing (and those are two very different methods as well!). Hybrid publication is more or less the same as the self publishing process except that the author pays a third party (hybrid publisher) to do the things they might not be able to themselves. This includes formatting, cover design, etc. Typically hybrid publishers are not as involved as traditional publishers and are there to provide services to the author for book production—not market or distribute the book. It used to be true that if an author self published, they practically sealed their fate as never being eligible for a traditional publishing deal. Thankfully, this has changed and there are many self published authors who have gone on to have successful traditional book deals for their subsequent books and even new editions of previously self published works. (Take The Night and its Moon by Piper CJ for example.) Bird's Eye View In a nutshell, self publishing is the most demanding of all the publishing routes because every responsibility is on the author. However, by doing all the work themselves, the author doesn't have to split their profits with anyone either. When self publishing, a huge bonus and the reason many authors pursue this method, is that there's no oversight. No one to tell you what to do, whether to change your title or characters, no one to dictate your cover art or formatting, but this can also be a huge problem: there's no oversight. Unless you partner with a third party company with professionals who can format and check your work before it goes to publication, you are relying solely on yourself to learn the ins and outs of book production, marketing, legalities, and the logistics of how to get your completed book into the hands of your readers. Not to fret! There is a slew of self publishing guides out there and checklists to help you get started and ensure that you don't miss anything important. There are free (and paid) webinars to attend to learn more, events where you can network with other professionals and find resources, and of course, tutorials you can find on the internet. (Check out the resources linked at the bottom of this post.) Get StartedWhen many think of self publishing options, their initial thoughts (and search engine results) will often lead them to think of Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). There are other methods of publishing ebooks and entering a print on demand arrangement for print copies such as IngramSpark or B&N Press, but KDP remains the gargantuan elephant in the room. The first step for you, the author, is to figure out which avenue is the best fit. Each has pros and cons and like signing any contract, be sure to read the fine print! Every platform seems to have its own preferred style, file size, or file type (though a pdf is the standard). Once you've found your platform, it's time to get to work! Armed with whatever research you need to round out your existing skill set, the next steps (after final revisions) are these:
Print versus eBookYet another facet of the process to consider is whether you plan to produce a printed book you can hold in your hands, or an ebook, or both. Consider cost, formatting differences, and distribution options. Perhaps obviously, ebooks have become popular in no small part due to their low overhead cost. Alternately, printing costs can vary from the cost of materials to print just a few, to the rates associated with higher print runs. There is also the matter of distribution to consider. If you create an ebook, you can sell the book through a personal website as well as one of the aforementioned platforms, or any other digital method you can devise. If your book is printed, aside from physically handing them out to readers, you'll want to get it featured in a catalog for bookstores to purchase from, approach bookstores in person, and get creative with the retail options available to you. Many horror stories abound about authors who ordered a large first run, gambling on how well their book would sell, only to sit on those copies for years. Final ThoughtsSelf publishing can be expensive and it can cost only a few dollars. Self publishing can be a lot of work but also very rewarding. Ask yourself if you're excited about doing it all yourself, or would you rather have a more involved helping hand? How much work do you as the author, want to be responsible for? Do you mind splitting profits with anyone? Resources
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Crystalline Editing ServicesUntangling the complicated paths to publication for new and aspiring authors. ArchivesCategories |
RSS Feed