Here is an author question I received: I also always hear agents and editors saying that self-publishing is a bad choice for writers like me. I’ve heard stories in the news about self-published authors who have made it big, though – what about E.L. James?
Self-publishing can be such a heated topic to talk about. Authors feel like the underdog no matter what, and that is understandable. The most important thing to remember is that you need to be an informed consumer. No matter which type of publishing you decide to pursue – traditional or self – you need to keep in mind that you will be a very small fish in a VERY large pond. You just have to decide which pond you want to be in.
If your book has a very “niche” topic (i.e. “Growing Chrysanthemums in North Dakota” or “Tuning Your 1984 Steinway Piano”) or would attract a smaller audience (i.e. a collection of your grandfather’s barbecue recipes or a collection of letters sent between you and your husband) self-publishing is definitely the best option for you. If you are a professional speaker and are planning on selling your book in the back of the room, self-publishing might be the best option for you, too. If you are prepared to spend every waking moment of your life on marketing and promotion, self-publishing might be a good choice for you as well.
However, you need to make sure you understand what you are getting into. Lots of self-publishing companies promise authors many things that they are unable to deliver on. No one can make you a New York Times bestseller, unless they are personally planning on buying thousands and thousands of copies of your book. They may advertise your book, but it may be in a teeny tiny ad with several other books. Just as you would want to choose the best agent for yourself, you want to make sure you choose the best self-publishing company for yourself.
You need to also keep in mind that the reason you heard about a self-published author hitting the big time is because it is a newsworthy – meaning if this happened all the time, you would not be hearing about it on the news. Most self-published authors sell fewer than 50 books in their whole lifetimes.
So ask yourself – what do you think you need help with, when it comes to publishing? Is your book ready to publish, and all you want to do is get it uploaded and into the digital hands of readers? Or do you want a bit more hand-holding, with assistance in connection with editing, cover design, etc.?
To get you started, here is a list Reedsy put together of some of the best self-publishing companies to work with: https://blog.reedsy.com/best-self-publishing-companies/
When you have some contenders, you will also want to make sure you read up on the reputations of those companies. Websites like Predators and Editors (https://pred-ed.com/) and Writers Beware (https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/) are great places to start.
The steps to self-publishing are:
· Write the book
· Edit the book
· Design the cover and layout
· Publish
· Market the heck out of your book
You can hire help for every one of those steps, both on your own and though the self-publishing company. (Most self-publishing companies have freelancers working for them who can help you with your editorial and design needs, for example.)
Curious as to how much everything might cost? Reedsy has another great resource on that: https://blog.reedsy.com/cost-to-self-publish-a-book/
Do you have a self-publishing success story to share? Or some great advice for newbies? Feel free to comment below.
To you and your book!