Friday, October 4, 2013

To Self Pub or Not To Self Pub...

Self pub seems to be the hot topic these days.  Indeed we're seeing so many books on the scene, in Good Reads, fan fiction websites, Kobo, Amazon, you name it. It's everywhere, and for the average reader, this can be daunting.  How do you weed the good from the bad?  Where do you invest your time and energy? For writers, at first it may seem like a great idea, but most often, it's like running up a river with piranhas nipping at your toes. 

So how do you do it right? It's hard to think of your labour of love objectively.  I could probably go on and on about this topic but I'll highlight what I think are three key assets to break free of the self pub muck and have the potential to become a real indie breakout novel.

1. Independent Editors

You've invested months, maybe years of your time to create your piece de resistance. It sounds like music to your ears.  You pat yourself on the back for those witty lines or gorgeous paragraphs that paint a landscape worthy of being called a Monet with words.  

There lies the problem. 

It may be a masterpiece to you, but is it a masterpiece for the market?  Investing in an independent editor may seem like an unnecessary expense but you will soon find that the right one is invaluable.  Why? Because they've done it a thousand times, they know your market and they know story.  A great editor will also tell you the things you don't want to hear...that your story isn't perfect and they'll guide you to make changes to make it better.  Readers read books and often times they have no idea why they don't like it. They feel unfulfilled, bored, or frustrated with the protagonist.  An independent editor will help you to identify the issues in your manuscript that the readers can't communicate and fix them.  She's a secret I'd love to keep because she's that good, but if you're thinking of hiring one, check out Lorin Oberweger - might as well start with the best!

2. Covers
Lumiere by Jacqueline E. Garlick

Don't judge a book by its cover...unless what you're talking about is actually a book.  What sets self pub apart from trad pub is that you have the ultimate control. You can decide what your cover will look like.  Self pub author and workshop guru Jacqueline Garlick has one of the hottest anticipated releases this Fall with the first in her Illumination Paradox series LUMIERE.  Check out her post here where she outlines in detail the intensive process she went through to make her cover the gorgeous artwork it is today.  Many authors in this arena seem satisfied with using stock photos but Garlick took it one step further and created her own.  I know what you're thinking - another cost?  And yes, this can run upwards of several thousand dollars, but this is a product, it won't sell itself.  Think of the cover as your calling card and a reader's first impression. If it looks like it was slapped together in two minutes, you can bet most people will assume what's inside was done the same way. 

3. Marketing

We're writers, we don't promote.  We huddle in our corners and play in the fictional worlds we've created.  Unfortunately, if we continue to do so, the only ones who will come play with us are probably also in our heads.  If you want your book to be a success, you need to be out there, making a mark on your readers.  They need to feel connected with you and interested in what you say.  Since you don't have that publishing machine behind you, that's all the more reason to get out there and make a statement.  Otherwise, how is a reader going to decide between spending their time reading a NYT Bestselling YA Dystopian novel and your self pub book that's currently number 750 on the list (and that's actually good!). 

So my thoughts on self pub - it's a great option...for the right book.  Great cover, fantastic edits (combined with positive feedback from professionals) plus a solid dose of marketing  hutzpah courtesy of the writer = a book that will rise above the rest and become the beautiful needle in a haystack (in a good way!).  

14 comments:

  1. To self publish or not to self publish - that is the question isn't it?! That is a hard one to answer. I personally went down that road and am happy that I did. It was a difficult decision too - especially turning down an e-publishers offer, but in the end I wanted something more tangible - I wanted a hardcopy.

    My 10 year old son and I co-authored a humorous middle grade urban fantasy novel entitled Mason Davis and the Rise of the Storm Makers. It is sort of a Percy Jackson meets Disney Channel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Touched By An Angel adventure books that celebrates boyhood. In 2010, our family took a two week road trip across the Southwest to visit some of our nation's National Parks. Stuffing three loud little boys into a minivan that smells of feet borders on insanity, but we all survived. At the various National Parks, the boys started pretending to characters from the Percy Jackson books and battled all sorts of make-believe monsters. An idea started forming in my own twisted mind and soon the idea of Mason Davis, an eleven year old nephilim, evolved. Upon returning home, my son and I quickly turned our family vacation into an urban fantasy.

    After all our hard work, I wanted my son to have something to show for his efforts, thus we chose to self publish after declining offers to e-publish. We did as you said and hired a professional editor to look over our work. We didn't do the same with for a book cover though. We choose to go through Create Space and used one of their book cover templates.

    My son and I both enjoyed the writing and the publishing process and are glad we did it. Working with Create Space was relatively easy and rather inexpensive so that helped to make the process fun for us. Marketing, however, has been our biggest challenge. Nonetheless, we even enjoy this part of the industry too. It is fun thinking up new ways to get the word out there.

    Would I recommend self publishing to others - it depends. If you want the book to be a success and are willing to work hard for that success, then yes go for it. If you are like me and want a copy for yourself, your family, friends, and maybe even a college resume, then my answer would also be yes, but do it cheaply because the whole process can get expensive. I think everyone has a story in them that is worth sharing and some are just called to write. It is a passion for them - a need perhaps. With all the options out there, I think self publishing is a perfectly great way to go - just know what you are getting in for and what you want. My (now 13) was always a reluctant writer, but now he actually enjoys writing and is currently working on his own book and yes, when he is finished I will also publish it through Create Space for him. Anything to get him writing. Our current novel, Mason Davis and the Rise of the Storm Makers, is currently available on Amazon, Create Space, and Barnes and Noble. And since marketing has been our biggest challenge, please feel free to spread the word! Happy Writing!

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    1. Congratulations. Your son most be so proud and the story does sound compelling. I will have to check it out. I love middle grade fiction. Wishing you the best.

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    2. Congratulations Karen. It sounds like this has been a very fulfilling project for you and your son. Wishing you the best x 2.

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    3. Thanks guys! My son and I really did have fun writing our mg together and our working on other projects now too.

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    4. Sounds like such a fun story, but I love the fact that you and your son wrote it together. Best of luck.

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  2. Too expensive. I have several friends who went that route and spent tens of thousands of dollars and their books still aren't selling.

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    1. Yes, I agree. It is very expensive and then places like Create Space don't even pay their author's until they have earned $100. Self publishing is just another way to make money for anyone other than the authors. Rip off!!!!!!

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  3. Self publishing can be a great thing, especially if you have a very specific market.

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  4. Cool book cover. I want that dress.

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  5. I have friends who chose to self publish and although they haven't made much money off their books, they have made a ton of money from speaking engagements related to their books.

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  6. I love self published books. One of my favorites was Invitations From Afar. It was a very long book, but also very engaging.

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  7. So glad to see that this hot topic brings out so many view points! It'll be really interesting when we start to see how things shake out. In the meantime, we just have to do our best to support those great self pub novels out there!

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