how to self-publish

Quick Link: Why I Self-Publish My Literary Fiction

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Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Author Jane Davis decided to switch to self-publishing because it gave her more freedom, and control over her own manuscript.  Over at Reedsy, you can find the reasons behind her choice. 

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Why I Self-Publish My Literary Fiction

You Can Do It Sign Shows Encouragement And InspirationJuly 7, 2016

Self-published books are still largely associated with genre novels, while authors tend to turn to traditional publishers for literary fiction. We were curious to hear from someone who has been challenging labels and going against industry wisdom to carve her own niche in the publishing world. Indie author Jane Davis used to be bullied into changing her work just to fit into an easily marketable category. She decided to take matters into her own hands and self-publish her daring, award-winning fiction. 

Eimear McBride used the platform provided by her various competition wins to urge publishers to back challenging fiction. McBride had spent 9 years submitting the manuscript for A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing before it was taken up by Galley Press, a small publisher which puts story before profit. For many writers, 9 years would be too long.

Traditional Publishing houses ‘play it safe’

So much of what we read from traditional publishing houses feels safe or sanitised. In 2014 I collaborated with hybrid author Joni Rodgers on a multi-author box-set. She shared my frustrations: ‘As a voracious reader, I was overwhelmed with the over-editing and lack of creative risk that had come over so much of the fiction I was being fed by the marketing machine.’

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

Quick Links: What Should You Pay for When You Self-Publish a Novel?

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Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

So you have decided to self-publish, but are wondering what services are necessary, which ones can be avoided, and most importantly how much is this going to cost?  Ali at Ali’s Adventures has some great advice for you.

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What Should You Pay for When You Self-Publish a Novel?

by Ali

Even paying out fake money hurts....
Even paying out fake money hurts….

One reader asked me to write about, “Self-publishing, whether to use editors, cover designers etc and how much is a reasonable amount to pay them.”

This is a big and important question, and one I wanted to tackle on the blog. (I normally run reader questions in the weekly newsletter – if you’re not already receiving that, and the various bonuses that go with it, get on board here.)

Here’s the quick answer to the question – one that virtually everyone writing about self-publishing will agree with:

If you’re going to self-publish, you should definitely use an editor.
If you’re going to self-publish, you should definitely use a cover designer.
Let’s dig a little deeper into that, though.

Your Plans and Hopes for Your Novel

Before you make any decision about what to pay, it’s important to think about what you want to achieve with your novel.

There are dozens of different reasons to write and publish a novel, such as:

  • Having a book in your hands with your name on the cover.
  • Being able to give your book to friends and family.
  • Receiving the validation of “being published”. (If this is your main motivation/goal, then you might want to aim for traditional publication, with a publishing house.)
  • Having your book on the shelves in major bookstore chains. (Again, you might want to aim for traditional publication here.)
  • Getting your work in front of readers.
  • Making money from your novel.

If you’d be happy to simply print a dozen copies of your novel to give to friends and family, then paying for editing or cover design is probably overkill.

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

Quick Links: How To Prepare for Self-Publishing – Editing

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Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

This is part of a series on self-publishing by over at Digital Book World, so bookmark for future reference . One of the best things a self-publishing author can do is to make sure they have a quality product for consumers. What would be your biggest tip for self-publishers?

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How to Prepare for Self-Publishing: Editing

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Work In Progress Sign Held By Construction WorkerThis is part one of a six-part series.

As a self-published author, it’s your responsibility to make sure your book is as high-quality as it can be, and an editor is an indispensable resource who can help make your book look professional instead of amateurish.

Getting off to a Good Start

Ask your peers—other writers—for their opinions. Join local writing groups. Meet writers online and ask them to have a look at one or two chapters for you. Don’t be shy about getting feedback from your fellow writers.

Every writer is focused on her own work, so make sure you give something back to the community by returning the favor for others.

Now is a good time to write a synopsis. This is a skill in itself, so practice is key. A synopsis is different from a blurb; it should be about one A4 page long, contain all the major plot points and describe what happens in your book. Don’t worry about spoilers! This is a great way to identify weaknesses or plot holes. Read it out loud. Does it ramble or sound boring? Do things seem to happen for no reason? Maybe you just need to tweak the synopsis, or maybe you need to go back to the book and make some changes.

When you feel happy with your book, that’s the right time to look for an editor. But wait! Do you know what you’re asking them to do, and does that match up with what you need?

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

Writing: Front and Back Matter for your Self-Published Book

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This post by Jessica Bell originally appeared on the ALLi blog on 5/27/15.

Book promotion expert Ben Cameron always says “writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words you’ll ever write”, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter – another task that usually falls just when you’re feeling least like writing another word, after completing your book’s final edit. Coming to the rescue today is ALLi partner member Jessica Bell, also an author and book designer, with this handy summary.

The front and back matter in a book are one of the key factors to presenting a professional and quality product. If done haphazardly, it’s a sure sign in most people’s eyes that the book content will not be up to par. So please do take these things as seriously as your story.

First I’ll explain what to include, and how to order it in a paperback. Then I will tell you how to reorder the content for your ebook.

FRONT MATTER

Front matter can be subjective as it varies from book to book, but I’m going to advise you based on what I would do. The order isn’t set in stone, but it’s what I think looks the best in a paperback.

 

Read the full post on the ALLi blog.

 

Teenager’s 10 Steps To Become Successfully Self-Published

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This editorial by Aaron Ozee originally appeared on Publishing Perspectives on 2/19/15.

Aaron Ozee, a prolific 18-year-old self-published poet, offers his sometimes unorthodox methodology for becoming a bestselling author.

When a writer gets the initial idea that their work is valuable enough to see the light of day and deserves public attention, that is when everything gets seriously tricky. Traditional publishing is a very attractive yet competitive method of releasing a book into the marketplace, especially since there are a limited number of manuscripts actually accepted annually by publishing houses. Most manuscripts that are submitted for review are tossed away into the black abyss of a cold file cabinet with no assurance that they will ever crawl to the surface again.

Feeling sad yet? You should be.

Though it is almost impossible to get anywhere by reserving your publication for a high-priced review and potential consideration by a literary agent, it does not mean the end of all things written. Self-publishing, the best alternative to traditional publishing, is the way to go, specifically because it is inexpensive, and in some cases, completely free and can easily be controlled by the author as the process begins to unfold. Now, self-publishing may be a fantasy to aspiring writers, but it can usually be confusing to those who have never had experience in taking that route to the top.

I published my first book when I was only 15 years old and in the following 4 years published another 8, became a bestselling author at the age of 17, translated my works into 6 foreign languages, made my publications available for purchase in 100 different countries and territories worldwide, and became perhaps the youngest bestselling American poet.

 

Read the full editorial on Publishing Perspectives.

 

Ten Reasons Why The Gatekeepers Of Self-Publishing Have Become… You

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This post by Cate Baum originally appeared on Self-Publishing Review on 9/30/14.

One of the biggest driving forces behind authors who self-publish has been the declaration that writing has become stifled by “the gatekeepers of the publishing world.” Many writers now go straight to self-publishing. Be self-published? Sounds great! Let’s do it! We can all help each other, right? Right? Guys?

The online self-publishing clique has become incredibly judgemental of its own kind. These didacts are scaring the heck out of those wanting a nice gentle, creative, inclusive experience. Simply, self-published authors have become dictators of their own industry. Here’s why.

1. Online Herdism
Thou shalt not pay for any kind of professional promotion. Thou shalt not pay for book formatting. Thou shalt only use your peers with no knowledge of editing a book to – um, edit your book. If you pay for services, you are dumb. Yeah! Just look at the herd go off on paid book reviews without even understanding the different types of paid review or how to use them! Come on, people. Any book needs promotion. After all, you just spent years of your life writing the damn thing. Give it a life. Building a professional book and marketing it with assistance is nothing to be ashamed about, and this truly has to stop being a “thing.” Forum comments start with “I COMPETELY AGREE WITH YOU!!!!” Or “I HATE paid reviews!” or “NONSENSE!!!!” (I noticed it’s always capital letters, many punctuation marks and absolutes, just to be THE MOST AGREEING PERSON!!!!) I always look up the naysayers’ books on these forums, and 9/10 have sold no books whatsoever. But they are “being true to the spirit of indie publishing.” Pffff…

 

2. Everyone Is A Self-Publishing Expert – And Get It All Wrong

 

Click here to read the full post on Self-Publishing Review.

 

Ten Key Things You Need To Know About The Self-Publishing Industry

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This post by blurb staff originally appeared on the blurb blog on 9/2/14.

Before you take the leap, look over the ledge. The more you know about how self-publishing a book really works, the better off you’ll be in the long run. Here are ten truths that may not be exactly self-evident, but will help you make better decisions, spend less money, and create the book you’ve been dreaming about.

 

1. Self-publishing is simple.

It’s making a book for yourself. No more, no less. You won’t have to pitch your book to a publishing house that likely isn’t interested, you won’t have to hire an agent to represent you, and you won’t have to bargain for royalties and advances. It’s just you, your talent, and publishing and marketing tools provided by a platform or service.

 

2. Self-publishing is complicated.

That’s all very true, but you’ll still find yourself facing a world of decisions. From relatively simple ones to book size and cover type to huge ones like which self-publishing platform to go with, you’re on the hook for every aspect of the journey. And, unfortunately, there aren’t many short cuts. While the challenge can be fun, be aware that you’ll need to become an expert (or at least aware of) a whole new world. Royalties, typesetting conventions, ISBNs, distribution, marketing trends—–you’ll need to learn a lot if you want to succeed. Luckily, there are a lot of guides out there to help you on the way.

 

Click here to read the full post on the blurb blog.

 

Penguin's Author Solutions Still A Poor Self-Publishing Choice

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This post by Orna Ross originally appeared on the ALLi blog on 5/9/14.

Yes, it’s that time of  year again, when the Watchdog desk here at ALLi Towers (otherwise known as Jim Giammatteo and Mick Rooney) scan the self-publishing scene and analyse the good, the bad and the definitely-to-be-avoided.

Authors still have to make their self-publishing choices in an unregulated environment where the same service can cost $500 against $15,000, for pretty much the same thing, depending on where you shop; where services that are absolutely useless are sold at inflated prices; and where one large operation with many imprints dominates the information stream, including Google Ads/search.

Prior to launching our guide to services at Book Expo America at the end of May, we wanted to alert you to that company, the world’s largest self-publishing service, Author Solutions (ASI), acquired by Penguin-Random House in 2012, and trading under a number of brand names including Trafford, XLibris and iUniverse.

The Watchdog Warning issued last year about this company is still in place.

Our hope that Penguin would clean up ASI’s practices, notorious in self-publishing circles for over-promising and under-delivering has not, as yet, materialised — and ASI imprints score a very poor rating in our guide again this year.

 

Click here to read the full post on the ALLi blog.