A Smart Look at Self Publishing

There are so few articles about self publishing that I ever link to because they are usually so unrealistic and don't pay attention to the realities of the marketplace and the issues that I believe matter - like investing in the look of the book inside and out, hiring a real editor, not hiring bogus PR and marketing firms that promise insane things for pennies... but this article is smart and savvy and is a must read for any one thinking about going the SP route- which I still don't recommend for fiction - only for niche market non fiction where you can find your audience easily enough. 25 Things You Need To Know by David Carnoy.

Comments

[billdyszel]

David knows what he's talking about. I've worked for him at several different publications.

To bring some cheer, I just posted The Freelance National Anthem, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCXZgcSs954 which I created for the 60th Anniversary of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Hope it gives everyone a chuckle. -Bill Dyszel

[Alex]

Great article, having a PR Budget is key and most important, if no one knows the book is out there, then no one can get it, all that time you put into crafting the product is for not.

[Jeff]

You're absolutely right in that self-publishing is best for niche focused non-fiction.

From the inquiries we get from self-published authors, there seem to be two camps:

1) the person who views self-publishing as a hobby, insists on spending very little money, and dreams of having a bestseller.

2) the person who has put in the effort to write and REVISE their manuscript, hired a copyeditor, has already started creating a focused Web site in their non-fiction niche, willing to invest in professional book design, put forth the effort and costs associated with marketing and PR, and learned about Lightning Source for POD or researched local printers for short runs off-set print jobs.

Obviously, the second route isn't cheap and takes a lot of effort. But writing, publishing, and marketing books require a lot of effort.

[Bernard J Rossi]

I would agree also having looked into that path once and put mt toe in the water. For a fiction writer it is not the way to go if you want success but it does give you a chance to experience the industry and test your marketing skills. I learned a lot from exercise but I now prefer to go down the traditional path, although I am now testing eBooks out of interest.

No matter which path you choose you are in for a lot of work and the need for patience is high.

Bernard J Rossi
Author & Poet
www.bernardjrossi.com
www.eloquentbooks.com/Room22.html