Should a writer self-publish?

by George Angus @ Tumblemoose

As a writer, I am needy by definition and need ego gratification to help keep me motivated. If you’re a writer, that probably applies to you as well. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about freelance writing, copy writing, web content authoring or your novel. You want to see your hard work in print.

I am also a subscriber to Writer’s Digest. I was perusing the latest issue when I began to take notice of the amount of advertisements of self-publishing companies. The October 2008 issue has no less than 18 ads for these services. That tells me that this is big business in the writing world.

You’re So Vain…

In the past, self publishing was partly done through what was known as a “vanity press”. (It was important that if you were a real writer, you looked down your nose and said this with a certain amount of disdain.) Self publishing was seen as something that no serious novelist would ever consider. Using a vanity press was just for that very reason – vanity.

It’s a very different world today. Technology has made it easier than ever for an author to get their work printed and bound at prices that are significantly less than they were a decade or so ago. Many authors have turned to this method to get their works out into the world. Some are very happy with their decision, others – not so much. If you think self publishing is a way to bypass the gruelling and sometimes frustrating work that is required to publish via the normal channels, then you should be prepared to be very disappointed.

No Short Cuts

Self publishing your work will result in a tangible product in your hands. A book. With your name on it. How cool is that? I agree it is extremely gratifying to hold that book and to see all of your labor in printed form. But that is just the beginning. Now the real work begins. Now, you’re not an author, you’re a salesperson. Prepare yourself for many, many hours of marketing. You’re going to be pitching to bookstores and distributors until you are blue in the face. Just be ready for it, ok?

Pros and Cons

Here’s the positives about self publishing:

• Your book. In print. A proud day indeed.
• If you do it correctly, you may do well.
• If you do it correctly, you may open doors.
• If your book has a small market, ie: a family history book, self publishing may be your only option for seeing the book in print.
• Your holiday shopping for the year is essentially done.

Ok, the not-so-positive things:

• You will have to take some valuable writing time off and become a marketer.
• You will have to prove to everyone that yours is a quality, salable book.
• Depending on how you self publish, you may have little control over distribution.
• Finding a distributor is sometimes as difficult as finding a traditional publisher.
• You must be prepared to deal with the stigma associated with self publishing your work.

If you’re going to do it

Once you have made the decision to self publish there are two critical points to keep in mind:

1. Do your research! Decide which type of self publishing you’d like to do and narrow your choices to two or three companies. Find out all that you can about cost, distribution (if any) and the fine print of the publishing contract.
2. Don’t you dare submit anything until you have retained the services of a professional editor and proofreader. Do not go it alone. Your manuscript has mistakes! Take the time and expense to hire the help necessary to make your book the very best it can be. This will all be returned to you ten-fold by making the marketing and distribution of your work a lot easier. If all of these things are done correctly, the quality of your book in terms of appearance, professionalism and layout will be as good or better than anything the big houses will put out for you.

The decision to self publish is not an easy one. Take the time to do your research and to ask yourself an important question: Why am I doing this? if the answer boils down to just being impatient, then maybe you should think again.