| Writing is mostly a solitary pursuit. And although | | | | - the warehousemen and fulfillment workers who |
| it's best to avoid generalizations, writers by and | | | | store, stack and ship your book to distributors, |
| large do tend to be people who are fine spending | | | | wholesalers and end users; and |
| time by themselves. | | | | - the bookkeepers and accountants who keep |
| This worked well when the publishing model | | | | track of all the sales, returns, promotional copies |
| involved finishing your book and then sending it | | | | and review copies. Spinning in Circles, Wondering |
| off to publishers to try to acquire a publishing | | | | Which Way is Up |
| contract, at which point your publisher would | | | | It's no wonder that self-publishers are exhausted. |
| spring into action to do all those things they do to | | | | How will you learn all the skills, techniques, and |
| make your book a reality. | | | | contacts of all these people who have spent their |
| It's Not That Simple Any More, Is It? | | | | professional lives learning each aspect of how to |
| Even for novelists this "write, and then sit back | | | | publish books? |
| until the book tour" way of doing things isn't really | | | | Don't Let This Happen To You |
| working any longer. As a self-publisher, you have | | | | Don't allow yourself to fall victim to a very |
| fired the publishing house. You create a company | | | | destructive idea that can take root soon after |
| and now you are the publisher. | | | | you decide to self-publish: Self-publishing doesn't |
| Soon, however, you begin to discover the awful | | | | mean you have to do everything yourself. It only |
| truth. When you fired the publisher, you also fired: | | | | means that you are the publisher. And just as |
| - the editor who was going to help shape your | | | | Alfred A. Knopf himself would not have typeset |
| manuscript into a compelling read, suitable for its | | | | the books his publishing house produced, perhaps |
| genre; | | | | you shouldn't either. |
| - the interior designer who would turn your files | | | | The solution is to approach your new business as... |
| into a book that looks professional and | | | | a business! Mostly, you should confine yourself to |
| communicates your ideas effortlessly; | | | | writing and marketing your book. Leave the rest |
| - the cover designer who creates a highly polished | | | | to skilled practitioners who are only too happy to |
| sales identity and mini-billboard to help your book | | | | help. |
| stand out from the thousands around it; | | | | Yes, it will cost more money. Look at this money |
| - the copy editor and proofreader who ensure | | | | as an investment in the product you are creating. |
| your book is consistent, conforms to standard | | | | Determine to go into the marketplace with the |
| usage, and contains no factual or typographical | | | | best book you can afford to create. Create the |
| errors; | | | | book that you originally dreamed of. |
| - the marketing department that positions your | | | | After producing dozens of books for authors who |
| book within its niche and may have even helped | | | | decided to publish a book over the years, I can't |
| with the title; | | | | tell you how much happier, and more satisfied, |
| - the sales force, ready to spread across the | | | | you will be down the road. And isn't that why you |
| country to introduce your book to buyers at | | | | decided to create this book in the first place? |
| every level of the retail chain; | | | | |