| Today there are many options available to | | | | publishing it for at least 18months because it |
| writers. The traditional publishers face challenges | | | | clashed with something they had already got on |
| from self-published books, e-publishing and the | | | | their list for the coming year. Second problem, |
| web. You need to decide what is best for you, | | | | you have no control, particularly if this is your first |
| and your work. Once you have written | | | | book. They can, and often will, change the title, |
| something, you usually want other people to read | | | | ask you to rewrite for a specific market, and put |
| it, whether that is just friends and family or a | | | | a cover on the book that you can't stand. Also, in |
| wider market. Finding the right place for your | | | | the current economic climate publishers are |
| work means doing some initial research. These | | | | publishing fewer books and usually want them tied |
| notes apply to all writers, both fiction and | | | | to a celebrity, a tv program or an absolutely |
| non-fiction and if you want to self-publish these | | | | ground-breaking idea. |
| are the key questions to ask yourself: | | | | The rise and rise of self-publishing What exactly is |
| Why do I want to do this? | | | | self-publishing? It is very simply any piece of work |
| Is it for the money, to promote my business, to | | | | that you produce yourself or take to a printer or |
| improve my credibility or public profile or to share | | | | on-demand company and it can take several |
| information? | | | | forms: a real book you get to hold in your hand, |
| Do I already have a ready market? | | | | an e-book that is downloaded, or a 'virtual' book |
| Is there a current mailing list, network established, | | | | that is printed one copy at a time and sent off |
| website sales or a client group or niche market | | | | from the printer and you don't see it at all. Right |
| that you have targeted? | | | | now, a record number of people are thinking |
| How much work am I willing to do? | | | | about, or actually doing self-publishing in some |
| There is a total input versus cost ratio and the | | | | form or another. Their reasons can vary: but the |
| less you want to do, the more it will cost you. | | | | traditional publishing route proves too frustrating |
| Self-publishing involves many different stages and | | | | for many. Generally you want to write something |
| the more you do yourself the more | | | | because you are passionate about it, your idea |
| cost-effective it will be. | | | | makes you full of fire and energy about it, and |
| What form do I want my book to be? | | | | you generally don't want to hang about waiting on |
| An adobe downloadable file, posted to a website, | | | | someone else to bring it into the world, and |
| a printed book that you will distribute and if so | | | | sometimes in a form you don't recognize! |
| how many copies do you want printing? One at a | | | | Traditionally self-publishing has had a bad |
| time or do you want to hold stock? | | | | reputation, usually known as 'vanity publishing' it |
| Once you have asked and answered those | | | | was seen as the only way to get a book printed |
| questions, then it's time to look at what your | | | | that a publisher wouldn't touch. Your friends and |
| options really are, and let's look at what the | | | | family may have thought it was terrific but no |
| preferred option for most people is. | | | | one else wanted to take a risk on it. This is |
| Mainstream Publishing - why not? | | | | because, despite what you may think, publishers |
| I know this is about self-publishing, but it's helpful | | | | are not in the literary or educational business, |
| to know what you are saying no to. This is | | | | they are in the profit business. Vanity publishing |
| absolutely the easiest route. You write the | | | | meant you handing over a lot of money for a |
| synopsis, the publisher give you an advance to | | | | few books just so you could show you had done |
| write the book , you complete it, hand it over and | | | | it. They usually made very expensive Christmas |
| sit back and wait for the finished book to appear. | | | | presents, but now a lot of that has changed, |
| Then you have all the pleasure of seeing it in the | | | | thanks largely to technology, but it doesn't mean |
| bookshop, if you are lucky and your publisher has | | | | that it is all plain sailing. With self-publishing you can |
| excellent sales reps and a great publicity | | | | be offered a variety of deals and although there |
| department. That's the good part. The bad part is | | | | are reputable companies, listed under resources at |
| it usually takes at least 9 months from | | | | the end, there are some real sharks. It is up to |
| acceptance and contract to finished book, and | | | | you to do your research and read your contracts |
| often longer, depending on how long it takes you. | | | | very, very carefully! |
| One client of mine had a great book idea that a | | | | The rules of self publishing are very simple, so I |
| publisher was very keen on, but they wouldn't be | | | | will walk you through them in the next article. |