DIY publishing
Cindy on April 20th, 2009
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances.” — Bruce Barton, American Congressman
It’s no secret that the print and publishing industries are in turmoil and transition. In this climate, it’s nearly impossible to get a major publisher to look at your manuscript — unless you happen to be Joe the Plumber or Nadya Suleman (aka Octomom).
“As a writer, I find this worse than depressing,” wrote columnist George Cantor, addressing this issue in the Feb. 12 edition of The Detroit Jewish News. “My agent tells me it is getting harder to sell a book of any kind unless it involves a celebrity or someone who has already written a best seller.” Which might explain why so many serious and talented writers are considering self-publishing as a viable option.
Is there a novel, a poetry collection, or a memoir in your desk drawer? As print-on-demand publishers are quick to point out now, many literary giants, including Virginia Woolf, were self-published authors. If you’re willing to work hard to get your own stuff out there, self-publishing might be for you, too.
But don’t even consider it without doing some serious homework. There are several resources available, including Deana Riddle’s 2009 Writer Watchdog Self-publishing Directory, which includes an article I wrote about my own adventures in self-publishing. Riddle’s directory features more than 200 useful resources for self-publishers, in addition to some solid advice from industry professionals. And I highly recommend a visit to Dan Poynter’s Web site, where you’ll find a list of his outstanding directories and some tips for getting started. See you in print! –Cindy La Ferle
April 20th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Regardless of the times, people still like to escape into books. It’s nice that the writing industry does have options, with smaller presses and self-publishing opening doors. It all comes down to our motivation and choices to get our work out there.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:56 am
Hi Cindy, Excellent Post, Thank you
I have always been a very avid reader, however as of late I find myself more interested in reading blogs and things on the net as opposed books.
Interesting times we are encountering, things are changing before our eyes. Finding the hidden treasure is now wrapped differently,
April 21st, 2009 at 8:13 am
Eric,
— I do worry that the Internet has contributed greatly to the demise of the “old-fashioned” printed book. Maybe it’s because I’m in my 50s, but I’d still rather curl up on the couch with a book or a real newspaper, or sit outside in a lawn chair with a great memoir or novel in hand….
I hear this a lot from others in your generation. As much as I enjoy blogs too — and hope people keep reading mine
April 21st, 2009 at 9:59 am
You know, this might not be true for everyone, but the minute I started my blog, I felt published!
April 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Cindy Harrison, who wrote the comment above, is author of a wonderful self-published book on the writing craft called “Your Words, Your Story,” which I often recommend to my workshop students.
For more information, visit her Web site here:
http://www.cynthiaharrison.com/
–Cindy La Ferle
April 21st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Great tips. I’ve been lamenting this for a while. It’s a sad state where Joe the Plummer types get more book deals than seasoned professionals. It goes right along with the trend of the so-called news and information we are getting from bloggers and “citizen journalists.”
April 21st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Cindy,
Thank you for this column. As I gear up to self-publish a collection of my essays these resources will be a great help.
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:15 am
Thanks for mentioning my book, Cindy. The self-publishing thing was such work! Glad I didn’t know it before I started or I would not have done it. I used one of the books you
mentioned in your blog–Dan Poynter’s. You linked to his
website, but I used his “Guide to Self Publishing” like a bible.
Now that I did it, I’m happy to have had the experience and to have an actual book I can hold in my hand and say it’s mine. But it was not easy. I made up a press for myself, started a small business, got the
banking and taxes, and so forth. What headaches.
Even the printing aspects were sometimes a struggle. Library of Congress, ISBNs and bar
codes. I had NO energy left for marketing, so I’m glad I have a built in market where I work.
I sold a ton at the library event I did in March and donated the money to the library–you inspired me there, with your donations from your
book sales and all the work you do for your local library. I did two nights and I won’t do it again any time soon. It was fun, but just too much to do added to my teaching schedule. For the library, I put a special price on the book (also I believe one of your suggestions!) and just told myself that would be my tithe for the book sales. And it
worked out really well.
I got a copy run of 500 and sold about half the first
year. This year I’ve probably already sold another 100. So the closet has more room for clothes;-) I figure when I run out of books, it will be time to retire.
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Thanks, Cindy, and everyone else, for contributing to this thread. What interesting times we live in! I’m glad we writers do have a viable self-publishing option available, even with the difficulties.
April 24th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Hmmmm…. I’ll have to check. Not really but it certainly gave me something to think about and lots of great tips. I love reading books -anyone who can write one is someone to look up to for me!