Self-Publishing

I'm very happy with what I do, but it isn't for everyone. I self-publish. The good of it is very good and the bad of it is very bad, there seems to be little middle ground - and it is different for everyone. But it is the right choice for me.

There is so much to learn that I won't go into detail here. There are books, websites, and blogs on the subject. It helps to have a firm understanding of the publishing industry, from first draft of an ms to agents to editors to marketing, including remainders and pulped books.

Yes, that's right, perfectly good books are returned from retailers and pulped. This usually occurs with the larger publishers - at least they're recycled. So the next time you lend a book or buy one for a nickel at a boot sale, rather than support the industry with a real purchase, feel guilty - my soapbox because the writer doesn't get a royalty when books aren't sold new.

Anyway... I start writing my ms with my software set to book format. There is no need for me to write in ms format then convert it. There are standards to the format. I've already mentioned that the copyright page is on the left side and I use Tahoma (a non-serf font). The margins are specific because the pages alternate to add for gluing the spine - I think I add 0.025 inch to my interior margin. I call that the ditch or gutter - look up the terminology

I go through and do the rewrites and self-edits. I have a list of words I notoriously overuse and clean up that mess. Some of my beta readers act like content editors. I don't think they even realize it. I read it aloud and fix those problems. After that, hire a proof reader.

I have software to design my cover and a list of names of cover artists to tap for those planned projects that the art is beyond my skill level. There are things to know like bleed and how to calculate the spine width. The ISBN is purchased from Bowker in the US. Lots to learn about them, including the country code for pricing and the scan bar particulars including where to place it on the cover.

Somewhere along the line there is research into printers. I use one here in Phoenix. I'm sure he has rolled his eyes a time or two because of me. This is a real print shop, big presses that do different jobs from business cards to church bulletins. I dream of having their fancy stationary one day, though I really don't need it.

A whole blog could be dedicated to paper. There is the weight and color, and the shiny coating on the cover stock. I use white paper, people notice and people mention it to me all the time. The fact is, it is easier for me to read on white paper with black ink. Most use cream colored paper and dark gray ink. I can read it, but it is work and I tire sooner.

There is the print run to calculate. There is a print shop in San Diego that a friend likes because they will do relatively short print runs - I think he said, 500 books at a time with the off-set press. My printer has installed a new digital press, which I like. It allows me to run small print runs to meet my demand economically and without hundreds of boxes of books in my garage.

Then there is distribution, use LSI or not, Baker and Taylor or not? Amazon or not? Sell on my own website or not? Set up a shopping cart - paypal or not?

Every decision falls to me. Just like I hire a real proof reader (certified), I hire a real web designer. My first one was an awful company to work with, and costly. For the last five years I've worked with Joyce at DesignByJoyce.com. Bottom line, she cannot retire before I do.

There are all kinds of marketing decisions. This is my least favorite part of this whole process. There are companies who sell marketing and PR services. The good ones work really well for non-fiction books. Fiction is a hard sell, ask anyone. Then the decisions on whether or not to write a blog, do media releases, go to book fairs, get book reviews, worry about SEO (which I don't worry about with Joyce), speaking engagements, niche markets, mailings... and none of it works 100% of the time.

I have a friend in marketing who helps because I could never afford her company. I have a friend in book marketing who is more pushy than I like sometimes. There is the social media question, which to use, how much time to devote to it, and the back alley whispering that most of it doesn't really sell fiction. Think about it, has reading First Draft made you buy my books?

I even put the first chapter of the next book in the back of the previous book. There are tons of strategies because readers can't be grouped by any common factor besides liking to read, so they are hard to target for fiction, unless by genre.

The copyright needs to get registered. I've dropped the Library of Congress stuff even though it is free because it isn't likely that my books will be in Libraries. One staff at the Glendale Library said at a seminar, if they get the book donated, they give it to the friends of the library to sell, so they can buy real books.

Businesses need to be set up or at least discussed with the tax guy, retail licenses paid for, sales tax to be filed (and paid)...

There is more to the process that this. The whole process would be mind boggling without my friend Joy Collins across town. We meet for lunch and email like crazy on nearly anything to do with publishing. We even do a few joint projects together, though on some issues, like paper color, we do different things.

For me, marketing is the part I absolutely hate. Creating the book the way I want it done is the good part.

Google printing terminology, here's one list. http://www.printusa.com/glos.htm

If you want an agent, following agent blogs is a wise idea. Here is one to get you started: http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/

Joy Collins is at http://www.joycollins.com/

A reminder, Sunday is the last day to enter the short story contest.

Self-Publishing

Most people use the term "self-publishing" rather loosely. What they mean is usually a company that is paid a fee -- the lowest one I know of the fee chargers is $499 USD -- and they put the book into print using some form of Print On Demand technology (POD). That set-up fee does not include anything more than putting the ms into an auto formatting software and creating a cover for the book, plus placement on their website. World distribution is most often simply uploading the book onto one or more third party online vendors.

If you look around there are several free companies. They recoup the free part in the price of the book to the author. Of course, it is the usual situation of what you put in is what you get out. It doesn't fix things for you. You book is printed exactly like what you put into the software.

Whether a set-up fee is paid or not, the success of the book is totally up to the author to drive sales. There are a million and one (roughly) companies that sell authors (glassy-eyed authors) packages for marketing and goodness knows what else. Their pitch says all the things everyone wants to hear and can empty the writer's pocket quickly -- but I've written about this several times, and I'm not the only one who has.

What self-publishing means in the strict interpretation of the term is that the author causes their book to be published. They either do the work themselves or hire it done. What work would that be? Goodness, where to begin. Basically, self means self. It includes everything from editing to binding choices, paper weight, formatting, cover art design...and EVERYthing in between, including paying fees to be listed online. This is total financial responsibility for the books, so the best shot is to learn everything needed and spend the money to get it right the first time. The author better believe in their book because the investment won't be recoup'd overnight.

Frankly not every ms is destined for the big NY publishers. This is a business industry and just because the writer's spouse, mom/mum, or Aunt Edna loves the ms doesn't mean it will be published and a best seller.

The good thing about so many ways to get published from the largest imprints to the smallest of presses is that a savvy author can best target the publication route that fits the ms' potential audience. While I do like the folk art quality of some self-initiated books, I also like a book that is commercially driven, if the writing is sound in both cases.

I found the following in the comments on Galley Cat's blog. I added the bold to the text.

"...The reason self-publishing won't kill traditional publishing is that most authors can't edit their own stuff and/or aren't willing to hire someone competent to do it for them. A lot of readers are willing to put up with bad grammar and awful spelling on social networks, but how many are going to want to read whole books that way? Anyway, it's not just a question of grammar and punctuation: editors help with plot development and characterization too..." Paula_B

Excerpt came from the comments here: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/publishing/will_there_be_book_publishers_in_10_years_140865.asp#

BTW, Galley Cat has always been a good blog to follow.

Totally Indie

Continued from yesterday.

I worked on Storm Surge, which is its new title. The working title had to be abandoned. Changing the title was one of the hardest things I've done so far. Several of my cherished readers and I bounced around idea after idea. Nothing fit. Finally we came upon Storm Surge and the story lent itself to rewrites. When I look back at early drafts of this book, I realize how far off the plan it went ... in a good way.

During the last nine years I have read every book, internet site, and industry news item I could find about this business. I joined a couple writing forums and ended up being a moderator on one of them.

When the black hole occurred, I took the bull by the horns and decided to self-publish totally on my own. I must have coined the phrase "Totally Indie" because it doesn't seem to be out there anywhere. Four years ago, I switched from the high brow Scottsdale web company to Joyce who was and is, the perfect web designer. I already had my LLC (limited liability company) for 4 years.

I bought software to design my own book covers. Registered with the state and city as a retailer. Joyce redesigned my website. I bought a lot of 10 ISBNs and opened shop. My books came off of amazon during the black hole and were out of print. I didn't have time to waste to get all three books out or the people who had waited for Storm Surge would have killed me - they said so.

I have a real printer. They don't take a cut of my books, I pay them to print and they give me books. I use WordPerfect to do the interior of my books. It is far superior to using Word, IMO, because it does not anticipate (wrongly) but can do amazing things. It used to be the choice of most American lawyers - that's how I started using it.

I'm not hiding that I'm self-published. I've used my name as the publisher, so it is totally clear. As the saying goes, "The Buck Stops Here!" (Translation: Buck means American dollar.)

'Black hole' reference from yesterday. More tomorrow.