The Great Self-Publishing Lie

Most people relax and go to the beach when they're on a tropical island. Apparently, I just have deep thoughts, such as the state of the great indie / self-publishing movement. Are self-published authors also independent publishers going it alone, with every intention of continuing that way? Or, are we putting our books on Amazon, while awaiting the “real” deal?

Are self-published authors honest with ourselves about what we really mean by going indie?

Someone once asked in Kindleboards whether authors there thought of themselves as indies for life. I do. My books will never have mainstream / commercial mass appeal, because they're foremost about people and periods which I find interesting. In six years, I've worked with two agents. Yes, that's past tense. My last "break-up" wasn't the most amicable, in part because my agent felt I wasn't patient enough. As of last month, she still wishes I would just stop all this “self-publishing nonsense” - her words, not mine. Right now, I’m not looking for an agent or publisher. That's my plain and simple truth. What happens tomorrow is anyone’s guess.

Each time another “indie” signs with a traditional house, I wonder, what motivated the decision? No, it's not just about dollar signs. The two-million dollar check doesn't go out the day after the deal. Is it the potential for increased exposure? Some of the recent signings are for authors I’ve never heard of – hard to believe in our little microcosm of writers, isn’t it? Does the cachet that supposedly comes from traditional publishing affect the indie author’s choice? Maybe. Are there people for whom the publisher’s name, not the author’s own, still matters? Sure. Judging by some of the best-selling indies, some readers don’t care.

As an aside, in my 13-month stint as a self-published author, only a former member of a critique group has ever asked about my publisher. When I answered, I should have also mentioned I was Hitler and Satan's misbegotten hellspawn, for the look she gave me. Still cracks up when I remember it. Anyway, I'm more likely to get questions about the cover art on my books.

What does an indie's crossover to traditional mean for authors who choose to remain indie, or see a new future in self-publishing? Some have passed on deals most would kill for, but they seem to be writers in two categories: (1) indies who make a boatload of money on their own and don't need a publisher's "help" or (2) established, traditional writers with a backlist, who've figured out they can control their sales 100%. A no-brainer, but it doesn't mean we'll all have that choice. 

There's only one real reason for me to surrender my indie-for-life card: marketing. Did I mention I LOATHE marketing AND would rather endure a root-scaling at the dentist EVERY DAY for the rest of my life(!), than spend time marketing my own work? Ok, now I've told you. If a publisher took me on and would actually market my work (I’ve heard this still happens with newbies, sometimes), I’d sign the deal. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't. Maybe.

I’d love to hear your opinion. In particular, what does the “indie” label mean to you?

P.S: M. Louisa Locke, best-selling, self-published author of Maids of Misfortune posted a FANTASTIC article on her blog this month, which sums up the current state for indies better than I ever could.

Highs and lows in this writer's life - Lisa Yarde

Just twelve months ago, a decision to self-publish my first book became reality, when On Falcon’s Wings premiered on Amazon. Since then, it’s been a year fraught with highs and lows, family illnesses, and plans for the future made and unmade. I’d be lying if I pretended I haven't re-thought the decision to self-publish once or twenty-six times. Thing is, I never learned how to quit.

Here are some highlights in my year of publication (mingled with some of the bad stuff too). All figures are as of Monday, July 4.

Number of books I’ve self-published: (3)

Genres and formats: (2) historical fiction in ebook and paperback - novels, (1)contemporary women’s fiction – novella

Official dates of publication: On Falcon’s Wings (July 2010), Sultana (February 2011), Long Way Home (July 2011)

Number of Copies Sold: On Falcon’s Wings (68 – paperback, 611 – ebook), Sultana (18 - paperback, 223 - ebook), Long Way Home (3 – ebook only)

Revenue Earned: On Falcon’s Wings ($1,017.86), Sultana ($631.72), Long Way Home ($1.43)


Expenses (copyright, cover art, review copies, other promotion): On Falcon’s Wings ($562.06), Sultana ($378.85), Long Way Home ($0)

Net Profit: On Falcon’s Wings ($455.80), Sultana($252.87), Long Way Home ($1.43)

Best Sales Month: On Falcon’s Wings (March 2011 - 67), Sultana (June 2011 - 52)

Worst Sales Month: On Falcon’s Wings (July 2010 - 6), Sultana(February 2011 - 10)

Best Amazon Paid Sales Rank: On Falcon’s Wings (#7,993 - ebook), Sultana (#16,762 – ebook)

Worst Amazon Paid Sales Rank: On Falcon’s Wings (#1,994,394- paperback), Sultana (#2,404,935 -paperback)

The first sale happened: On Falcon’s Wings (Kindle - Amazon.com – 11 days after publication), Sultana (Kindle - Amazon.com – 4 days after publication), Long Way Home (Kindle - Amazon.com - 1 hour after publication)

Longest period without a sale: On Falcon’s Wings (14 days from August 4, 2010), Sultana (9 days from March 6, 2011)

Number of freebies: On Falcon’s Wings (21,505), Sultana (37)


The inclusion of freebies has skewed my sales data a lot. On Falcon's Wings was offered as a freebie June 6 - July 2 through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords and Sony. It resulted in 21,497 downloads, of which 21,292 came from Amazon alone. If I counted the freebies, in addition to increasing ebook numbers:


• My top Amazon sales ranking for On Falcon's Wings would have been #1. (I even have a screenshot that proves it!)


• Amazon also gives a pittance (I do mean a pittance) on freebies, so there is an additional $127.45 in earnings on the freebies that I don't account for in the revenue above.


For some inexplicable reason, Amazon has made On Falcon's Wings free again as of July 7. So, my data will continue to be skewed, but I appreciate the increased downloads and the additional 4 reviews that have come in.

First thing I bought with my earnings: Added money to my MetroCard. Deposit came just in time for me to go work the next morning.

Last thing I bought with my earnings: A $20 promotional spot for Sultana this month on Indie eBooks blog.

How I felt when I got my first bad review from a stranger: Like shit. Cried for a bit, cursed out the reviewer in my head. Although I thanked her for the review, I really just wanted to smash her face in with my paperback. I've aged since then into a thick-skinned, 35-year old woman, rather than remaining a 5-year old with a temper tantrum.

How I felt when I got my first great review from a stranger: Shocked, cried a little and thanked the reviewer in my head. Now, I ignore all reviews, good or bad, or try to. It's a work in progress.

Biggest mistake I have made, so far: Thinking that publishing was the hardest aspect. I now know marketing is the hardest aspect –it’s not for me, I suck at it. Doesn't matter how good your book is, if people don't know it exists. Yet, I keep trying, cause I'm just not built to quit.

Best advice I ever had: From Gemi Sasson, who reminded me that there are people with axes to grind about self-publishing. Entertaining them won't change their views or my intent. I’m paraphrasing, but she’s right.

The one thing I have yet to learn / accept about self-publishing: It's a marathon, not a sprint. My books will be around for as long as books are being sold online. The goals are to keep writing, making the next book better than its predecessor and keep on publishing.

Number of times I’ve regretted self-publishing and decided I would give up: (2) – the first, when I got my first bad review, and the second, when I promoted my first two books like crazy in May 2011, yet it turned out to be one of the slower months for sales. That's always the worst - working hard with little to show for it.

Why do I continue to self-publish: It’s hard being my own editor, marketer / promoter, but I can’t imagine not doing this. It’s brought me out of my shell, taught me to persevere, even when things get really tough. Fear held me back from self-publishing – what if I never sold a copy of my books, earned no reviews, spent a ton of money and never saw a dime of revenue? Now, I'm motivated to take it to the next level and the next – there’s always better and I’m striving for it in both my work and marketing efforts.

What advice would I give to a writer thinking of self-publishing: It’s tough and there's risk involved. Is your writing worth the risk? Failure doesn't happen when you fall flat. It happens when you choose not to get up. If you're willing to risk the fall, jump right in with a good story, a great team that includes editors and beta readers. Make sure you keep a support network handy. They'll be there to help you up when you fall and cheer on your successes. Don't measure your own success by what anyone else has done.



An Eventful Year - Peter Johnson

It’s been a year since my last post here, and much has (and hasn’t) happened.

My first novel, Grant’s Indian, published October 2009, continues to sell steadily. After about 30 agents passed on the book, I decided to publish using my own devices, which meant (1) creating an audiobook and getting a publisher for that (Audible www.audible.com agreed to do that), (2) arranging for print and Kindle editions (Amazon www.amazon.com, which owns Audible, did that), (3) getting a print distributor (IndieReader www.indiereaderselects.com is handling that) and (4) publicity.

I spent most of 2010 publicizing the book. One thing about Grant’s Indian that makes it appropriate for indie publishing is that it is based on an actual, if little-known, historical character – Ely Parker, a Seneca Indian on General Grant’s staff who was present (and wrote out the terms of surrender) at Appomattox in 1865.

The book was appropriate for indie publishing because it has a built-in audience of Civil War buffs, for whom it fills a gap in the historical record. One thing that keeps me bemused when I talk about the book is that, while I want to talk about historical fiction, the audience always asks about historical fact – Who was Parker? How did he get to Appomattox? What were his feelings about Indian affairs? Did he suffer prejudice? I also found out that Parker has descendants. One of his great-great-nephews, Alvin Parker, shared the podium with me at the New York Civil War Forum last September, which led to a neat article in the New York Times. (“A Seneca Indian Connects with his New York Roots,” September 19, 2010. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/wilson-indian-post-for-sunday/

My next novel, also set partly during the Civil War, is encountering a different set of challenges. The good news is that I got an actual, and very reputable, agent for the book – one of the last to pass on Grant’s Indian. The bad news is that, unlike Grant’s Indian, which I submitted to 30 agents with no takers, my agent has now submitted the new novel to 30 publishers . . . with no takers.

So I have to decide what to do next. I’m reluctant to publish independently, because the book doesn’t really have a built-in audience. Unlike Grant’s Indian, the new book’s central characters are entirely fictional – two young actors in 19^th-century America who pretty much grow up onstage together, get caught up in the 1849 Astor Place riot in New York, the Gold Rush, John Brown’s hanging, the Civil War, and who end up onstage at Ford’s Theater the night their friend and colleague John Booth assassinates President Lincoln.

So it’s a historical novel, a coming-of-age novel, a young love novel . . . all sorts of things, but it lacks a central historical truth. My inclination at this point is to wait a bit. The 150^th anniversary of the Civil War started this spring, and new interest is stirring in the War. In a couple of years the Lincoln assassination will again be in the air, and maybe the novel will find a publisher at that point. Meanwhile, I mull alternatives.

Peter's Website

Peter on Facebook

Grant's Indian

True to who I am - Michelle Gregory

The early Hassidic sage Rabbi Zusya once said, "When I reach the next world, God will not ask me, 'Why were you not Moses?' Instead, he will ask me, 'Why were you not Zusya?'"

I don't know about you, but I have to make a conscious effort to be myself and stay true to what I know I'm supposed to do. I'm the kind of person who looks around at what everyone else is doing, and though I know better, I start to think, "Maybe I should be doing it like so and so."

I get this way with homeschooling. I'm part of an online homeschooling group and even though we're all very gracious with each other and we're not even giving into the pressure to make homeschool look like public school with mounds of homework, etc., it's easy to compare myself to them and say, "wow, I should be doing more projects, going more places, doing more things, blah, blah, blah."

Then I remember that my kids are learning what they need to learn and the way we're doing school fits our lifestyle. My kids are happy and not so overly busy that we're stressed and going crazy. I like a simple lifestyle.

Lately I've found myself doing the comparison thing with blogging and writing and promoting. "I should have more posts about writing, more contests, more blog hops, and more interviews. I should be helping more writing friends promote their books with blog tours and side buttons and links. My blog should look more professional; have more about my book and links to all the places people can buy it. I should work on my story more often and not play with other stories so much. I should have more description, less tea, etc. I should have my book on Kindle and Smashwords and kobo and wherever. Maybe I should look for an agent. I should say more and do more..."

Makes me tired just writing it.

I've learned from counseling (and my husband reminds me every once in a while) that if you substitute the word (excuse me) sh** for should, when you say you should do something, it's like piling sh** on yourself. And isn't that exactly how we feel when we start saying "I should, I should"?

So it's time to be kind to myself, stop piling crap on myself, and let myself be who I am. I will put whatever I want on my blog. I will help other writers when I can. I will promote myself as much or as little as I'm comfortable with. I will let my mind play when it needs a break. I will continue to self-publish, and not pressure myself into doing it the way my indie author friends are doing it. I will write the story I want to write and not worry about the tea.

Maybe that's my cue to go have some tea, or a cup of hot cocoa.

Now, go have a beautiful day, free of "shoulds." have some tea. Be yourself.

Michelle's Website
Michelle Blog
Michelle on Facebook

Eldala

One year of self-publishing - N. Gemini Sasson

What a wild year this has been – full of ups and downs, tough challenges and unexpected rewards. When I leapt into indie publishing last year at about this time, it was after years of pursuing the traditional route with a reputable agent. I’d become jaded by the process and was more than ready to move on. My goals were simply to put my work in physical form, make it as professional-looking as I possibly could on a limited budget and maybe, maybe sell a few hundred. A thousand or two sales was a distant dream.

After releasing The Crown in the Heather in paperback, I quickly became aware that my best chance of reaching an audience was through e-books. So I loaded it onto Kindle, announced it on the Amazon forums and at Kindleboards and waited for people to snatch it off the virtual shelf.  Mostly, it collected dust.

Eventually, I released a second and then a third book onto Kindle (Isabeau and Worth Dying For). Sometimes I went days in between sales. The first day I reached double digits, I was ecstatic. Still, after several months I was barely averaging half a dozen a day. Resigned to the fact that I had given it a go, I went back to college to renew my teaching certificate. But a funny thing happened while I was scribbling notes in Anatomy class. Sales began to snowball: 10, then 20, then 50, and eventually 100 a day. 

Just eleven months after launching my first e-book, the tally ticked over to 10,000 Kindle books sold. In May of 2011, Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer, was awarded the IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Award) Silver Medal in the Historical Fiction category. Two of my three books have also regularly been in the Top 100 Kindle Bestsellers for Historical Fiction.

Someone asked me this past year how it felt to hold my book in my hands. Truth be told, to me it was just a manuscript in a fancy wrapper – the same thing I’d been seeing on my computer screen for years. But I really knew I was a writer when I got my first fan mail, asking when the next book would be out. That is the most awesome feeling in the world. It also terrifies me, because I know I have to put my best effort into each successive book and that continued success is never a given.

Ten years ago, these opportunities wouldn’t have existed. The biases against self-publishing are eroding as readers discover fresh, new voices and the lines between traditional and indie publishing blur. With an engaging story and solid writing, you can climb the rankings, but it also takes patience, luck and hard work.

I’ve since put plans of returning to work on hold while I work on finishing two more books. It’s a great time to be a writer!

Gemi's Website
Gemi's Blog
Gemi on Facebook
Gemi on Twitter

The Crown In The Heather (The Bruce Trilogy)
Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer
Worth Dying For (The Bruce Trilogy)

Happy Fourth & Happy Independents Week

Yes, I made that whole thing about Happy Indpendents Week up, but the Fourth of July is certainly true. Wishing a happy and safe holiday to everyone who's enjoying it so far.

Another great reason to celebrate this week will be another series of guest posts from some of the authors I interviewed at this time last year. Starting tomorrow, N. Gemini Sasson, Michelle Gregory, Peter Johnson and Kristina Emmons are back at the blog, talking about their experiences as writers. The posts they shared last year still generate a lot of hits on the blog. I'm excited to feature each of them on the blog again and share what they've been up to. I'll also be sharing a year of my publication efforts and the goals that lie ahead. The schedule is as follows:

N. Gemini Sasson (historical fiction) - Tuesday, July 5
Michelle Gregory (fantasy) - Wednesday, July 6
Peter Johnson (historical fiction) - Thursday, July 7
Kristina Emmons (historical fiction) - Friday, July 8
Me (historical fiction & contemporary novellas) - Saturday, Friday 9

I hope you'll join us.

Indie Authors Relief Fund

The harsh reality that Japan faces in the wake of the devastating quake and tsunami on March 11 made me wonder what I could do to help. Sure, I've given money to the Red Cross in the hopes that it will reach those who need it most, but I'd like to do more.

Author Kristie Cook has set up the Indie Authors Relief Fund and invites donations to raise money for those still suffering in Japan. Several indie authors, including me, have contributed items for auction. Bidders must provide an email address and the amount placed for bid in the comments. The auction is live now and ends this Sunday at 11:59pm EST.

How can you help? If you're a writer, please consider donating your books or other items, your time in offering a critique, or even a chance to name a character in one of your future books. If you're not a writer, please consider placing a bid. If you can't do any of those things, please help by spreading the word about this relief fund through your tweets, Facebook posts and emails.

The suffering in Japan won't be turned around overnight. It needs sustained contributions and assistance to rebuild the livelihood of Japan's citizens, many of whom are still without basic necessities, desperately searching for loved ones and fearing a nuclear crisis. If you can, please help.

New Voices

I love this community of writers. Writers are giving and nurturing. Over many years, I've met so many talented writers and new friendships have blossomed that enriched my life. It's also added sobering perspective on why it's so hard for new authors to break in, especially when there is so much talent out there.

Starting this month, during the last week of every month, the blog will feature New Voices, with debut authors across multiple genres and with varied interests. It will be a chance to promote new writers, and give back to the community of writers that has given me so much.

This month's New Voice will be Mirella Patzer, author of the Blighted Troth, which will be available next month.

If you're interested in a guest post on New Voices, contact me.

Looking Fear in the Face: Lisa Yarde

One of my favorite First Ladies once said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." For me, this Eleanor Roosevelt quote has never been truer than when I think of my experience with self-publishing. At first, I rejected it as an option because of doubt and fear of disappointment. I believed I could never do it nor do it right. Finally, I went into it with a great deal of trepidation and uncertainty. In the process, I’ve gained more than strength and courage. I’ve meet wonderful friends and readers who support me. For them, I am eternally grateful.

Now that On Falcon’s Wings is available, I wish I could say life has returned to its normal rhythm, like Gemi. If anything, it’s become more demanding and chaotic than ever. I’m blogging and promoting more than I ever anticipated. In doing so, I’ve overcome a huge hurdle: the natural tendency to shy away from talking about my goals and my passion for writing. Michelle, you're not alone - I’ve always found promoting myself very difficult to do. I know other challenges will come. Indie authors have it a little harder than our traditionally published friends do, in the additional responsibilities we take on but our goals are the same: to build a readership. Kristina’s post yesterday was very inspirational. I share her determination, but could do with a good dose of her patience. I’ve gone from worrying about whether sales would ever come, to wondering what readers will say now that they’ve started buying the book. As with Peter, I still hope to achieve the goal of traditional publication where my work can be more widely read. For now, this is my start and the experience can only benefit me in the future.

I’d like to thank my four fellow authors for their guest posts. Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina, I’m impressed by your ambition and dedication. I’ve learned a lot from each of you. I hope visitors to the blog have gained the same respect and knowledge.

If you’re an aspiring writer or considering DIY publishing, I hope you’ve also learned from our experiences and will use them to make the best choices for your writing career. The road may be long and difficult, but often things that are worth having don’t come easily. If you publish your work, learn to expect and accept criticism. Not everyone will be a fan. Maintain your old friendships and gain new ones to keep you sane and motivated, when the critics come running. As Eleanor Roosevelt also said, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway." Above all else, keep in mind why you started writing in the first place and you’ll never lose your love for it.

Wishing you every success. Lisa

http://www.lisayarde.com/
http://thebrooklynscribbler.blogspot.com/
http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.com/
http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @lisajyarde

Grace & Perseverance: Kristina Emmons

For me, self-publishing was about starting a career in my own terms and timing. I thought I might as well push that boat out into the water, and maybe along the way larger publishers will decide to hop on board; but if they don’t, that’s okay too. I love being at the helm of my own adventure, one that I hope will affect others positively. I feel I should also share that arriving at the point of deciding to publish also meant facing my fears. Writing, for me, is so personal and transparent. I had to believe in myself in order to make my work publilc, even if agents and publishers had turned me away.

After the daunting undertaking of publishing Roeing Oaks, I excitedly awaited sales to shoot up like summer weeds. I’d told all my friends and family about my book and announced it on Facebook, where I have a couple of hundred acquaintances. They would be my launching pad. I had no doubt many of them would rush to purchase a copy, and of course after they read it they would tell all their friends and they would all buy a copy too. It would be like a wonderful, contractible virus. Well, one can fantasize.

Outside of a few initial sales (thanks to Mom and a couple close friends) my sales figures stayed low for several weeks. I could not understand it. In my mind, if someone I knew wrote and published a book, I would be excited to buy it. I felt cast aside, but it wasn’t that they didn’t care. For some, it took a while to warm up to the idea of me as a certifiable author, and others just don’t like historical novels.

I got all kinds of responses from friends and family members, from, I’d love to read it but I don’t buy books, to I’m so happy for you, but no thanks, even, I can’t wait to borrow it from so and so. Most of the family expected a free, autographed copy of Roeing Oaks, and I ended up giving quite a few as Christmas presents. One of them lent her copy out to several friends and neighbors. People were reading it but not buying it.

I learned quickly not to be concerned so much with sales figures, but to be happy that my book was being read and appreciated, and I had to get comfortable with the fact in some instances promoting the book also meant giving it away.

After sales grew and responses started coming in, the general consensus about the book was overwhelmingly positive, and I was told over and again it was a page turner. My readers, people I knew or didn’t, became passionately attached to my characters. That was the biggest compliment. It made me feel like I did the right thing embarking on this journey; I’d written something worth reading.

One of first things I did to promote my work was to ask for reviews through book review blogs. Some don’t accept self-published material for review, but the Historical Novel Reviews did. This is how I met Lisa. She was responsible for my first review, and it was glowing! She even asked for an interview, which excited me immensely. I went on to get other reviews, and hopefully there will be more to come.

Another avenue was getting a few copies of Roeing Oaks into a popular local bookstore. That was less successful. With each week they were moved further back in the store where they were difficult to spot, even for me. Recent sales have been through word of mouth or the internet.

I am still looking for ways to promote my book, and the time to do it. It’s a job in itself. One well known publishing agent/blogger said he doesn’t know how on earth a self-published author can be responsible for publishing and promoting their work, all while juggling life and writing the next book. He suggests traditional publishing. Yeah, me too, but he denied my query (ahem, he among others). I continue on my journey because I believe in my work, and I think I can safely say my readers do too.

For more information about myself and my book, please visit http://roeingoaks.com/.  I can be found on Facebook and Twitter, and I also have two fledgling food blogs, http://seesugarrun.blogspot.com/ ,and

http://dutchovendiary.blogspot.com/, which aside from being a great creative outlet, I can use to cross-promote my writing.

Thank you, Lisa, for the opportunity to share some of my story! It’s been a privilege.

Thank you, Kristina

Motivated Multi-Tasker: Peter Johnson

My novel Grant's Indian appeared October 11, 2009 in three formats: audiobook, print-on-demand (POD) paperback and Kindle. The audiobook was published by audible (http://www.audible.com/), the download-only audiobook publisher, and the POD and Kindle versions by Amazon (which, happily, owns audible, so I have a nice 3-format listing on Amazon, with a link to audible: http://www.amazon.com/Grants-Indian-Peter-Johnson/dp/0981984207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256679344&sr=1-1).

The steps I've taken to promote the book are no different from what I would have done had it been traditionally published. In fact, I've got various "Advice to our Authors" guidelines from traditional publishers, which I've followed pretty closely. These include:

A website http://www.peterjohnsonbooks.com/

Facebook group and page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Grants-Indian-Peter-Johnson/137304910171

Twitter http://twitter.com/GrantsIndian

Pages on RedRoom, Shelfari, LibraryThing, WeRead, etc.

Joining various discussion groups on relevant topics, like Civil War, American Indians, Ulysses Grant, Historical Fiction, etc.

Sending review copies to likely publications, both offline and on (including http://www.historicalnovelreview.com/, whose kind reviewer Gemi Sasson introduced me to you and is joining me on this gang-blog).

Personal and media appearances. I joined http://www.booktour.com/, but haven't yet used it. Being in New York City gives me a huge advantage, because there are so many forums that crave authors: private clubs, book clubs, cultural organizations, city agencies, etc. Whenever I appear at one venue I usually get an invitation to another.

Personal e-mail list of about 500, culled from my various careers as an actor, lawyer and teacher. About once a month I e-blast the group with a review, appearance, blurb or something and ask them to pass it on. They do.

Bookmarks, which turn out to be a great publicity-tool-cum-business-card.

I've talked with authors who have traditional publishers, and they mostly tell me that, aside from a few initial bookstore readings, their publishers don't do much publicity. The only difference, really, is the wider distribution, both of books and of information, that a traditional publisher can offer. Also, it is hard for self-published authors to get reviewed in significant publications. (Although my audiobook is traditionally published, not many outfits review audiobooks. AudioFile Magazine is one, and they've got a copy.) I was delighted to read, shortly after publication of Grant's Indian, a neat New Yorker parody of a publisher's "Advice to Authors" ("Subject: Our Marketing Plan," by Ellis Weiner, Oct. 19, 2009) which I've been told is uncomfortably close to the truth. It includes nuggets like:

"If you already have a blog, make sure you spray-feed your URL in niblets open-face to the skein. We like Reddit bites (they’re better than Delicious), because they max out the wiki snarls of RSS feeds, which means less jamming at the Google scaffold. Then just Digg your uploads in a viral spiral to your social networks via an FB/MS interlink torrent. You may have gotten the blast e-mail from Jason Zepp, your acquiring editor, saying that people who do this sort of thing will go to Hell, but just ignore it."

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/10/19/091019sh_shouts_weiner#ixzz0taM6rFaj

Reactions from readers have been positive. My favorites are "customer reviews" on Amazon and audible from people I don't know. (Like everyone else, I've solicited reviews from family, friends and colleagues, who have obliged.) When someone contacts me through my website with a positive comment, I ask them to post it, and they often do.

Since I've worked freelance most of my life (actor, lawyer), I don't find the demands of publicizing the book very arduous, although I'd rather be writing something new. Except for teaching a Communications Law course at New York Law School in the fall semester, my schedule is my own. I've got another historical novel being circulated by a very reputable agency, so I hope soon to be able to compare the demands of publishing traditionally versus POD. One thing that's great, however, is, after years spent alone writing a novel, to have people actually asking me about it! I'm surprised how much I enjoy that.

Thank you, Peter.

An Indie Rebel: Michelle Gregory

When Lisa asked me to blog about the aftermath of self-publishing, I couldn’t help but think of the events I usually associate with the word aftermath: Earthquakes. Tornadoes. Hurricanes.

Oddly enough, the aftermath of self-publishing has been a bit like each of these. It’s shaken me up, swept away my orderly life, and brought a flood of new opportunities. I’ve had to deal with readers, criticism, promotion, and my own self-confidence. Beyond all that, I’ve learned a lot about the publishing world and myself.

Since I like random lists, I thought I’d be random here. In no particular order, here are the things I’ve learned because I wrote and self-published a novel:

*I’m a rebel in a rule follower’s body. I’ve always followed the rules, but I enjoy bucking the publishing system and I love being part of the self-publishing/indie author movement. I’m going to be that rock in the stream of publishing, even if it’s just to remind people that if you only write for yourself, it’s enough.

*Despite the fact that being in charge also means I’m the typesetter and proofreader and editor, I enjoy the control I have over my content and cover art too much to ever try to sell my stories to an editor or publishing house.

*I’ll never get rich from self-publishing, but since that was never my intent, I’m happy to get what little I can. I gave away at least half of the 100 or so copies out there anyway.

*Although I’ve set up an author website, started a blog for my novel, and talked about my novel every chance I get on my blog, almost all my sales come because someone personally told someone else about my book.

*I’m horrible at telling people about my book. My kids and friends do a better job. Frankly, my mom does a better job. I don’t like drawing attention to myself, and I don’t like the thought of rejection if someone decides (after my impassioned description) to not buy it. (When I had a chance to try to sell it at a recent writers’ retreat, I couldn’t make myself do it. Thank goodness, my writing buddy bought 4 copies for gifts or I would have gone home with all 14 copies.)

*Online marketing is much easier. I feel like I don’t face as much rejection that way. I could do a lot more of it, but I’d rather just write.

*According to people who’ve read Eldala, I know how to tell a good story. It still surprises me when readers say they can’t put it down. Some readers have even said that the characters inspired them to be courageous. Those kinds of comments keep me writing when I want to quit.

*I love to talk about writing.

*I love to encourage others to write.

*If it didn’t mean taking time away from writing, I wish I had the money to help struggling mom and teen writers get their stuff out there.

*I love to write novellas for myself and whatever I write is almost always fantasy.

*I love the first draft and hate to edit.

*I’ve never had problems being a self-starter, but I almost always have trouble finishing. Now that I finished something as huge as writing a novel, I know I can apply that to other projects in life.

*I’m still horrible about managing my time as a mom, homemaker, homeschooler, and writer.

*When I don’t write, I’m miserable.

Eldala on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Eldala-Michelle-Gregory/dp/0615148182/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279150209&sr=8-1

Eldala on Lulu (e-books): http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/eldala/1674912?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Website for Eldala: http://www.eldala.blogspot.com/

My website: http://www.michelledgregory.com/

My blog: http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/


Thank you, Michelle.

In Her Own Words: N. Gemini Sasson

Lisa graciously asked me to blog about my experience as an indie author with my first book, The Crown in the Heather, the Bruce Trilogy: Book I, and I’m more than happy to share here. I truly believe in paying forward and I hope that by sharing what I’ve been through so far, it will help others consider whether or not this is the right path for them.

In regards to promotion, I believe maintaining an online presence is the most powerful factor that an indie author can utilize. At the urging of some of my fellow critique group members, I’d started a blog, My Dog At My Manuscript (http://ngeminisasson.blogspot.com/) well over a year ago. Initially I mostly wrote posts on the writing process, but there are so many good blogs out there on that already that I didn’t see the need to reinvent the wheel. So, I figured that while I couldn’t claim to be an expert in any certain field, I could serve as a filter for information: on the publishing industry in general and on self-publishing in particular. As my readership builds, I plan to slowly shift toward a focus on the history of the eras I write about. I also write reviews for The Historical Novel Review blog (http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.com/) which helps keep me current with what’s being published. The part I love about that is discovering new voices. I also participate in various forums, like Historical Fiction Online, as well as dip in on the publishing and writer chatter on Twitter.

Promoting your book isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. If your writing is engaging and the story worth reading, word will gradually get out and spread from person to person. At the same time, you can’t hide in a corner and just hope that sales will magically rocket skyward. You have to be willing to seek out honest reviewers and take the lumps along with the praise. I’ve sent off a few review copies, but I also plan to contact Scottish societies and retailers and let them know about my Robert the Bruce trilogy. Target your niche market, but also hang out where your genre readers congregate – just try not to be overly pushy about your books! You want to be social, not obnoxious.

Another thing I did was to set my web site up well in advance: http://www.ngeminisasson.com/. The advantage to doing this before your book comes out is that it’s one less thing to worry about as you deal with all the book-launch craziness. Another plan is to create a book trailer – although I want to make sure I have other things out of the way first, because I could waste days playing with Windows Movie Maker.

The most surprising thing for me has been to have readers finish The Crown in the Heather, say how much they enjoyed it and immediately ask when the next book will be available. That’s a shot of adrenalin. For so long, as a writer of historical fiction who often spends years going from research to finished product, you’re ‘writing into a void’, as I say. It’s strange to finally get that story into readers’ hands and have them clamor for more. Once it sinks in, you realize that being a writer isn’t about who publishes you or how much money you make, it’s about reaching readers and, for a few hours, taking them away to another world. That gets me excited about getting back to writing and getting the next book into print.

Of course friends and my fellow critique partners have been enormously enthusiastic, but more than anything, I’ve been amazed at the support offered by many traditionally published authors. A lot of them seem to have respect for any writer who has the guts to launch a book on their own – and it’s astounding to discover how many of them started out the same way. You do run into a few naysayers here and there, but I believe most of them are either well-intentioned and just don’t want to see someone they care about fail to hit it big, or they tend to be faultfinders by nature who could never dream of taking such a risk themselves. I just deal with that sort by acknowledging that my journey is mine, not theirs – and I say you can’t get anywhere in life if you’re standing still.

Writers these days have to do more than just write. Many of us would love to be recluses like J.D. Salinger, but if you want to be widely read and make a career out of writing, you have to find ways to let folks know about your stories – and that does take time away from writing and family. As an indie author, you also have to see to additional fine details, like formatting the interior layout, coordinating with a graphic artist for cover design, and listing your title in all the appropriate places. After the initial crunch, it does even out and life begins to return to normal – although I’m not sure what ‘normal’ is, because my life goes in about a dozen directions every single day. Now, only a month after the publication date of The Crown in the Heather, I can happily report that life has returned to a more normal rhythm. One benefit to being an indie author is that you set your own schedules and deadlines – and you can adjust them on a whim.

If I had one bit of advice to share, it’s to not try to do everything all at once. Don’t make yourself crazy. Plan, forge forward, learn from mistakes, but make room for real life. And always, always remember why you began writing in the first place – so you could share a story with readers, transport them to another place and time, and communicate about the human experience. No matter what road you take to publication, that is truly what it’s all about.

Thank you, Gemi.

New: Crown In The Heather - Book Trailer
 
Book: Kindle:

In Their Own Words: The Indie Authors (July 19-23)

Indie Publishing: Lessons Learned

Unlike this photograph, knowledge doesn't spring from trees. In my opinion, the best knowledge comes from experience, and in particular, the things we often do wrong, rather than what we do right. I asked Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina to sum up their experiences, and the one thing they would have each done differently when pursuing self-publishing.

Gemi: "I’d have to say write all the steps out in advance and time it better. I had read a lot about the process beforehand and then went step by step, but it all did eventually fall into place. One thing you’ll realize as an indie author is that for awhile you have to set aside writing as you learn the ropes. It can seem overwhelming at times, because with control comes responsibility, but it’s really not worth freaking out over. As it is, I’m still so fresh to the world of self-publishing that I don’t have enough perspective yet to answer that. Probably, a year from now, I’ll suddenly get it and go, “Oh yeah, I should’ve…”

Michelle: I would have had a book signing party, but I was shy about asking people to buy it, and instead, I referred them to Amazon. Later, I started ordering 10 copies at a time, at cost, and sold them little by little. It would have been more cost efficient to order 100 at a time. I’ve sold or given away at least that many since it first became available.

Peter: I would have preferred the book to be published by a traditional publisher, but that’s not really something I could have done differently (I sure tried). Nothing else I can think of.

Wouldn't we all have loved to be published traditionally? Thanks, Peter.

Kristina: "If I’d had the money to spend I would have used a professional editor. Instead I had the manuscript read through by a few competent non-professional editors. I also would not have offered three versions (two paperback versions in different sizes and a hardcover), but that happened because of a mistake I’d made in the first place with sizing. The worse regret is not using a certain friend for the cover design, who later told me she would have done it for free!"

Hmm, what would I have done differently? That's easy. The one thing would have been buying my own ISBN. Remember when I mentioned that CreateSpace's setup included a free ISBN number, and that On Falcon's Wings is exclusively available on Amazon? There's a not-so-good aspect of that: for all intents and purposes, not only is CreateSpace the publisher of record, but my book is only available through Amazon and its subsidiaries. Yeah, they are the online, bookselling giant, but trust me. Do what Kristina said in her initial thoughts on DIY and what I'm suggesting now: if you do decide to go the non-traditional route, buy your own ISBN.

Thanks again to Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina for discussing some of the issues facing indie authors, and I wish each of you great success in your writing careers. I also want to thank all the readers who stopped by today and left comments. I hope you found these posts informative and helpful.

Learn more about each of our indie authors featured today, when they'll be back with guest posts at The Brooklyn Scribbler, July 19 - 23.

Indie Publishing: Let's Talk Sales

For the indie author, once your book is printed, another hurdle remains: how to sell it.

But before we get into those details, I just had to talk about one of a book's great selling points - the cover. The cover of a book is like that inviting stranger across the room - you're drawn in, or curious. You like what you see on the outside and you wonder whether it's worth it to find out more. The cover is important; most book buyers won't immediately be able to judge whether you're a brilliant storyteller without sampling the writing, but they do make assumptions based on the quality of your cover.

For indie authors, great writing and a terrific cover are only part of the consideration in how to sell the book.  The pressure is on, if only to recoup what we've spent. How have Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina made their beautiful books available among the millions of available titles?  

Gemi: "Since my book is print-on-demand through Lightning Source, this is all taken care of via Ingram. The majority of my sales are carried out online through the various Amazon outfits and Barnes and Noble. I do have a small supply of books for signed copies that I can mail directly, but for the rest I don’t ever have to physically handle a book that I’ve sold. The biggest difficulty I’ve encountered is that various components (like the cover image, the product description and Amazon’s Search-Inside feature) go up in bits and you do have to keep track of where and how to follow up on them. Aaron Shepard’s POD for Profit was particularly helpful in that regard. I’ve recently uploaded The Crown in the Heather to Kindle and will also make it available in other e-book formats."

Michelle: "I used Lulu’s distribution package (ISBN, entries in Bowers Books, listing the book on Amazon, etc.). In order to get a copy in our local library, I had to donate a copy and it’s in the local authors section, but I don’t know how visible it is."

Peter: "Available through Amazon, audible.com and IndieReader. I signed up for the Amazon service that distributes to bookstores, but I don’t think it works very well. It also took Amazon some time to integrate the paperback and audiobook listing, but that’s solved."

Kristina: "My book is currently only for sale through Lulu.com. I have a direct link on my website, RoeingOaks.com; otherwise a search has to be done on Lulu using my name and/or title. I have had difficulties with other distribution channels. If I were to use another channel it would be Amazon.com for the sake of getting my name out there, but it’s much more profitable per book to sell it through Lulu.

I did have a few books placed in a local bookstore, but by the time my eight week contract was up, they’d been moved to the very back shelf where even I couldn’t find them!"

As for me, On Falcon's Wings is now available exclusively through Amazon; the Kindle version began selling on June 25 and the paperback will be ready shortly.  I've made links or the book available on my blog and website. The Kindle publishing was a logical step - digital books are the future. Last night, I was bemoaning this with Michelle via email. I see electronic publishing as a wonderful and inevitable tool, but I will miss the printed word when it becomes passé. There's something about opening a brand-new book; the crisp feel of those pages in your hands. It's one of many pleasures for me whenever I read. I wanted the same feeling with my own paperback.

Self-publishing has been an exciting journey for me and my fellow indie authors, but also a learning experience. We gained valuable experiences as much by what we each did right, as the things that we did wrong. Later today, Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina will blog about their most meaningful lesson - Indie Publishing: Lessons Learned

In the meantime, share your comments on book buying - where do you obtain most of your books; online or in brick-and-mortar stores? Are your books mainly in digital or paper formats? How do you feel about digital publishing?

Indie Publishing: What About the Costs?

I hesitated for quite a while before I decided to self-publish. It wasn't just because of the otherwise obvious fears - "I'll never be thought of as a serious author, just a wanna-be";"No one will ever like my writing enough to buy it, just because I'm promoting it";"What do I know about marketing and promotion anyway?" I'm happy to say the response to my efforts has proved me wrong on all these worries (Thank Jesus!)

So, why the delay? THE MONEY! And, because I didn't want to end up like this guy:

Worries plagued me daily. "I can't afford that! I'm not paying to be published! Shouldn't a publisher pay me for my work?" It made me wonder, what were the true costs of self-publishing, not just in fees, but in the author's time and energy. I knew many other independent authors must feel the same concerns. Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina are back to openly share the costs of self-publishing their recent works.

Gemi did a great blog post recently on the topic of Lightning Source's costs. Here, she talks strictly about the money involved:
o Setup fees - $75 + $12 annual catalog listing
o ISBN - $25 (per title, but purchased a block of 10 @ $250)
o Copyright registration – None yet
o Professional editing - None
o Cover design - $220 total (included my imprint logo)
o Proof - $30
o Review copies - $119 (for 20 copies, some given as gifts to beta readers, others review copies)
o Business cards, book marks, press releases and other promotional materials - $0
o Other publicity, including hiring a publicist - $0

Michelle paid:
o Setup fees – N/A
o ISBN $ 50? x 2 (for a paperback and a hard cover printing)
o Copyright registration N/A
o Professional editing - $250
o Cover design - approximately $160, for two cover spreads
o Proof - $13.95 x 3 paperbacks and $23 x 2 hard covers
o Review copies- N/A, but I did buy a hard cover to have put in the Library of Congress so I could have an LOC number in it.
o Business cards, book marks, press releases and other promotional materials – I’ve printed my own business cards using Avery Business cards that I picked up at Staples, so that cost is minimal. -- $13.95 x 7 copies – 4 for book giveaways on blogs and 3 for independent book publisher contests.
o Other publicity, including hiring a publicist - N/A

Peter also shared his costs:
o Setup fees $325 for website design, $100/year for web hosting. $200 for domain name registrations.
o ISBN $130 for 3 ISBN numbers (paperback, audio CD, audio download).
o Copyright registration $130 for 3 registrations (paperback, audio CD, audio download).
o Professional editing $600 for page layout design. No content or copy editing.
o Cover design $630.
o Proof $15.
o Review copies $7 each.
o Business cards, book marks, press releases and other promotional materials Bookmarks $100 (for 500, including design).
o Other publicity, including hiring a publicist Besides my own website, nothing that cost any money. Facebook, twitter, e-mails, RedRoom, Shelfari, LibraryThing, GoodReads, etc.

As did Kristina:
o Setup fees N/A
o ISBN $450.00, one ISBN for each of three versions of the book
o Copyright registration $25.00
o Professional editing N/A
o Cover design: About $700, paid in traded services
o Proof N/A
o Review copies $10.00
o Business cards, book marks, press releases and other promotional materials $150.00 to date
o Other publicity, including hiring a publicist $50.00 to date

And me?
o Setup fees - $39; the CreateSpace Pro Plan for expanded distribution of the book
o ISBN – Free with CreateSpace. More on that later.
o Copyright registration – $35
o Professional editing - None
o Cover design - $420 total
o Proof - $23; two copies
o Review copies – Not yet, but they're coming at the costs of $4.93 per book and associated shipping costs starting at $4.85
o Business cards, book marks, press releases and other promotional materials – Not yet
o Other publicity, including hiring a publicist – I’m not there. Would love to be someday, but for right now, I'm actually with Peter: this is where Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari, Goodreads, my website and this blog come in.

Different approaches, different costs, but the inevitable cost to an indie author that can't be measured is time and effort. In the traditional publishing model, the publisher always controls the setup, including copyright registration, ISBN, etc. and sometimes (notice: sometimes), the editing and marketing. For an indie author, guess who handles each one of those considerations? Sure, you can go it alone and do it all yourself, if you have the creative know-how. Yet it's a tireless, daunting task.

Still, there is one consideration that unites all authors, whether indie or traditional: Now, you have to sell the book. Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina will each share their unique perspectives on this issue. Later today - Indie Publishing: Let's Talk Sales.

Let us know your thoughts: would you pay to be published? If so, what do you consider a reasonable fee?

Indie Publishing: How Five Self-Starters Did It

rsFour indie authors, whose work I've grown to admire, have shared their perspectives with me on self-publishing. It's a great pleasure to have N. Gemini Sasson, Michelle Gregory, Peter Johnson and Kristina Emmons join me on the blog, to talk about do-it-yourself publishing, and the DIY services they used.

N. Gemini Sasson, who writes historical fiction, is the author of The Crown in the Heather, The Bruce Trilogy: Book I, published on June 1, 2010. I've known Gemi for a few years now through online critique groups, and from the start, I knew she was an amazingly gifted, naturally talented writer.

Gemi: "I went with Lightning Source, which allowed me access to Ingram’s distribution channels and online worldwide sales through Amazon. The set-up cost per title is slightly higher than if using CreateSpace, but if enough copies are sold, then using Lightning Source actually yields a higher profit per book sold. My biggest investment was in purchasing a block of ten ISBNs for $250, but I knew I was very likely going to release more than one title, and each in multiple formats. It can seem a little intimidating as an independent author to work through Lightning Source at first, but whenever I had a question they were always very courteous and professional."

Michelle Gregory, a fantasy writer, is the author of Eldala, which was published in 2007. Michelle's a prolific blogger, whose warmth and sense of humor always comes across in her posts.

Michelle: "I used Lulu.com. At first, it was because my husband suggested Lulu, thinking I might want to have one copy printed just to show I’d written a novel. But as I told more and more people I was writing, they all showed interest, and then I realized I would need to go with a good POD company. I did a lot of research about PODs and ended up with Lulu because I decided it would be the best fit, based on the ability to pick and choose their services. Also, their prices for the ISBNs and their commission from sales seemed reasonable."


Peter Johnson, who also writes historical fiction, is the author of Grant’s Indian, which was published in 2009 in paperback, on audiobook and for Kindle. When Gemi interviewed Peter earlier in the spring for the Historical Novel Reviews blog, she raved about his writing.

Peter: "I used CreateSpace because it is Amazon’s DIY service. Amazon owns audible.com, the publisher of the audiobook version of the novel. I wanted an integrated Amazon page that would link the print and audio versions. I suppose I could have done this using a different DIY service, but using CreateSpace seemed most practical. For the audiobook, I considered DIY, but that would have involved podcasting or some other technology I’m not happy with. As it happened, once I narrated the recording and had it professionally mastered, audible.com accepted it for publication as part of their own list, so the audiobook isn’t really an example of DIY publishing (just DIY recording)."

Kristina Emmons, is the author of Roeing Oaks, also historical fiction, which was published in 2009. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing her book, and after eagerly sharing my praise, we struck up a friendship.

Kristina: "I used Lulu.com. I was looking at using a traditional publisher but found that Lulu was a better fit because I wouldn’t need a lot of money upfront or have to worry about what to do with boxes and boxes of inventory. Lulu is print on demand; there is no minimum order, so you can print one copy if you like, or hundreds. I especially like that I can go to my account to find a spreadsheet that tracks the number of books I’ve sold and how much profit I’ve made. Lulu charges a printing cost per book, which goes down with larger orders, and from there it’s up to me to set the price per book. They do take a percentage off the top of each sale as well, but in the end I am still able to make a fair profit per book.

I like that my customers can order directly from Lulu.com. This means I don’t have to go through a separate web channel to sell my material, which would cost me extra money. Lulu also has an e-book feature and a customizable product page where you can list your products. Lulu also offers services like professional cover design, professional editing, and marketing packages. I ordered promotional materials but I wasn’t happy with them.

There are helpful tutorials on the site for formatting and uploading your files. You can upload a refreshed file at any time if, for instance, you’ve had to make spelling corrections to your work, and that has been so helpful. The downside to Lulu is that shipping costs will be high on small orders.

One thing to be aware of is your ISBN number. You can independently file for your own ISBN so that you are the listed publisher, or you can use an ISBN issued by Lulu, which makes Lulu the publisher. It is more expensive to go about it independently, and Lulu will help you use alternative channels to sell your work if you use a Lulu ISBN, but remember that if you are ever offered a contract in the future by a large publishing entity, being your own publisher means that you are free to do what you want with your work without any legal hassles getting in the way. You have all the rights to it. I’m not sure if Lulu still offers this option, but I chose to independently file."

Well, I guess that just leaves me. Like Peter, I choose CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon to publish my historical, On Falcon's Wings in paperback, and Amazon DTP (Digital Text Platform) for the Kindle version, both available in the summer of 2010.

After nearly two months of comparing Lulu, Lightning Source, and CreateSpace, I decided on the latter for a variety of reasons. Amazon's status as the predominant, online bookseller and the development of its Kindle technology immediately made its CreateSpace subsidiary a suitable option. I knew I didn't want to publish only an e-book or just a Kindle version. I wanted to hold a paperback copy of my book in my hands, and Amazon allowed me to offer both. I pestered talked to Gemi in great detail about the process for her and bugged asked Kristina for advice. The ability to retain my rights, the length and terms of a DIY contract and the turn-around time were some of the most important factors in my decision-making, but one other huge consideration was the associated cost. That's the next topic the indie authors tackle - Indie Publishing: What About the Costs?

Thank you, Gemi, Michelle, Peter and Kristina for sharing your thoughts on DIY. Each of them brings varied approaches and reasoning to the process that I hope blog readers will find helpful. If you're considering DIY, please research all your options, and the benefits and disadvantages of the varying routes to publication before making a decision. This is a commitment to your future as a writer. Isn't it worth the same thought and dedication as your writing?

Please share your thoughts and comments on today's post. In particular, are you a self-published writer or considering non-traditional publishing routes? Also, as a reader, what is your perception of self-published books?