How to Become a Self-Publisher – Step-by-Step Explained
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Dear Reader:
This weeks blog posts will be dedicated to one subject only: REAL Self-Publishing.
Keeping all your
rights, being your own publisher, play by your own rules… During the last weeks you found quite a
few articles here on this blog, related to “Author Beware!” What could happen if you contract with so
-called “publishers”.
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Now I will show you HOW you can become a publisher yourself, without contracting, and how you
can publish on your own terms. And it is not theoretical: I began as a publisher of books and an
aviation magazine almost 30 years ago (print) and still do it (print and digital). I also have seen many authors giving the rights to their fabulous work away for a pittance and now are trapped their whole life in very unfavorable contracts.
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Why should you be your own publisher?
Consulting and coaching authors, I can see every day how difficult it is for authors when they don’t own full rights to their books, even their own book marketing efforts are limited and they have to rely on the mercy of their “publishers” where their books are sold, how long their book is listed, to which price it is listed etc. I know an author who is waiting for more than two years that her books are converted into e-books by her publisher.
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Being your own publisher
it costs less than you think to publish
you “shop around”, check quotes and decide your service providers
you earn 100% of your net income, don’t have to split it with anyone else
your book will be faster on the market, compared to traditional publishing
you retain all rights, worldwide and forever for your books
you can sell your book as long as you want – not as someone else dictates
everything in the publishing process can be easily learned
you will have to do your own marketing – no matter if you self-publish or go the traditional route
author-publishing is about taking personal responsibility for the management and production of your writing content
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Listen to the interview with Hugh Howey, author of “WOOL” where he explains the benefits of being an author-publisher of his (digital rights) e-books: “No compete clause, having more time to write and you can take your time until your books take off.”
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James Altucher, another bestseller author wrote in an article about self-publishing:
“I have published eight books in the past seven years, five with traditional publishers (Wiley, Penguin, HarperCollins), one comic book, and the last two I have self-published. In this post I give the specific details of all of my sales numbers and advances with the traditional publishers. Although the jury is still out on my self-published books, “How to be the Luckiest Man Alive” and “I Was Blind But Now I See” I can tell you, these two have already sold more than my five books with traditional publishers, combined.”
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James Altucher lists the con-site of going the traditional route:
Advances are going to zero
Marketing by trade publishers is almost zero
Grueling long process until the book comes out
No control over content and design
… and most amazing: “Often bookstores will look at what’s hot on Amazon and then order the books wholesale from the publishers” - which could be you!
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Do as most authors did before the 1920′s: they published their own books – before clever business men discovered this as a lucrative way of income. And told writers in the past “no self-respecting writer would self-publish. It’s for losers who couldn’t get their work published by a publishing house.” Why? To get the book rights and make the money – on the expense of authors.
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It seems self-publishers approach the publishing process more and more confidently, are well-informed, and aware of how much publishing will cost and how long it is likely to take. Finalizing a project you have long planned feels good, and it never was easier to be your own publisher!
This morning the British Guardian had an article, geared to traditional publishers, who are flocking to the London Book Fair, about the cultural significance what’s going on in the publishing world.
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Read in the next blog posts:
How to plan your publishing “business”
Where to find all the necessary information – with lots of links
Editing, cover design and book layout
Printing and the distribution of your printed book
Marketing, communication with readers and book promotions
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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book heavily promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only a “token” of $1 / day for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/seminar
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Hyper Smash
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Tagged: bestseller author, cultural significance of publishing, Guardian, Hugh Howey, James Altucher, London Book Fair, Wool
