So You’ve Decided to Self-Publish…

 

I can’t swear this is exactly how it happened, but this is how it felt. – Joey Potter

In the last days of 2012, I did two things that even though I didn’t know it at the time, would make my 2013 amazing: I started writing again, and I did Susannah Conway’s Unraveling the Year Ahead Workbook. I didn’t do it for 2014, but I think I will next year, because my 2013 felt a lot more grounded and possible because of the workbook. I pulled my Workbook out near the end of 2013 — almost exactly a year later — and some of what I found made me go “whoa.”

I titled 2012 “The Year I Found Myself
My word for 2013 was “Possibilities.” (My word for 2014 is “balance.”)
I wanted to learn how to write “fearlessly.”
My secret wish for 2013 was to “get a book deal.”

In the meantime, I had: started a new job, flown across the country all by myself to meet someone who would become my world, come out to my family, ended some friendships, begun new ones, and strengthened old ones. Looking back, writing “fearlessly” didn’t feel just then like the challenge it once had. And my dream? Wasn’t to get a book deal anymore. It was to self-publish my first book.

When did I change? Where was that one moment when I just suddenly KNEW self-publishing was right for me? I can’t say. I know it didn’t really feel REAL, not finishing the first draft of my book, maybe not until I saw the cover and revealed it to the world. Even now, sometimes when I log in to track my sales, none of it feels real. I’m an author. “I wrote a fucking book!” (As I told my critique partner upon finishing my first draft.) I spent a lot of my young life being told I couldn’t do the things I dreamed of doing, so for me, this is the ultimate dream come true.

Obviously I can’t offer *any* advice on traditional publishing. At some point, this journey did start feeling real, and I’ve never regretted my decision. But there are some things I wish I had known going in. As ready as I thought I was, in some ways, I wasn’t. So this is my attempt to put some of that information out there.

 

Don’t give up. Not when you doubt your WIP has anything to offer. Not when you get to the “burn it with fire” stage. Not when you finish the first draft and have no idea how you’re ever going to revise it. Don’t EVER give up. You are the first person who has to believe in yourself.

 

Be completely sure of your path. If you are self-publishing and hoping to get picked up by a traditional publisher, you are doing this for the wrong reasons. If you’re querying agents when you’d really like to have total control over when/how you publish, you’re not  being genuine to yourself/your writing. If you’re publishing before you’re ready, you’re doing it wrong and you’re doing yourself and your book a disservice. If you’re writing a certain genre or category because you believe you’ll get rich quick, you are definitely doing this for the wrong reasons. Lightning rarely strikes — it’s not a safe bet. Before you EVER take the first step, you need to know if you want to self-publish, or if you want to try to traditionally publish. Before I ever seriously said “I’m going to publish AS YOU TURN AWAY” I knew I was self-publishing.

 

This should go without saying, but write stories you LOVE. You’re going to read this book over and over again — out loud for family, as you revise, once it’s published. Please PLEASE write a book you believe in, write a book you LOVE.

 

Don’t half-ass it. If you’re self-publishing, give your all. You’ll need beta readers — good people who can objectively read your book and tell you honestly what works and what doesn’t. You’ll need to be able to edit, which is more than running a quick grammar and spell check. You will probably need an editor, unless you are that amazing soul who writes totally clean drafts. (If you are, please teach me.) You’ll need to send out ARCs (advance reader copies.) You will need to be willing to spend some money.

 

Money. *sigh* How much you spend is up to you. I was very conservative with AS YOU TURN AWAY. Someday, when I’ve gotten permission from all involved, I’ll break down how much I spent, didn’t, and where it all went. I made some decisions I regret. I made some I’ll stick by. I would definitely recommend you spend money on: an editor, a *good* cover designer, print copies of your book if you want that for word of mouth and to send to reviewers, and some swag. (Don’t do what I did and WAY over-order swag.) Your cover is going to be seen and judged. A LOT. It needs to grab readers, and make them want to read your book. The words inside need to be readable, edited, and have HEART.

 

Expectations. If you’re self-publishing, ESPECIALLY New Adult or another hot category, you simply cannot go in expecting to drop your book in the ocean of other self-pubbed books and become a millionaire. It does not happen that way. What is FAR more likely to happen is, based on the work you put in (early buzz from ARCs, contacting reviewers,) you will get some reviews and some sales. The harder you work, the more pay-off you’ll see. But trust me: those rock stars who publish and are picked up? They’re the legends. They’re also very, very RARE. They’re not you or me. They’re not an expectation to have. Publish for yourself. Publish to reach and touch and move readers. Publish to entertain.

 

You need confidence. In your book, in your writing, in yourself. You’re going to get some great reviews — and some that will strip you bare, if you let them. Readers are going to read your book, and since reading is totally subjective, some will love it, while others will hate it. And that’s okay. That’s GOOD. A book with only positive reviews isn’t one I’m likely to read. But when you DO get those negative reviews (I don’t want to call them “bad” reviews, because ANY review that focuses on the writing/characters/the book has merit) — the ONLY response is to pull up your big girl/boy panties and keep going. Keep writing. Write another book, so readers will give you another chance. The readers who loved your first one will want the next one. People who didn’t love your first one might change their minds. But let that be their choice. NEVER attack a reader or discredit them/their review just because they didn’t like your book.

 

I’ve touched on this above, but keep writing. However amazing your first book is, don’t expect it to carry you forever. You’ll need a second book. A third. If it helps, especially if you’re working on a series, do some outlining of the other books before you ever publish the first one. Be ready to have more than one book for readers. You don’t have to be a machine, but you DO need continued visibility.

 

This is going to sound a bit contradictory to the previous point but DON’T RUSH. Readers are going to want more work from you, and you should be producing it, but NOT at the risk of putting out sub-par work. My pace has allowed for one book this year, and a second one before the year is over. My goal is to have published three books by my one year anniversary of publishing my first book. Some may be faster than that, some slower. Find your pace and STICK TO IT.  Work smarter, not harder.

 

So, that’s my oh-so-sage *sarcastic snort* advice. It’s what I’ve learned, what I knew, what I expanded on. It’s what I’d tell those who are trying to decide if they want to self-pub or not, and what I’d tell those who ARE self-publishing. Know why you’re publishing. Know what to expect. Do it right, in terms of money spent, resources used, etc.

What advice would you add to this?