| Copyright (c) 2007 Gail Richards | | | | appropriately and distributed in some way. It is still a |
| Self-publishing, although not a new phenomenon, is | | | | reality that self-published books rarely find their way |
| now a legitimate acceptable route to a published | | | | to bookstore shelves on a national level, and it is |
| book for an author. In the self-publishing model, the | | | | equally hard to find a distributor for them. |
| author keeps the rights to his or her book but pays | | | | The other drawback of self-publishing is that the |
| all the costs for producing, printing, and marketing the | | | | printer will print whatever you send. If you send a |
| book and other ancillary products. | | | | book that hasn?t been edited or proofread or that |
| Self-publishing is a better option than it once was | | | | isn?t commercially viable (meaning there really isn?t an |
| because technological advances have made it easier | | | | audience), the printer will do just as beautiful a job as |
| for an author to write, design, and create her own | | | | if the book were an award-winner. In other words, |
| book. In addition, it is now more cost-effective to | | | | no one will stop you from spending money on a book |
| print in smaller quantities, meaning that the initial | | | | that isn?t ready for publication. |
| investment in printing and inventory is now more | | | | Another approach is for the author to choose |
| feasible for the average person. | | | | self-publishing first, establishing the book as viable in |
| To self-publish, an author must have enough capital | | | | the market and then shopping for a traditional |
| to produce the book and enough time to write, | | | | publisher. This accomplishes several objectives, one |
| produce, market, and ship the product. In essence, | | | | of which is to allow you to have a product to sell |
| he or she starts a new business around his or her | | | | much more quickly since the typical traditional |
| book. | | | | publisher will take twelve to eighteen months to get |
| One of the important choices to be made by | | | | your book on the market after you sign the |
| self-publishers is to select a printer. Today, a number | | | | contract. |
| of printers specialize in books, particularly in printing | | | | If you self-publish initially, you are likely to be more |
| small quantities. These are known as print-on-demand | | | | patient and find just the right publisher because you |
| (POD) publishers. They are primarily printers, but they | | | | won?t be in a hurry to get your book out. In |
| may add editorial or marketing services. | | | | addition, a traditional publisher will continue to allow |
| Most authors think of the difficulty of self-publishing | | | | you to sell your book while they are preparing your |
| as the logistics of knowing how to get a book | | | | book with them. You will have a product to sell during |
| designed and typeset and how much to spend to | | | | a little over a year?s preparation. The traditionally |
| get a book printed. But this is the easy part. What is | | | | published book, in essence, becomes the second |
| much more difficult is getting your book marketed | | | | edition of your book. |