As I consider whether or not to self-publish my recently finished book, stories such as this one catch my attention. Hugh Howey clawed his way to the top of the Time’s best seller list with his postapocalyptic thriller, Wool. He let his words lead him to success–not some marketing scheme designed by Viking Press or Simon & Schuster. That, to me, is a true measure of a writer.
However, despite the handful of success stories we hear about, such as Howey’s (or Amanda Hocking’s or E.L. James’), most self-published authors sell fewer than three-hundred copies. It can also be a tough road to travel when you’re trying to get on the shelves of major book sellers, such as Barnes and Noble. They’re none too keen on stocking indie books that weren’t highly regulated by the big-dog publishing companies.
Not to mention, you’re on your own for content review, editing, cover design, etc…unless you hire experts in each of these fields to polish your book until it shines. For my first book, Elmer Left, I did not hire expert help. Aside from the unpaid advice of a few knowledgeable friends and some help with the cover, I was on my own. I do not regret the decision, but I may head down a different path for my next book, Ten Thousand Lines. I may solicit help from a mentoring press, such as Beaver’s Pond Press. Or pursue the traditional publishing route (there are several reasons why I might have more success with traditional publishers for book #2 than book #1…more on that in a later post).
But, the allure of self-publishing is still there for me: the ease of publishing, the control over my content and voice, the ability to set my book’s own price (and therefore royalty potential). It is still, in a way, the wild west of the publishing world and something about the raw power of self-publishing is undeniably appealing to me.
So, in conclusion…we’ll see. I still have a first draft to edit and an artist to hire for a few paintings I plan to incorporate into my book. I’ll let my book lead me where it would like to go. Books have the power to do that, you know.
Author: KateBitters
Kate Bitters is a Minneapolis-based author and freelance writer. She is the author of Elmer Left, Ten Thousand Lines, and He Found Me. One of her proudest/nerdiest moments was when Neil Gaiman read one of her short stories on stage at the Fitzgerald Theater.