What's involved in self-publishing?

Status
Not open for further replies.

nancy sv

30 months on a bicycle...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
127
Location
Currently in Boise, Idaho and loving it
Website
www.familyonbikes.com
I have a book that I am seriously considering self-publishing. I do think it is a good book, but I am not willing to put the time and energy into trying to get it published commercially right now. It is a book I wrote 16 years ago about a one-year bike trip we took through the Indian subcontinent, so is quite old and I'm not sure how viable it is to get it commercially published. So - I'm considering self-publishing just for the heck of it.

Are there any websites that will walk me through the process? I really don't even know where to start. Also - how long does the whole process generally take? We will be taking off in seven months for another major trip and would like to have it published and advertised on our website by the time we take off.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Nancy
 

jenngreenleaf

Here to network and learn.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,402
Reaction score
435
Location
Maine.
Website
www.jenngreeenleaf.com
I used to spend a considerable amount of time working with self pubished authors and, unless you're publishing it to hand out to friends/family members or know for sure it'll have a strong place in the market . . . I don't recommend this option.
 

Siddow

I'm super! Thanks for asking
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
2,719
Reaction score
2,056
Location
GA
If you really, really want to...take a look at Lulu.com. You'll have to do most of the work yourself, but at least you won't end up with 2,000 copies you can't sell.

And for a fee, Lulu will help you. I'm not sure how much that fee is, but I'm pretty sure it's not in the 1000's. :D
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
Self publishing is a bad option only if it harms you, or you have a far better option.

It sounds to me like the story is interesting but old enough that mainstream publishing isn't terribly likely. And I don't see how self-publishing it rather than not publishing it will do any harm. It will make it easily available to friend and family and any biking, India or travel memoir fans.

So as long as you understand that sales are likely to be modest, I don't see why you wouldn't do it. Self-publishing through Lulu isn't that profitable but it is free and not arduous.
 

nancy sv

30 months on a bicycle...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
127
Location
Currently in Boise, Idaho and loving it
Website
www.familyonbikes.com
I'm figuring my chances of getting this book commercially published are very low, but yet I do think it is a good book. I'm thinking that, if the costs are low in getting it self-published, it would be worth doing. Right now nobody is reading it at all, yet I think there are a fair number of people who would be interested in doing so. I'll check out Lulu and see what they say.
 

J. R. Tomlin

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
598
Reaction score
64
Location
Oregon
I understand there is no upfront cost through lulu.com. I'm sure that's what I've read and they seem to be pretty legit. I'd check them out.
 

Birol

Around and About
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
14,759
Reaction score
2,998
Location
That's a good question right now.
Nancy, you might want to check with some of the authors on AW who have chosen to self-publish and might have more information. Jim self-published Atlanta Nights and Inked09012 self-published her book.
 

III

rockin the suburbs
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
3,566
Location
Spurs Country
Website
www.jayyoungweb.com
I think Lulu is exactly what you're looking for, especially if this is your first self-pubbing experience. I believe the only tricky part is you have to format the book, but I think they have software to help you with that now. If you don't mind spending about $500, I've been happy with iUniverse and they do all the setup, cover design, ISBN, etc.
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
There is a self-publishing forum a little further down if you want to get more into the details of 'how'--rather than the issue of 'whether to'. There are a good many people who self-published real content, rather than the exercise in expose that is Atlanta Nights.
 

nancy sv

30 months on a bicycle...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
127
Location
Currently in Boise, Idaho and loving it
Website
www.familyonbikes.com
Are they travel guide books or more narratives? I just have no idea if it would be worth it to undertake this whole thing. Part of me says this manuscript has just been sitting in a box for 16 years - it won't jurt to just let it sit there another 16 years! On the other hand, it would be nice to see it in print after all these years.
 

Keith

Registered
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Nancy,

Go to Lulu; it'll cost you 2 cents a page plus three or four bucks for a cover. That's all. Don't buy an ISBN, if you don't have to and you shouldn't (have to.) I had to because I had another publisher claiming rights to my book. You can publish, for example, a 200-page book for $4.00 plus your cover and edit it yourself, then, and only then, think about buying an ISBN and if you do, buy it for yourself, don't let Lulu do it. There's absolutely nothing to formatting, your computer program will do it for you and for less than $10.00 you can print a 200-page book and hold it in your hands. Do that first, then THINK! about what YOU want to do.

Luck,

Keith
 

labcat

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
68
Reaction score
7
Location
Mobile Bay
I would rather read a sixteen year old book about a family bicycle trip through india than
a current "Lonely Planet." Good Luck.
 

Lauri B

I Heart Mac
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
2,038
Reaction score
400
Hi Nancy,
To whom do you want to sell this book? If you're trying to put it in any bookstore (b&m or virtual), you'll need an ISBN. If you're selling it only on your own site, you won't need an ISBN.
 

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Messages
3,951
Reaction score
849
Location
San Antonio, TX
Website
jmmcdermott.blogspot.com
Don't be so quick to assume that you can't make it in commercial publication.

You don't know the market as well as agents do.

I suggest putting a list together of ten-twenty agents and querying them first.

The story has waited this long, why not let it go a little longer to see if it DOES merit commercial publication and a vast audience?
 

kristie911

Happy to be here
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2005
Messages
4,449
Reaction score
2,460
Location
my own little world
I agree with badducky (gasp! I know. ;) ). Why not give it a shot at commercial publishing? Just because it happened 16 years ago does not mean it wouldn't be interesting.
 

nancy sv

30 months on a bicycle...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
127
Location
Currently in Boise, Idaho and loving it
Website
www.familyonbikes.com
I seriously thought about that option too. It's just that we are getting ready to take off on a major bike tour and will be on the road for 2 1/2 years. I was kind of hoping I could get this book out before we take off - and I KNOW that can't happen if I go commericial. And, although I do believe it is a good book, I'm not sure I want to take so much time to try to get it published commercially. Does that make any sense at all??

On the other hand, if I wait until I am rich and famous, then publishers will be begging at my door, right??
 

ishtar'sgate

living in the past
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
3,801
Reaction score
459
Location
Canada
Website
www.linneaheinrichs.com
Are they travel guide books or more narratives? I just have no idea if it would be worth it to undertake this whole thing. Part of me says this manuscript has just been sitting in a box for 16 years - it won't jurt to just let it sit there another 16 years! On the other hand, it would be nice to see it in print after all these years.
Not sure what they were but I'm thinking narratives. It's costly to selfpublish but if you get a lot of traffic on your website anyway, it could work out for you. Good luck with it.
Linnea
 

bunnygirl

Token Rabbit
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
362
Reaction score
26
Location
Houston, TX
I actually find querying more time-intensive than self-publishing. But maybe querying just feels that way to me because it lacks the creative intensity of designing my own book.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.