I have written a suspense novel and would like to explore self-publishing. Can you recommend a good book which gives advice on how to self-publish a work like mine? I'm particularly interested in how to find a distributor and how to use social media to promote the book.
Seeking self-publishing book recommendation
- Thread starter Umgowa
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Unfortunately, the business changes so quickly that once it gets codified in a book, the advice might well be obsolete. However, there are many on-line sources of information including right here on AW in the Self-publishing forum. The k-boards are also invaluable.
For starters, what do you envision--publishing as just an ebook or in ebook and print? Do you plan to write more than one book?
For starters, what do you envision--publishing as just an ebook or in ebook and print? Do you plan to write more than one book?
The best information is online, as Marissa D said. Start with David Gaughran's blog; there are many others, however. And, if you plan on self-publishing through KDP, the KDP Help pages are actually quite comprehensive.
Yeah, there's a ton of good info around. Kboards.com has a writer's corner subforum, with some good, free advice. But there are a few good books...
The one I've gotten the most mileage out of is called "Write, Publish, Repeat," by Platt and Truant. It's affordable, mostly common sense, and though I don't follow all of it there's a good grab bag of tactics and strategies in there that you can follow on a budget.
Linky linky
The one I've gotten the most mileage out of is called "Write, Publish, Repeat," by Platt and Truant. It's affordable, mostly common sense, and though I don't follow all of it there's a good grab bag of tactics and strategies in there that you can follow on a budget.
Linky linky
Thanks for the follow-up Marissa. Good questions you asked. Here's where I am. I have written a single suspense novel. It has gotten rave reviews from everyone who has read it. I want to get this published and out there for the market to react to. I can not even relate to the word "ebook" . . . I'm looking for basic nuts and bolts information like getting the book printed, finding a distributor, art suppliers to help with the cover design. I ordered the below recommended book: Write, Publish, Repeat by Platt and Truant and got none of that kind of basic information . . . just some kind of volume system of writing ebooks over and over. I couldn't relate to it at all and am sending it back to Amazon. I'm leaning toward a few self publishing houses like Acorn, Palmetto Group etc.. They seem to speak in a language I can relate to. . . . and they would provide a lot of support for a first-timer. I welcome any thoughts you might have on the above.
Personally, I would never work with a self-publishing company because it's entirely possible to learn how to produce a very high quality book on one's own, and I'm cussed enough to not want to pay someone for work that I am capable of doing myself (and over which I maintain quality control.) So yeah, I've spent time learning the steps involved in editing, formatting, production, and eventually, marketing. I had a leg up because I'm also trade published and have learned about the publishing world through that process, but I'm a knowledge junkie so I belong to online groups dedicated to self-publishing and read about what other people are doing, do a lot of research, and take notes...but that's just me.
May I suggest you have a look at the threads here in the self-publishing board where members have detailed how they've gone about self-publishing their books? It might give you a place to start (because if you can't relate to the word "ebook", you do have a lot to learn about)...and maybe it will make you decide that it's not a path you want to follow. Have you definitely decided not to pursue trade publication?
May I suggest you have a look at the threads here in the self-publishing board where members have detailed how they've gone about self-publishing their books? It might give you a place to start (because if you can't relate to the word "ebook", you do have a lot to learn about)...and maybe it will make you decide that it's not a path you want to follow. Have you definitely decided not to pursue trade publication?
Distributors don't work with self publishers. They only work with trade publishers.
If you're interested in using social media to promote your work, check out the Book Promotion room and read the "SEO Dweeb" sticky there.
Self-publishing companies aren't usually good. Usually they're vanity publishers masquerading as service providers, and many of the services they offer aren't worth the money you pay them. This is especially true of their editing, marketing and publicity offerings. Be careful.
If your main interest is in getting your book into print, then I'd suggest looking at CreateSpace. As a first time author you're going to do better going with a print on demand option (where the book is only printed and you're only charged if the book is purchased). Their website is www.createspace.com. There's lots of information on there about how to list your book with them and what's required. The reason people are mentioning ebooks is because probably 90% of most sales by self-publishers are in ebook format not print. And even in print you're mostly going to end up selling through online sites like Amazon. You can buy author copies at cost and sell at conferences, too, but don't expect to get into bookstores going this route.
Be very wary of the companies and services that exist that want you to pay them to get your book into print. They usually charge far more than it needs to cost you to do that and most can't do more than you could do yourself. And some will convince you to buy copies of your book that will then just sit in your garage because you have nowhere to sell them.
If you look at the CreateSpace website and decide that it looks like an option you want to take but that the website still doesn't give you enough guidance (which I think it probably does, but I can understand that starting out there's a lot you don't know), I have published a guide on CreateSpace called CreateSpace for Beginners by M.L. Humphrey. Not trying to sell you on my book, but it is meant to walk someone through getting their book into print using CreateSpace and does talk about your options for the interior and creating a cover and how to navigate the site to publish your book.
Be very wary of the companies and services that exist that want you to pay them to get your book into print. They usually charge far more than it needs to cost you to do that and most can't do more than you could do yourself. And some will convince you to buy copies of your book that will then just sit in your garage because you have nowhere to sell them.
If you look at the CreateSpace website and decide that it looks like an option you want to take but that the website still doesn't give you enough guidance (which I think it probably does, but I can understand that starting out there's a lot you don't know), I have published a guide on CreateSpace called CreateSpace for Beginners by M.L. Humphrey. Not trying to sell you on my book, but it is meant to walk someone through getting their book into print using CreateSpace and does talk about your options for the interior and creating a cover and how to navigate the site to publish your book.
You're not relating to those companies because they're a good idea, but because they know how to talk the talk. They know that self-publishing is a sharp learning curve and that people might initially recoil from the amount of stuff they need to learn. My advice is to push past that initial feeling. Don't throw away advice because it initially looks hard or outside of your experiences. Something being unfamiliar doesn't mean it's bad.
Thanks for your post recommending CreateSpace. Since my initial post I've done some researching and have come to the same conclusion you did . . . that CreateSpace is a great way for someone in my position to start out. I'd like to follow up with you on this subject. If you could open my PM to you we could "talk" more. Thanks again for your helpful post.