Is self -publishing smart?

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Anngladys
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Re: Is self -publishing smart?

Post by Anngladys »

KTschirhart wrote: 17 Jan 2017, 18:38 I'm currently looking into writing and publishing my own book, personally I find it more rewarding to have control and a part in every step of the process.
This is a good path. It gives you a lot of control. I would however still recommend using the services of a coach for guidance as it would give bring lots of clarity and save time and money in the long run.
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Post by Anngladys »

mewsmash wrote: 21 Jan 2017, 21:45 I'm sure it's highly dependant on the situation. Some people feel inexperienced and want someone else to have control, while others want all the power. Its a matter of preference.
Yes, I agree, it's a matter of preference. It is still important to research widely in order to be very sure about the pros and cons of both self-publishing and traditional publishing.
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Post by Anngladys »

mewsmash wrote: 21 Jan 2017, 21:45 I'm sure it's highly dependant on the situation. Some people feel inexperienced and want someone else to have control, while others want all the power. Its a matter of preference.
Yes, I agree, it's a matter of preference. It is still important to research widely in order to be very sure about the pros and cons of both self-publishing and traditional publishing.
Aliciaroseperry1992 wrote: 04 Feb 2020, 15:41 I recently published my first novel and was nervous about the self publishing journey- if you do your research it is a fantastic route. I do now realize the importance of having an agency for promotional purposes- I may consider an agency in the future for that exact reason.
Aliciaroseperry1992 wrote: 04 Feb 2020, 15:41 I recently published my first novel and was nervous about the self publishing journey- if you do your research it is a fantastic route. I do now realize the importance of having an agency for promotional purposes- I may consider an agency in the future for that exact reason.
Yes, an agency can really help in promoting your book - if they are dedicated and committed. However, books sell if the author sells them. No one is as passionate and committed to a book as the author.

It's good to bear in mind also that the royalties go low down because of sharing them with the promotion agency. But if the agency is bringing you a lot more coverage and money than you would, then it would be a great choice to go with them!
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cluznar wrote: 22 Jan 2017, 16:27 You need to not only self publish, you need to edit and market. Even if the self publisher does marketing you need to do some marketing also.
This is true!
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Post by Anngladys »

Sleipnir_Drew wrote: 17 Jul 2019, 14:05 Maybe it's because I am very fond of hardcover books, but I still cannot get this idea into my head. Moreover, I think editing a book is part of the creation process. If you keep skipping these little details, you'll end up with an unfinished product.

Although it is respectable and admirable to achieve a self-publication, combined forces could obtain a better outcome. Wouldn't you agree?
I agree with you! It is not good to skip the seemingly little details. The devil is in the details, you know?
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LyorBoone wrote: 16 Jul 2019, 18:34 For an Amazon self-published book, what do you think of the cover creation tools. I have a brother who is an artist who works on paper. I’ve toyed the idea of scanning his work as covers to my stories.
I wouldn't vouch for the KDP covers.
If your brother's work is really good, do check it out.
But also keep in mind how well such a cover design would suit your book's topic and target audience. Would it also compare well with similar books in the industry? How would it perform compared to best-sellers in your niche?
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Post by Anngladys »

lucia_kizas wrote: 26 Jul 2019, 07:51
Sleipnir_Drew wrote: 17 Jul 2019, 14:05 Maybe it's because I am very fond of hardcover books, but I still cannot get this idea into my head. Moreover, I think editing a book is part of the creation process. If you keep skipping these little details, you'll end up with an unfinished product.

Although it is respectable and admirable to achieve a self-publication, combined forces could obtain a better outcome. Wouldn't you agree?
You can get hardcover copies from self-published authors too (take The Savior's Champion by Jenna Moreci, for example). I know Amazon does not offer hardcover options, but other platforms for self-publishing do. As to editing. Most of the self-published authors do have their books professionally edited. It is an old misconception that they just throw their first drafts out into the world (I know, there still are those types, unfortunately).
Before I self-published my book, I ran it through Grammarly, through Autocrit, read it 3 times (one of those times aloud), then put it through text to voice, and only then sent it to a pro editor. After finishing working on editor's notes, I ran it through text to speech again before actually putting it on Amazon.
Loads of Indie authors polish their works to perfection before hitting publish button, so it would be fair to give them a chance too ;)
I like how thoroughly you do your editing, and the number of platforms you run it through!

I'll check out Autocrit. Take a look at ProWritingAid too.

Yes, lots of Indie authors work relly hard, so yes, they deserve a fair chance.
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Post by Anngladys »

Sharona Ancheta wrote: 15 Jul 2019, 09:12 It depends to the topic, reason you are publishing yourself.
For instance you are self publishing because you made something interesting and educational, then why not. So then, people who could see you, can ask you advice or lesson but when you are publishing yourself but not for good and just doing it just to get popular, then that isn’t right.
Good points there!
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Post by Anngladys »

Mana_Hale wrote: 27 Mar 2018, 13:34 Personally, I'm a writer who after finally earning a Masters in Creative Writing learned that I not only enjoy writing, but all aspects of the production of a story - for me, self-publishing is both a hobby and part of my job. I love having the creative control to do as I please with my characters and story that I've put so much work into creating, hosting art contests, lending them to game makers, doing crossovers... writing the book has become a "core" of sorts, but for me the entire creative spectrum is what I'm interested in, which makes self-publishing the best move I feel I could make, especially given I write for a niche audience that not many agents know how to deal with.

In the meantime, I even publish drafts of the story chapters at a rate of 1 a month via Patreon and have garnered a small following after only a year of publicly putting out my work - it may only be a small amount compared to working with an agent and publisher "proper," but I couldn't be happier having such control over my own work!
That's an interesting journey you have!

I think that it's so much more peaceful when doing it for the love of the game, so to say. Rather than doing it with a hunger for money and popularity - that can get very tiring and frustrating and pretty fast!
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rave_2 wrote: 11 Jun 2018, 12:58 Self-publishing is great if you know what you're doing, and do it right. Otherwise, you may as well wait so many years just to get a literary agent to notice you.
Very true!
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Post by Jude_10 »

:D Yes, self publishing is really smart for starters. It also shows that you are independent enough to publish you own book. And very useful for self growth as well
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Post by Anngladys »

Louanne Piccolo wrote: 31 Dec 2018, 04:03 Agencies cost money. So, if you have a limited budget, try self- publishing first. There's a lot of information on the Internet and Amazon, if you use it, makes it fairly simple.
Yes, yes, yes!
Spend a lot of time researching because it will save you a lot of money.
YouTube has very resourceful videos.
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Post by Anngladys »

love_b00ks wrote: 25 May 2018, 21:06 It is difficult to get your book published by a professional publisher, it goes through a lot of process that's why I think it is wise to do self-publishing, at least at the onset.
Let me begin by saying that Indie publishing can also be very professional. That's why I prefer to call the others traditional publishers. They have an old system of doing it, which is also not bad.

An Indie author can take all the steps also and be very thorough. The advantage of self-publishing is that when one is armed with a lot of information, one can produce some very high quality work.

Having control of the process is also great.

I'd recommend thinking of a traditional publisher after giving self-publishing a try. But the trial exercise must be done in a manner that mimics a traditional publisher - i.e. try and copy everything a traditional publisher is doing then see what results you get, and whether you'd prefer to keep doing that (and keep higher profits) or go with a traditional publisher (and get lower royalties).

It also depends on how much time and energy you want to dedicate to the marketing and distribution parts, by the way. Some authors are more fond of writing than selling. And it's okay. It depends on your goals.

Also, who do you want to reach? Is it a local audience or an international one? That would influence the choice of publisher as well.
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Post by Anngladys »

Marcus Nannini wrote: 20 Feb 2017, 14:10 It can be very smart. Think about the countless hours spent preparing query letters then tailoring them to fit a particular agent. Of course that implies spending adequate time to learn what a specific agent is truly seeking.

Take it from me (if you like) when I say what an agent might post on a agent-list-type of a website and what she or he really wants generally do not match up. I will take that one further and state even when you believe you know what he/she is seeking in a book, you better look at the books they have published in the last couple of years. Typically they do not match up with what you would have expected.

So, sure, send out a few dozen well-drafted queries while simultaneously seeking the best self-publisher for you. And remember, you will need to have an editor if you self-publish as they are worth their weight in dimes.

Further, if you self-publish, have a game plan and stick to it every single day of the week. Get a basic website, and a blog too. Expand your friends on social media. And create a journal for yourself in which you enter what you do every day...this creates a reference for where you have been, where you need to follow up and avoids needless duplication.

Remember J.K. Rowling was rejected more than 700 times. Today, instead of spending all those hours in vain, she would likely choose to self-publish. But if you do so, have a realistic budget for your marketing campaign and give it an honest chance to succeed.

Finally, get involved in local author clubs. Check MeetUp for one near you.
This is such great advice. Thanks for sharing!
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Post by Anngladys »

Jude_10 wrote: 25 Jul 2020, 02:04 :D Yes, self publishing is really smart for starters. It also shows that you are independent enough to publish you own book. And very useful for self growth as well
I agree with you about self-growth!
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