It begins as a blank page. You put pen to paper. Over time, and through seemingly endless drafts, edits, copy-edits, beta-reads, and a very patient family; your manuscript is finally complete. You pause briefly to admire this “momentous” achievement, but there is no time to celebrate. You need to publish, and you need to sell. The world undoubtedly needs to share in this accomplishment. Welcome to the world of self-publishing. In so many ways, a world of hope. An interesting place to be.
The first thing you need to know about self-publishing is that writing your book may have been a difficult task, but it’s the easy part. Although extraordinarily satisfying, self-publishing, and getting your work read by the masses or target market, is a far more significant challenge. A challenge I continue to grapple with today. I wish there were a silver bullet I could share with you, but, alas, there isn’t. You will, however, require a flack-jacket or protective military-grade armour to absorb the countless forms of rejection you will encounter throughout your journey.
As with any small-business owner who is 100 per cent emotionally and irrationally invested in their product – and harbours unrealistic expectations to that said product’s success – contingency planning is essential. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, be clear about what you want to achieve from your book – and stick to it.
The unfortunate truth about publishing is the odds are against you and the chance of your “masterpiece” becoming a best seller is probably more than a thousand to one. You need to prepare yourself for this ‘unlikely’ outcome. Be realistic.
After having sacrificed time, effort, and perhaps personal relationships to see your book to print, you now need to consider how much time, energy, and of course money, you are willing to sacrifice to sell the damn thing. As with all things in life, the internet is a great place to start and consult in search of ideas, alternatives, and “helpful” hints.
It’s also a great place to go to receive suggestions on how to spend your hard-earned money. Some good, and some not so good. You’re going to need help during the process. Spend your money wisely (I, for example, invested in a publicist – money well spent). Sound research is essential. The choices are yours.
Business models, budgeting, marketing, social media, and product distribution plans and strategies are all paramount. Sticking to them is ridiculously difficult. You need to stay on top of your cash burn. Again, be realistic and disciplined. Ask yourself time and time again, “Where do I want to go with this? What’s the end game?”
Self-publishing wasn’t my first choice. I admit I did attempt to engage a literary agent in the hope of obtaining a mainstream publishing deal. However, after a long while and many rejections, it became clear mainstream wasn’t going to happen. If I wanted to see my book in print – the indie route; self-publishing was my only option.
The learning curve undertaken for this project was and remains steep. But for me, the most satisfying aspect of self-publishing (aside from knowing your book is being read and obtaining feedback) are the learnings you make about yourself and the people around you. Being a sole trader in the publishing world, you’re always exposed and often lost somewhere in the “slush pile”. Making it out of the “slush pile”, and into the hands of the reader is the end game. As an author, judgment is what I seek. It’s a big part of why I write. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Matt Simon, self-published author of “Dancing with the bull”
