Archive for the ‘So You Want to Self Publish...’ Category

Last week in Part 1 I looked at my very first print on demand purchase from Lulu.com.  It was C.R. Stapor’s The Wraith Atlas.

Here’s a conversation with C.R. himself about the process and result of self publishing on Lulu.com…

Ian Tuttle:  Are you happy with the physical quality of the book?

C.R. Stapor:  Yes. Very much so. I was initially skeptical (even though I’d seen how great sPARKLE & bLINK looks), but when I first saw them I was very impressed.

I.T.:  What do you wish you had done differently during the self-publishing 
process?

C.R.S.:  Paid more attention to how Evan formatted it! Seriously though, I can’t think of a single thing other than that – in my rush to get the d@*% thing out there – I didn’t research as closely as I could have the ins-&-outs of ISBN numbers, and the relevant formatting needed to qualify for inclusion in certain well known book lists. All of this can, of course, be done after the fact.

I.T.:  Do you think you’ll self publish again?

C.R.S.:  More than likely.

I.T.:  How many copies did you initially order?

C.R.S.:  20

I.T.:  Will you order more, or let people buy directly online?

C.R.S.:  That depends on a number of factors, that, as of now, have not been determined. But yes. I will order more. And of course I support anyone who decides to order directly from Lulu.

Bill Ayers leads quite a few “meet-ups” focused specifically on the ever-evolving publishing industry.  I attended one featuring three self-published authors to learn from their experiences.  Here are three tips from three different self-published authors:

(1.)  If you self publish, BUY AN ISBN for your book! This will enable you to sell it in bookstores, place it in libraries, and get it in national databases.  (from Tracy Jones, author of I think Therefore I am, and Still Breathing…).

(2.)  Ramp up publicity before your release date. Don’t wait until it’s already out to start promoting it.  Time your release with a well-planned publicity campaign.  (From David Jedeikin, author of Wander the Rainbow.)

(3.)  Self-publishing is good for super-niche markets, or if you already have an audience willing to buy your book. Lots of “how-to” authors follow this advice.  If your topic is extremely narrow, then chances are your audience will come looking for you.  If, however, you’re looking for broader exposure, consider the traditional publishing route.  (Curran Galway, author of The Aquarians).