How to Self Publish

Self publishing books is one way to land on bookstore shelves, and it saves you the time of finding an agent or a publisher willing to take a chance on you. Once scorned in publishing circles, self publishing is now seen as a viable way to get niche publications out in an increasingly do-it-yourself-world.

Reasons not to Self Publish
The following are reasons to go the traditional route of seeking an agent and publisher instead of self-publishing:

• You've written a piece of fiction.
• You are not prepared to market yourself.
• You are relatively unknown and are not a recognized expert in the field your book addresses.

Reasons to Self Publish
Many people decide to self publish for the following reasons:

• You have written a nonfiction book targeted to a niche market.
• You are an expert in a field of study and have already made a name for yourself.
• You are a celebrity and will not have a problem marketing the book.
• You have not been able to get an agent.
• Traditional publishers have turned you down.
• You want to see your book on the shelf now and are willing to invest the time needed to market the book.
• You simply want the book published and aren't worried about sales.

Keep in mind that the self publishing stigma still holds in publishing circles, particularly where fiction is concerned. Self publishing a book may hinder your chances to get an agent down the road, so think carefully about your goals as a writer before deciding to produce the book with a self publishing company.

Steps to Self Publishing

• Finish the book: Make sure your book is truly finished. Have friends read and critique it; ask other writers to read it and suggest changes. Make sure you've done all research needed and properly documented it as is required.
• Hire an editor: Since you are not going through the traditional publishing process, you'll need a professional set of eyes looking at the manuscript. Spend the money to have the manuscript professionally edited and formatted before you submit to self publishing companies.
• Research self-publishing firms: There are a variety of companies out there willing to publish your book for you. The self publishing cost varies depending on the services provided. Some companies will provide editing services and will be very flexible in the number of books you want published; others are very rigid and provide very minimal services. Know what you need and find a company that can meet your needs.

Printing Options
Publish-on-demand (POD) companies produce one book at a time as they are ordered, and the company will do a varying amount of the formatting for you if you are willing to pay for it. It is a more expensive way to self publish because the process is so individualized. These are also called vanity presses. These presses have a reputation for producing low-quality work since anyone can pay them to get a book published. Make sure you have your book professionally edited and formatted before you send it off to a POD.

Basic self publishing involves laying out the page format and designing the cover yourself. Many self publishers use open-source software such as Open Office Suite, The Gimp and Scribus for formatting. Some use software such as Adobe's Indesign to lay out the format. Next you simply find a printing press such as Lightning Source or Bookmasters and ask them to print and bind your book.

There is a lot of complex format and layout information you'll need to learn, but the software programs all come with user-friendly tutorials that explain how to do everything needed. This is the cheapest way to self publish, especially if you will be printing a large number of books, but it is also the most labor-intensive. At the end of the day you'll go pick up your stack of books from the printer and transfer them to your home office or garage, where you will be responsible for finding homes for them by yourself.

Publishing an e-book is another option. It is inexpensive and quick, and can give you immediate results. You can determine the selling price for your e-book, and you can recoup costs easily, if you are able to market it sufficiently. Some writers publish e-books and provide free access to the books simply to get exposure and to build up a fan base before they take on publishing a book in print.

Marketing
Once you have your stack of books in your office, you'll need to figure out how to sell them. Consider the following suggestions as you draw up a marketing plan:

• Get some exposure on television, radio, local papers, etc.
• Contact owners of local bookstores and ask them to stock your book.
• Approach owners of bookstores in person and ask them to hold a book-signing event. Provide your own incentives, such as bookmarks or refreshments.
• Go to niche conferences and shows and sell your book in a stand or table.
• Offer to speak at conferences and shows for no charge, then sell your book afterwards.
• Once you get your book in stores, do drive by book signings where you stop in unexpectedly, sign the books the store has in stock, shake hands with the employees, drop off a small gift and ask them to promote your book.
• Start a blog and Web site about your book and drive traffic to it by posting material often.
• Approach online bookstores and try to get your book stocked.
• Create an e-commerce site to sell your book.