If you sent a book manuscript to a
publisher and it was rejected, congratulations, you have joined a long list of successful
authors. Many popular authors had to submit their earliest books multiple times
before a publisher realized the potential. A few of these initially rejected
works include: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach; M*A*S*H by Richard
Hooker; Carrie by Stephen King; and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
King’s book was rejected more than five-dozen times. Some authors originally
self-published books that later became best-sellers such as: The Joy of
Cooking by Irma Rombauer; A Time to Kill by John Grisham; The Tales of Peter
Rabbit by Beatrix Potter; and The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
Self-publishing has been around ever since
man first started documenting stories. Benjamin Franklin self published the
iconic Poor Richard’s Almanac in the 18th-century; two centuries
later husband and wife team Virginia and Leonard Woolf started small press
Hogarth Press. Through the years other publishing companies have come and gone
and for a long time self-publishing received a tainted reputation. Publishing
has also expanded to include not only print works but electronic (e-books) and
audio as well. And self-publishing is once again gaining popularity and an
improved status.
There are pros and cons to both traditional
and self-pubbed options. Self-pubbing gives the author control over her project
while traditional publishing supposedly offers experience, a staff of
professional editors, designers and marketing plans. Authors need to examine
what is available, speak to other authors who have experienced one or more publishers,
understand their own time and commitment, and decide what the best route to
take for himself is. (Personally I publish through a traditional small press
and enjoy the teamwork between the publisher and myself) In addition to
researching established publishing companies, the author needs to work out a
marketing plan so that he understands what’s to come. An author who decides to
self-publisher becomes the publisher and needs to make wise business decisions
as well as fronting any costs of publication and distribution. The author who
decides to go with a traditional publisher will only see a portion of profits
and depending on the publisher’s efforts will enjoy marketing and distribution
paid for by the publisher; traditional publishers will also provide some or all
editing, formatting, and cover art.
Smashwords, an online retailer of e-books,
offers FREE guides that will help you learn more about self publishing; visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/1
to download these guides for free. Amazon also offers several guides to help an
author publish e-books or print copies; some of these guides are free. You can
also find some core tips about self-publishing on the Huffington Post site at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennie-goutet/a-beginners-guide-to-self_b_5377718.html You know that you have options to get your
book published, but find out what you need to know and do before deciding to
self-publish.
Writing
Exercise: Write a short blog post to introduce your book. Include the theme,
genre, any relevant connections (current events, location, history, etc.)
Writing
Prompt: Make a list of wishes; what do you want to see happen with your book?
Be as fanciful as you want – allow yourself to dream BIG
Challenge
Assignment: Compose a marketing plan for your book. This plan can be applied to
both self-pubbed or traditionally published works. Include the following in
your plan: 1) Who is your target audience? 2) How can you reach your target
audience? 3) What is your budget? 4) What venues are available for in-person
appearances? What virtual venues are available? 5) What SWAG (promotional
items) will be appropriate to give away?
