Self Publication?

[Androxine Vortex]

I've always been a little confused on slef publication. I understand (somewhat) how it works online but can you self publish a physical novel, not an ebook? Everytime I hear about self publishing it is always electronic. Just wondering.

 

[BWFoster78]

Not an expert as I haven't done it yet, but there are websites that let you upload your ecopy and format it for physical printing. You use this format to sell it on Amazon or whereever. When someone places and order, the company prints and ships it. It's called POD (Print On Demand). Bookstores and libraries can also order copies in a similar manner.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

Not an expert as I haven't done it yet, but there are websites that let you upload your ecopy and format it for physical printing. You use this format to sell it on Amazon or whereever. When someone places and order, the company prints and ships it. It's called POD (Print On Demand). Bookstores and libraries can also order copies in a similar manner.

Ah ok. And since you are the one who is actually putting your book out there, technically aren't you almost making it a guarentee(spelling?) that your novel will be avaiable to be out on the market? Yes I realize that it doesn't mean that people will know about it and buy it but since you're cutting out the publishing agents doesn't that mean your book will be "published" and ready to go? I don't have a great understanding with this concept.

 

[BWFoster78]

I don't understand the question.

If you put it up on Amazon, you have "published" the book. I consider myself to have "published" my novelette because it's available from my website.

On the other hand, no one is likely to buy a novel unless you do something to market it.

Self Publishing means that you are taking the whole process in your hands. Instead of just writing the book, you:

Write the book
Hire an editor
Hire a cover artist
Either figure out the formatting or hire someone to do that too
Make the novel available on Amazon or some combination of Amazon and other places
Figure out how to market the book

It's like running a small business.

Upside is more profit and total control. Downside is no one to blame if it fails, more investment up front, and no advance.

 

[Graylorne]

Amazon printed books are done by CreateSpace. I suggest going to their website, they explain how it works.

Once you have published it, your book will always be available for others; you won't have to do anything yourself (at least you don't have to. The expert selfpublishers fiddle with prices etc for an optimal result, nut it's no obligation.)

My books appear on Amazon and by way of Smashwords at a handful of other online stores.

Mind that ebook, print-book and kindle book need different formats (epub, doc, mobi). For some stores you need an ISBN number as well. But that, too, is explained at the website.

 

[Telcontar]

Putting your book into print via CreateSpace is probably one of the easier ways, but it is more complicated than simply making an eBook. I'm working on getting two books into print by the end of the year and I'm moving slow and cautiously.

 

[Chessie]

Oh my goodness, the more I learn about self publishing, the more I want to do it. I'm almost certain that's the route I will take with my first novel. My grandfather self published 3 books and kept all his rights and made a little money from it (this was back in the 90s when it wasn't that hot and he still did all right). There seems to be much more freedom and honestly, I don't mind one bit doing everything myself or paying someone to do it so I can still be involved in the process. Its my story after all, so I should put all the work in to get it out there.

Besides, it gets the stories to readers MUCH faster. There is so much information on this topic now and professional authors taking this route. Its definitely worth exploring!

EDIT: BWFoster, exactly! I haven't started the actual writing of my story yet but I'm still in the process of hiring beta readers and looking into editors for when the time comes. I have an artist friend who I'm considering asking to do the cover for me but she doesn't know it yet.

 

[BWFoster78]

I haven't started the actual writing of my story yet but I'm still in the process of hiring beta readers and looking into editors for when the time comes.

I admire your enthusiasm, but this scares me.

I started writing my book over two years ago. I'm working extemely hard in hopes that it may be ready to publish before the end of this year.

I encourage you to make sure the writing is good before going too far down any paths.

 

[Chessie]

Oh absolutely. I do know that much. I'm outlining in the current moment rather, before keeping anything. I dont know how long it will take me to finish but that's besides the point.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I think this is what I am going to do. Writing a more "modernized" story isn't really my thing. And this is just for me personally, but my goal for writing isn't fame or attention, so what then is publication to me? Nothing really when I think about it. I am coming to understand that the style(s) that I like to write aren't what a publishing market really likes. So why then would I waste so much time going out of my way to write a story that i'm going to despise the writing process? I write for myself honestly, and if by chance someone happens to read it, then thats cool, but I'm going to write the way I feel like it. And this way i can still technically say i have a book published so it's a win win for me!

 

[Svrtnsse]

I'm sort of in the same boat.

I'm fiddling around with my writing. Adding scene after scene, changing things around and overall growing as a writer. Once I'm done, or close enough to the end as makes no difference I'll start looking into options for self publishing for real. I'm not too interested in the actual marketing/selling part so electronic publishing will be the way to go.

I'll be making a few physical copies for myself though. One to put on the shelf and some extra to give to friends and family etc. I'll try and do this as if I was going to try and sell/market physical copies of the book. That way I'll have to learn about it for when I finally write a book that I will want market/sell.