Self-Publishing Success?
By Robert Denson III

The literary revolution is well underway and the Revolution is not being televised.  Are you disappointed?  If so, it is being internet-ized.  Just log on to any publishing chat room, mention disdain for the traditional publishing industry, then sit back and watch the troops from POD, Self-Publishers and Traditional writers kill each other with, what else, words.  Do I plan to enter this fray?  No.  Like any chaos, you cannot objectively evaluate it if you are in the middle…so I’m staying away.  Nevertheless, once the dust settles, we are all sure to see a change in publishing trade just as we have in movie and music industries.

In the meantime, it is my firm belief that anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT! (I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere).  I think each path to publishing has its advantages and disadvantages, therefore, rather than throwing stones, I figured I would take the time to discuss good strategies for each.  This month, I want to discuss self-publishing.

Why is self-publishing becoming so popular?  My opinion is that it is the publishing path that gives the quickest return.  A budget is set on how much you will spend on printing, then you sell them; instant profit—right?  Only if you want to nickel and dime your way through publishing, however, if you want to be successful, it takes much more than that.  The “much more than that” is what keeps some (I said “some”) self-publishers from being successful.

Like any product, a marketing plan is essential.  When self-publishing, some forget this factor when addressing their budget.  Good writing doesn’t always sell a book, but good marketing does!  A willing audience is absolutely necessary, for example.

On the heels of “The Da Vinci Code”, a book entitled “The Rule of Four” was released.  Its appeal involved an age-old secret and people are killed in order to keep that secret (sound familiar?).  The book was a pitiful, copycat, bandwagon story—but it sold tremendously.  On the other hand, take “Four Spirits” by Sena Jeter Naslund.  This is an absolutely incredible story, masterfully written, which follows the lives of both young white and black students growing up during the explosive times of the Civil Rights Movement in “Bombing” ham, Alabama.  It wasn’t very successful.  Why?  My suggestion is because it was released in September rather than February.

What I’m trying to say is that publicity and marketing is a full-time job.  The things that must be considered are Internet marketing, distribution, decent printing costs to enable wholesaling and support through book reviews.  To become a successful self-publisher, you must also be a successful sales agent.  By becoming that sales agent, writers lose sight of the craft because they are constantly reminded of numbers.  They are spread too thin and the passion of writing becomes a burden.

To continue being creative, writers should concentrate on writing.  Just because you are not pushing your book through a traditional publishing house does not mean you should not utilize their tactics in marketing.  Take the time to invest in someone that can do that for you.  Success comes from selling.  You might not get rich from the first book, however, the more books you sell; the more fans you will have awaiting your next book.  Concentrate on writing and let someone else keep up with your publicity and contacts.

Being a literary manager, I am often approached by and able to reach certain groups through contacts I’ve already made in the past.  The publishing industry is much like any other industry.  There is a “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” mentality.  A literary manager looks for groups that can attach itself to your story and they market directly to that audience.  They produce press releases and book reviews to distribute nationwide, reaching the widest audience possible.  This is how success if obtained.

Sure, you can do it all by yourself, however, do you change your oil when Jiffy Lube will do it in 10 minutes for $15?  Once you open up the hood and crawl underneath the car, you don’t always have the correct tools, time or patience, however, Jiffy Lube has a well-oiled machine (pardon the pun) to maximize time and labor equaling efficiency. So ask yourself.  Do you want to be a writer or a salesperson?  Be willing to invest in your success.  Isn’t your writing worth it?