Are You Self-Publishing for the Right Reasons?
Digging deep and being honest
“It’s a lovely story, and I like your writing. The relationship between the protagonist and her grandmother is beautiful, but —” the publisher's voice trailed off.
She sighed and looked me in the eye. “What are you writing now?”
I gave a brief description of a fantasy trilogy I was plotting.
Her eyes lit up. “That I can get past marketing. This,” she tapped my manuscript with her index finger, “not so much. A stand-alone chapter book is a hard sell, especially for a first-time author. I’d like to see your other manuscript when it’s ready. Then Pepsi the Problem Puppy could be your second book.”
It sounded promising, so I kept nutting along with the next manuscript while trying to shop Pepsi the Problem Puppy to publishers. The message that came back was pretty universal. A stand-alone chapter book about a dog by a first-time author was problematic for marketing.
One publisher sent a detailed report through — the basis was that, as a small publisher, they needed a print run of 1,000 copies to make a profit. Pepsi the Problem Puppy would need heavy author involvement to move copies.
I could do heavy author involvement. I had a rough marketing plan, and 1,000 copies wasn’t a lot.
For the first time, I thought about self-publishing — but didn’t self-publishing have a bad reputation?
Self-publishing (still) has a terrible reputation
Self-publishing is often viewed with suspicion, even disdain. It’s seen as an easy way out for writers who are not talented enough to secure a traditional publishing contract. There is elitism in the writing world, and self-published authors are seen as being at the bottom of the pack.
In part, this reputation is deserved. A glut of self-published books on the market lack the quality and editing of traditionally published works. Many look like poor cousins sitting next to their traditionally published counterparts.
There are hundreds of stories about self-published authors who have boxes of their books taking up space years after their release date. It’s a cautionary tale for would-be self-publishers.
Why did I consider taking the plunge with all this negativity centered around self-publishing?
Because self-publishing for the right reasons can be very successful.
The right reasons to self-publish
The primary benefit of self-publishing is the speed and control it provides.
I didn’t turn to self-publishing as a last resort to see my writing in print (FYI, that option rarely ends well.) I chose self-publishing because I didn’t want to wait years to see Pepsi the Problem Puppy on the market.
Every publisher who provided feedback cited marketing as their key factor for saying no. Not once was the quality or content of the story the reason for rejection. I was reasonably confident I’d written a good story.
As I started to consider self-publishing as a viable option, I realized how much more creative control I would have. My book could look exactly the way I wanted it to.
As a librarian, I see great books with terrible covers sitting on the shelf. It never matters how hard I tried to ‘sell’ those books to young readers; I just couldn’t move them—appearance matters, especially with children’s fiction. I had definite ideas about how I wanted my book to look.
With those two factors at the forefront, I made up my mind.
Taking the leap
If you’re about to embark on a self-publishing journey, ensure you’re doing it for the right reasons.
I was confident in my story. I didn’t skimp on the editing — and even employed the rule of three. Three editors with different skill sets went over my manuscript with a fine toothcomb.
I knew marketing was always going to be my weak point. But I designed a solid marketing plan and did my best to implement it.
If you’re considering self-publishing, it’s crucial to be honest with yourself. Are you self-publishing for the right reasons?
- Do you believe in your story? Is it good enough?
- Is it marketable? Do you have a solid plan?
- Are you willing to put in the time and effort to make your book a success? Are you willing to be the champion for your story?
- Are you willing to invest in your story? To pay editors, cover designers, etc.
Self-publishing may seem like the easier option, but that’s an illusion. You become a one-person team, responsible for every aspect of your book's production and marketing. The benefit of all that hard work though, is a greater share of the profits of your book.
As for Pepsi the Problem Puppy, did a stand-alone chapter book end up being hard to market? Yes and no. My first sale was to a bookshop, and they wanted 200 copies — but that’s another story for another day.
Thinking of self-publishing? Check out my handy guide.
Sandi Parsons lives and breathes stories as a reader, writer, and storyteller. She lives with her favorite husband and two problem puppies.
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