Go traditional or self-publish - good advice on LinkedIn

I started a discussion on LinkedIn in the Authors, Writers, Publishers, Editors, and Writing Professionals group asking: “If your publisher went out of business, did you look for another publisher or take the self-publishing route?” I got a lot of encouragement for trying to get another traditional publisher and a lot of good solid information about how to self-publish. I even had an offer from a self-publishing resource. 

Here are a few helpful comments that came back:

Dottye: If you had one publisher interested in your book, your chances may be good another will - if you are considering self-publishing, Mark Levine wrote a great book on the top self-publishing companies to consider and those to avoid. Check out www.millcitypress.net for a 100% royalty free company.

Lori: If you self-publish, whether you go electronic or not, you still need to be prepared to take care of the distribution and marketing yourself. Typically, folks with niche markets that dovetail with their business do very well in self-publishing. Self-published books often have a longer shelf life, whereas a book by a traditional press may need to shoot out of the sales gate for a publisher to keep it in its stable of titles. As far as genres, these days, novels and short stories can do very well as self-published titles, if you are prepared to pay attention to promotion and publicity. Some authors enjoy those aspects of the business and others don't. So, now would be a good time for you to assess your goals and strengths, to see what you are prepared to undertake and how you want to spend your time.

Donald: Yea, sure, 100% royalty free and you keep "all" of your money. Let’s see, Mill City Press has publishing packages for sale. They start at $1697 and run up to $5997 and that's before marketing and royalties are even taken into consideration. If you are self published, by definition you keep "all" of your royalties from a sale anyway. If you need help, look at CreateSpace by Amazon. Use it as a benchmark when looking at different companies. Lulu has a good rep and is reasonable for publication services. If you need help, consider comparing them to the others out there. Last, look at what the traditional publisher takes from the sale. What does he do for it that you can't do for yourself?

Rachel: That happened to me, too. I found an agent who would take it, and she's beginning to shop it to other publishers. It sure slowed things down, but I think the fact that you already had a publisher will help as you look for a new one.

Charlotte: I had two publishers go out of business. I got the rights to my books back and re-sold the very same day. I know we have a lot of self-published authors here in the group but I would strongly recommend trying to get a traditional or e-pub interested in your book before you self-publish. 

And more from Donald: Look at Lightning Source Printing (a subsidiary of Ingram Distributors) and look carefully at what they will do for you for a whole $12 (yes that is twelve dollars) a year. In fact, I'll save you the trouble of looking it up. They do all the logistics and accounting for just $12 a year. They take care of the business and you get a check, based on your books' sales, in your bank account each month just like you did before. You still have to do your own promotion, which you were doing anyway. Yes, Lightning Source will do everything that the publisher you lost did or what a new publisher will do - for a whole $12 a year - and what did your publisher make off of you last year? Figure it out. Yes you paid him a huge portion of "your" royalties. If you can look realistically at these numbers and want another publisher I'd be surprised. 

If you really want a new publisher, you won't have the least problem finding one, if your books are selling. It's free money you will be giving him. Any publisher will jump at it. 

To double your profits, or better (assuming sales remained the same as last year), all you have to do is pick a business name and in less than a half a day you can get a tax ID and a business bank account and you are now a publisher and are ready to do business. It takes about ten minutes to set up your account with Lightning Source, and less than a hundred dollar file set-up fee per book. The books will automatically be listed on Amazon.

If you are looking to sell to Barnes and Noble too, (hard copies) look up Aaron Shepard on the internet. He has a blog that will show you how to set up files at two printers, "CreateSpace" for Amazon sales and Lightning Source for Barnes and Noble sales and you will pick up a 15% premium on your Amazon sales. (Barnes and Nobel discount is 55% off list price Amazon through create space is 40%) All of this with no logistics work for you. 

 

I'm querying again

Well, I’ve already sent out mini query letters to a couple of recommended prospective publishers. I’ve included information about my book and links to sample chapters of my memoir Leaving the Hall Light On, and I’ve told them I’ll have all the files in native QuarkXpress and pdf. So if they want to add my book to their portfolios it should be a slam-dunk. Plus I’m not interested in another hardback run. I would prefer a paperback and/or e-book.

I've also made a little pitch about my current writing work with links to my blogs Choices and Red Room, and to the PsychAlive and Naturally Savvy websites, where I blog every month. 

And now the waiting begins.

I hate this part. The querying and waiting.

I thought I wouldn’t have to do it again until I’m ready to market my novel.

And, now I wonder if it is even worth it. 

Readers, I need your advice on this one. Should I even try to find a new publisher or should I just go ahead and self-publish?

What do you think?

Farewell, Lucky Press! What's next after a publisher quits?

Right in the midst of saying goodbye to friends from Tuscon on Saturday morning, I got the news that Lucky Press was going out of business – on April 30 – that's today! That announcement gave me a whole three day’s notice. What a shock and what a scramble. It took me the better part of that day, a sleepless night, and until the next morning to get over it and consider this event an opportunity, not a disaster. First, I decided my book is way too important to abandon now.

Actually I should have seen the writing on the wall when Janice, the owner of Lucky Press, informed me about a month ago that she would not produce my e-book in May as promised. She had been in ill health and just moved. Plus creating graphic designs seems to be her passion and provides her real livelihood.

However, I was fortunate that she resonated with my book and offered to publish it. Her attention to detail with my text, photos, and book design was flawless. I am very proud of the book she produced. And it got my story out and my mission to erase the stigma of mental illness and suicide off the ground.

However, the repercussions of her shutting down her business – especially with so little notice – have been horrendous:

• Do I self publish or find another publisher? I prefer finding another publisher, but we’ll see.
• Hardback, paperback, or e-book? I don’t think I would want another hardback edition. It is expensive to buy. It will definitely be an e-book and maybe both paperback and e-book.
• Are my books still for sale online? Since I have an Amazon bookstore set up I think my books will still be for sale there as of tomorrow, but I’ll find out for sure tomorrow.
• How do I fix the link that went to my Lucky Press page that as of Saturday went to nowhere. I immediately contacted my friend who created my domain name: www.MadelineSharples.com  and he fixed it to point to my blog for the time being. I’m going to ask him to build me a new website once all my ducks are in a row.
• Do I own the copyright? Yes
• Do I need a new ISBN number? Yes
• Should I take up Janice’s offer to send me all the native files with all pertaining to Lucky Press removed? Yes. I arranged that today and paid the bill.
• What about my bookmarks? This has to wait until I know if I’ll have a publisher or will self-publish.
• What about new flyers? Same as above
• And how do I even start on the road to recovery? Well, almost immediately one of my friends suggested I contact her publisher. I did that today, and I’ll follow through with an email with information about my book. I’ve also contacted a few other people I know on Facebook who might be able to help. And of course I emailed my mentor who helped me throughout my query process all those many months ago. He is as always encouraging.

I’m sure I’ll have more to say during this learning process. If nothing else this new publishing wrinkle will give me more blog fodder as the days and weeks go by.