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COMING FULL CIRCLE A decade ago, this path would have been too cost prohibitive for me to even entertain. A decade ago, this path also carried
stigma of "vanity" press and low quality--self-publishing was apparent bailiwick of those whose works were not good enough for a "real" publisher.
Not so anymore. And interestingly if you turn clock back a century or so, self-publishing was norm with most writers--Dickens for example--who published and then peddled their own works. Seems we've come full circle and it's mainly due to advent of high quality digital printing services, powerful software layout and design applications, and reach of World Wide Web. Technology has not only made it possible for authors to design and publish their books more economically, but has also provided a world-wide forum through which they can sell.
DO IT YOURSELF APPROACH Financially, once production costs are covered, an author (who is also publisher) who aggressively markets his or her work and creates a "buzz" can actually turn a profit--not to mention possibility that self-published work might find its way, deliberately or not, into hands of agents and other power brokers in traditional publishing world.
In my case, I was fortunate that I was also able to do all of my own editing, photography, graphic design, layout, pre-press work, and then build a Web site (www.mattmcgovern.com) with a marketing plan to support book. My only "cost"--other than time it took to write book, design it, and develop Web site--was actual printing.
Granted, my total do-it-yourself approach may have taken self-publishing to extreme, and most authors will likely need to outsource editing, book design, and Web design--but cost of producing a well-designed, digitally-printed book, along with a Web site to support it, still remains in a range that makes self-publishing a viable and attractive option.
IT STILL REQUIRES TALENT . . . AND PERSEVERANCE Of course, you still need talent to write book and a strong desire both to tell your story and to sell it, but self-publishing is a reasonable alternative--for a host of reasons--and it is becoming more and more common.
Self publishing no longer carries stigma of substandard work. Self publishing seems to have found its own niche--quality works that can't be categorized to fit neatly on a book store shelf, written and published by authors who believe in their message so strongly that they are willing to invest their own time, money and effort into entire process.
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Copyright (c) 2004 by Matt McGovern--All rights reserved.
Matt McGovern combines a rare blend of creative and technical know-how with years of experience and a balanced and purposeful approach to life. He has authored and edited numerous books, e-books and e-zines. Get "Know-How" his free e-newsletter at www.700acres.com/pages/ad_archive.html or explore life, death and beyond with his novel, "CURRENTS-Every Life Leaves an Imprint" at www.MattMcGovern.com/books.html.
