How self-publishing works? Self-publishing is when an author independently makes their book or any written media available to the public without the help of a traditional publisher.
Amazing? Absolutely! If you lived before 2007 and were old enough to understand the way books are published. You may have heard of traditional publishing.
Back in the day, they ruled the publishing world. If you had any book idea, you had to write a manuscript in some format and first send it to a literary agent. No, you cannot reach these publishers without an agent!
Hence, the road to becoming published would take years to reach and hundreds of agents to contact. And a ton of rejections. Rejections do not always mean you are not good. Traditional publishers and agents are in business to sell books. They make decisions based on what they think works for their business. And if they do not have experience in some literary work, they are not likely to give it a chance.
Have you ever faced rejection(s) from traditional publishers? You are in good company. J.K. Rowlings had 12 rejections, Dr Seuss got 27 rejections and, Stephen King got 30 rejections. These are only a handful of authors who became bestselling authors. Do not be discouraged if you have ever faced rejection, this is your signal to try a detour and take another route.
First, read through your rejection letter to see areas you can work on and make adjustments. Any feedback is good. They show areas you can improve. And who does not need improvements from time to time?
However, sometimes, writers get rejected because agents or publishers do not have confidence that readers will be interested. The only way you can test that out is to publish and let your readers be the judge. And many times, traditional publishers have been wrong. So, if a publisher says no, look elsewhere.
Whether you have tried traditional publishers or not, it might be worth checking how self-publishing works to see if it is a better option for you.
Have you ever been to a construction site? You will find a ton of professionals in different areas of construction. Most buildings start with a plan from the Architect to the draftsperson. The builder then assembles his team to work on the site after approval from the government.
Everyone comes in at different levels to help with just one aspect of the building. After every stage, the workperson leaves and the next person takes over.
The mason, painter, plumber, electrician, the floor and roof workers each have a role.
The builder coordinates the project every step of the way.
When you choose the self-publishing route, you are like the builder. You are an independent publisher. You organize your book content. Research topics and pick what your readers may like. You then commit to writing one word at a time until you finish writing. Hoorah! You have a manuscript.
That is not all you, now, move to the next stage. Edit your work. Get a professional editor. Then it is time for your proofreader. You arrange for a graphic designer for your book cover, your launch date and finally, you click one button. You are self-published.
There is a deep sense of satisfaction when you accomplish things yourself. You are the driver and, you make the final decisions. With traditional publishing, you sell your rights to making decisions when you sign a contract with your publishers.
Many authors want to make decisions about their books. However, since they do not know how self-publishing works, they hand over their publishing rights to another person(s). How sad!
Would you prefer to have freedom over what goes into your book?
How about publishing rights? Rights regarding the use of your book?
Do you want total control of your book with the potential to earn higher?
If you answered yes to the above questions, I recommend self-publishing.
If you want help with putting the different processes mentioned above together, gaining an in-depth understanding how self-publishing works, here is the deal, if you take my one to one coaching, I will take you through the process. I help busy moms become self-published authors. Book an assessment call with me to get you started. I can't wait to help you move you from zero writing to hero writer! Click to book below
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