Self-Publishing - Learn How to Do It Right

According to Bowker, 211,269 self-published books were released in 2011, up from 133,036 in 2010. These figures are based on ISBNs registered, but the total number of books being self-published is actually higher. Most Kindle ebooks aren't counted in these figures because they are not assigned ISBNs.

Writing and publishing a book is a dream for many people, but aspiring authors are often surprised at how much there is to learn about publishing and promoting books, and they are confused about their options. In addition, book reviewers, librarians, booksellers and consumers often lament the lack of quality they see in many self-published books. So, it's important to get some training in how to self-publish a book the right way.

See my Aspiring Authors page for resources to guide you the best way to publish your book, and check out my Book Marketing Plan Workshop to learn how to develop a customized marketing plan for your book.

Comments

[Anne Alexander]

Joel provides great information in an industry awash with scams and low quality information and products (books). I dropped off some copies of a client's latest book to Malaprop's Bookstore (one of the best independent booksellers in the U.S.) this week and the manager's unsolicited feedback was wow, these books look great! She has seen many, many independently published books that looked bad, and very likely the writing wasn't so great, either. This particular book had earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, so the writing was outstanding, too.

A self-published book can look great (that's what I do at Purple Plum Press), but being able to write a few hundred pages does not make anyone a good writer. That takes a big commitment and at a minimum a substantial investment in good editing!! Just my opinions, of course.

Self-publishing is a wonderful revolution, but there is a dark side. I'm sure Joel's videos will help aspiring authors steer clear of it.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Anne, thanks so much for your note. There are many excellent self-published books out there, but there are lots of poor quality ones as well. I encourage authors to learn as much as they can about the business of writing and publishing and to make their book the best it can be. There are lots of resources from recognized experts like Joel.

[Joel Friedlander]

Thanks for that Anne. It's clear that starting off with the best book you can create is going to put you in the best position going forward. There's no point putting all the work in and ending up with something that you can't confidently get behind. Your Susan Gabriel book is lovely.