Comments on: Yes, think hard before self-publishing–but understand what “true” self-publishing is first http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:31:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Self-Publishing | Katriona Chapman Illustration http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-19280 Self-Publishing | Katriona Chapman Illustration Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:39:41 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-19280 [...] published’… to distinguish them from vanity publishing. You can read more of her argument here. She feels that writers/illustrators who do a professional job of independently publishing their [...] [...] published’… to distinguish them from vanity publishing. You can read more of her argument here. She feels that writers/illustrators who do a professional job of independently publishing their [...]

]]> By: Topic 3: Go with a traditional publisher, or go independent? « Writers discuss… http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-12994 Topic 3: Go with a traditional publisher, or go independent? « Writers discuss… Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:29:27 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-12994 [...] Yes, think hard before self-publishing–but understand what “true” self-publishing is first a response to the above article, by Sue Collier [...] [...] Yes, think hard before self-publishing–but understand what “true” self-publishing is first a response to the above article, by Sue Collier [...]

]]> By: Bess Tryon http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Bess Tryon Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-80 Sensational looking weblog, Can I pay you to make one for me? Do you know of any kind of different blog pages on this specific topic. This is the best page I have seen Have high hopes no I know we will see more from you again. Sensational looking weblog, Can I pay you to make one for me? Do you know of any kind of different blog pages on this specific topic. This is the best page I have seen Have high hopes no I know we will see more from you again.

]]> By: KC Frantzen http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-79 KC Frantzen Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:09:28 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-79 This is excellent information. Thank you all! I'm looking forward to following your blog. I've completed a middle grade adventure. Am pursuing traditional publication as I continue to polish, but by year's end, if it's not being seriously considered, then we plan to self-publish (in the sense that you mean it.) I joined SCBWI last fall, have already attended 2 conferences, am an apprentice level graduate of the Christian Writers Guild and just yesterday hired a writing coach to review my entire ms. (She's booked until mid July so I have awhile to continue revisions.) So - thank you and we all, I'm sure, look forward to learning more! This is excellent information.

Thank you all!

I’m looking forward to following your blog.

I’ve completed a middle grade adventure. Am pursuing traditional publication as I continue to polish, but by year’s end, if it’s not being seriously considered, then we plan to self-publish (in the sense that you mean it.)

I joined SCBWI last fall, have already attended 2 conferences, am an apprentice level graduate of the Christian Writers Guild and just yesterday hired a writing coach to review my entire ms. (She’s booked until mid July so I have awhile to continue revisions.)

So – thank you and we all, I’m sure, look forward to learning more!

]]> By: KC Frantzen http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-78 KC Frantzen Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:07:50 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-78 This is excellent information. I look forward to learning more as time goes on. Thank you all! This is excellent information.
I look forward to learning more as time goes on.
Thank you all!

]]> By: Sue Collier http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Sue Collier Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:11:04 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-76 Michael--You've misunderstood what I mean because I don't disagree with you. POD in and of itself is, of course, print on demand--a printing option that is becoming more and more viable through such channels as Lightning Source. It is its own entity; it's simply a way of printing books digitally--and yes, all kinds of presses use it. What I strongly object to is that the subsidy presses are calling themselves "POD self-publishers," leading many authors to believe that in order to print their books via POD channels (instead of offset where they are responsible for storing hundreds and perhaps thousands of books), they are forced into going with outfits such as Lulu, Author House, and the other subsidies. I'm frankly annoyed with Writer's Digest and their lumping together of all options that aren't traditionally published as "self-published," even though many options (including Author House) are vanity presses, through and through. And really, the complete opposite of well-thought-out, well-planned self-publishing. I have written an excellent chapter in my upcoming book that clarifies what all of the options are; perhaps I can convince them to read it! I appreciate the comments. I'm an avid reader of your blog and an admirer of your work! Michael–You’ve misunderstood what I mean because I don’t disagree with you. POD in and of itself is, of course, print on demand–a printing option that is becoming more and more viable through such channels as Lightning Source. It is its own entity; it’s simply a way of printing books digitally–and yes, all kinds of presses use it. What I strongly object to is that the subsidy presses are calling themselves “POD self-publishers,” leading many authors to believe that in order to print their books via POD channels (instead of offset where they are responsible for storing hundreds and perhaps thousands of books), they are forced into going with outfits such as Lulu, Author House, and the other subsidies.

I’m frankly annoyed with Writer’s Digest and their lumping together of all options that aren’t traditionally published as “self-published,” even though many options (including Author House) are vanity presses, through and through. And really, the complete opposite of well-thought-out, well-planned self-publishing. I have written an excellent chapter in my upcoming book that clarifies what all of the options are; perhaps I can convince them to read it!

I appreciate the comments. I’m an avid reader of your blog and an admirer of your work!

]]> By: Sue Collier http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Sue Collier Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:02:42 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-75 Congratulations on your self-publishing success, Bill! It's great to hear stories such as yours because it reaffirms that self-published authors can indeed sell lots of books! Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll check back! Congratulations on your self-publishing success, Bill! It’s great to hear stories such as yours because it reaffirms that self-published authors can indeed sell lots of books! Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll check back!

]]> By: Bill Quain http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Bill Quain Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:20:51 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-74 Hello Sue, I didn't bother to read the comments from the Agent you mentioned . I have nothing against agents, but in this innovative world, I just don't see any reason for a debut author to waste their time with agents. Even if they get a contract, which is highly unlikely, they will get almost no marketing help, and they give up control of their information. And, these days, information and content are currency! The main problem for people who want to make money with a book is that they concentrate on selling books. Your book should be only one part of your platform. Authors communicate ideas , entertain and motivate - all while building a relationship with their community of readers. This may mean utilizing all sorts of communication tools. Unfortunately, agents, who ae stuck in an old and perishing model, are not in a position to take advantage of the new model, and will consistently speak against it. I have been a self-published author since the late 1980's, and my parents were in the business before that! I wrote 17 books (many self-published) and sold 2 million+ copies in 20 languages. Today, I use blogs, audios, videos and other tools to increase sales volume. It also strengthens my relationships with the readers. It is an exciting time to be an author, particularly a self-published one. Hello Sue,

I didn’t bother to read the comments from the Agent you mentioned . I have nothing against agents, but in this innovative world, I just don’t see any reason for a debut author to waste their time with agents. Even if they get a contract, which is highly unlikely, they will get almost no marketing help, and they give up control of their information. And, these days, information and content are currency!

The main problem for people who want to make money with a book is that they concentrate on selling books. Your book should be only one part of your platform. Authors communicate ideas , entertain and motivate – all while building a relationship with their community of readers. This may mean utilizing all sorts of communication tools. Unfortunately, agents, who ae stuck in an old and perishing model, are not in a position to take advantage of the new model, and will consistently speak against it.

I have been a self-published author since the late 1980′s, and my parents were in the business before that! I wrote 17 books (many self-published) and sold 2 million+ copies in 20 languages. Today, I use blogs, audios, videos and other tools to increase sales volume. It also strengthens my relationships with the readers.

It is an exciting time to be an author, particularly a self-published one.

]]> By: Michael N. Marcus http://selfpublishingresources.com/yes-think-hard-before-self-publishing-but-understand-what-true-self-publishing-is-first/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Michael N. Marcus Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:06:10 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/?p=272#comment-71 I was happy with everything you wrote until >>I am truly bothered by the fact that POD “self-publishing” is now being lumped together with true self-publishers.<< You're doing some improper lumping. POD (a manufacturing scenario) is used by real self-pubbers (like me), vanity presses, university presses, traditional publishers -- all kinds of publishers -- and should not be lumped together with any of them. Writers Digest (publisher of your book) is making the situation worse by lumping together real self-publishers with the customers/victims of vanity presses, and by carrying ads for vanity presses aimed at ignorant, starry-eyed writers. Michael N. Marcus -- president of the Independent Self-Publishers Alliance, http://www.independentselfpublishers.org -- author of "Become a Real Self-Publisher: Don’t be a Victim of a Vanity Press," http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981661742 -- author of "Stupid, Sloppy, Sleazy. The Strange Story of Vanity Publisher Outskirts Press. How do they stay in business?" http://silversandsbooks.com/outskirtspressbookinfo.html -- author of "Stories I'd Tell My Children (but maybe not until they're adults)," coming 4/1/10. http://www.silversandsbooks.com/storiesbookino.html http://BookMakingBlog.blogspot.com http://www.SilverSandsBooks.com I was happy with everything you wrote until >>I am truly bothered by the fact that POD “self-publishing” is now being lumped together with true self-publishers.<<

You're doing some improper lumping.

POD (a manufacturing scenario) is used by real self-pubbers (like me), vanity presses, university presses, traditional publishers — all kinds of publishers — and should not be lumped together with any of them.

Writers Digest (publisher of your book) is making the situation worse by lumping together real self-publishers with the customers/victims of vanity presses, and by carrying ads for vanity presses aimed at ignorant, starry-eyed writers.

Michael N. Marcus

– president of the Independent Self-Publishers Alliance, http://www.independentselfpublishers.org

– author of “Become a Real Self-Publisher: Don’t be a Victim of a Vanity Press,” http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981661742

– author of “Stupid, Sloppy, Sleazy. The Strange Story of Vanity Publisher Outskirts Press. How do they stay in business?” http://silversandsbooks.com/outskirtspressbookinfo.html

– author of “Stories I’d Tell My Children (but maybe not until they’re adults),” coming 4/1/10. http://www.silversandsbooks.com/storiesbookino.html

http://BookMakingBlog.blogspot.com
http://www.SilverSandsBooks.com

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