Basic Steps To Self-Publishing Success

- Basic Steps To Self-Publishing [Success] -
by
Leo Hunter
All Rights Reserved 2007
Published by
Able Limited Editions
www.ablelimitededitions.co.uk


Honest writers and authors alike who are unafraid of losing their commission or royalties etc, would publicly note that even if whomever you know is your best friend owns a top publishing company and gives you the nod on a publishing contract so-to-speak, that doesn't guarantee you as the writer or author of the product any publishing [success]. Like it or not mainstream publishers often pull the plug on distribution of their products, more than often charge their writers and authors editorial fees that effectively negate any royalties, and may enter their contract with aspiring writers and authors on a covert basis of not actually intending to promote the product adequately to ensure writing/authorship success.

To put it even blunter, there are no friends in any successful business. They are associates, partners, affiliates etc who, if doing their job properly (legally), must ensure their associates, partners, affiliates etc are not committing any offence etc. And you must also consider the fact that traditional publishers have the last editorial word when it comes to what is actually published.

That last introductory point isn't the case in self-publishing; except in the context that anyone who self-publishes is unlikely to permit anyone to edit, far less view their intellectual property (writing etc) to edit. That is unless they are ill-informed, ill-advised, unable, or simply far too trusting. Expressers of their own 'professional opinions' are generally immunized against any prosecution, as a legal rule.

But now you've decided to self-publish; after taking the necessary legal advice/s. Basic steps you ought to take to self-publish are not unlike those taken by any well-informed writer or author taking the 'conventional' route to publishing. First, you ought to decide who your target audience is – ie what's the subject matter of your intended ebook etc? And what's the reading level - ie do you intend to write in codified gobbledegook for a professional audience, or plain language for the public at large to understand without any ambiguity? And whether or not codified, do you intend to publish it as non-fiction, or fiction? Make sure you have adequate corroborative evidence as you write though, no matter which. It is a universally applied fact/law that the possession of any written etc work which 'may' be considered to be illegal or unlawful with intention to publish it, is a criminal offence in itself.

Basically the next step is to plan your book etc. That is narrow your subject matter down into issues/themes, allotting a chapter to each, possibly overlapping them if necessary to ensure your work 'flows', as is said. Then follow your focused or directed conscience as you carry out the complex chore of actually writing each paragraph, sentence, word, etc, in one recognizable and acceptable structure/style or other. As a self-publisher, that's all essentially up to you. But it's a good idea not to put too much data into each paragraph, or sentence, for your audience to consume. That is speed of intellect is a consideration.

The next two steps may appear to be obvious, to anyone not vain enough to believe they get it all right in one sitting. But when you consider [privately] your book etc is written, read and edit it at least a week after you first considered it to be written. Then repeat those editorial processes at least another three times. Even any good conventional publisher insists that writers/authors must proof-read their work at least three times once after each time the publisher edits their work. And that editorial procedure takes about six months.

Hopefully, your book etc will then be ready to publish. Whatever that actually means in conventional terms. Publishing, in legal terms, actually means by any spoken or written word/s, or any other means of private or public communication to any person. - But that explanatory fact/rule tucked well-and-truly into your evidential war-chest, your next step in self-publishing depends on whether or not you decided to copyright-protect your book etc through ISBN imprinting/publishing for the first time. If you did, go ahead. Create it using any good ebook compiler. Then start distributing/selling it accordingly. You don't have to lodge the required digital (CD) copies into the British Library vaults etc immediately. You have one month to do so, from the date you begin distribution/selling, privately or not. That is not until there's a change in the law to cover digital media as per print format books. And when that happens, if it's not your first ISBN book, you must give the appropriate written advance notice of each book etc you intend to publish with ISBN imprinting; before you start distribution/selling, privately or not. Six months notice isn't a legal requirement. But it's expected.

Of course, if you decided not to apply ISBN imprinting until there is a change in the law, go ahead and create the ebook etc. Then distribute and or sell it. But take heed: unless you have adequate guaranteed sales in advance as a self-publisher or your 'conventional' publisher 'guarantees' in advance that there will be adequate sales of your work as their writer/author in the royalty market, you must have a business plan you can adhere to for at least two years for each publication if you plan to make any profit or break even. The market is otherwise unpredictable; except in the context that your rivals will try to influence it against you. - And if a conventional writer/author, you will not receive any royalty/royalties from your publisher, if sales of your work are inadequate to cover any said advance payment given to you. - Whichever, your account books will take eighteen months (three conventional accounting periods) to balance out, plus six to reconcile differences caused through inevitable (essential) editorial costs etc.

And there you have self-publishing in the proverbial nutshell. Follow those steps and you won't go far wrong. But beware. A change in the law to cover digital format books as print format books is inevitable. But not before the end of 2010.

Take care. Publishing is cut throat business, where priceless intellectual property and defamation are concerned.

Able Limited Editions