In June 2000, I self-published my first novel, Dream In Color and by September my literary agent was talking with major publishers about acquiring my novel. How did that happen? 

I would like to say it first starts with a good product. I won't say I wrote the next great American novel, but I believed in the story.  Networking with other authors and being a part of the writing community helps keep you visible and you learn information about where to go for book signings, conferences, and whose face you need to be in. I had the wonderful luck of meeting author Karen E. Quinones Miller. She self-published her first novel, Satin Doll with tremendous success and she helped me tremendously by sharing information.

 Some facts about self-publishing:

Yes, it is expensive

Yes, it is a lot of work

Yes, it is very rewarding

Yes, it makes you a published author

Yes, a major publishing house can pick you up

No, it's not a get rich quick scheme

If not done properly, self-publishing can also be a tremendous disappointment and you can end up wasting hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, I've seen self-published books that are written in a way that you will never find in the bookstore: unedited, no sentence structure, and follows no rules of writing at all. The author undoubtedly spent thousands of dollars getting this book published, but no one outside of family or friends would ever buy it.  When I see this, it makes me cringe because it diminishes the work and talent of those authors that have actually invested themselves into putting together a quality product that is well written and put together. 

Being a self-publisher doesn't mean you are a bad writer.  Getting a rejection slip from a publisher doesn't mean you are a bad writer. It could very well be that the material you've presented isn't what the publishers are looking for at that time.  There are numerous successful authors that were rejected before being published.  Such rejects were John Grisham and J.K. Rowlings.

It could also be that you need to hone your writing skills by taking a creative writing class.  It could be that you need to join a writing or critique group to get feedback on what's not working in your writing. It could be that your material is so unique and that publishers are not willing to take the risk of presenting it to the public.

Some writers simply do not want to be under the umbrella of a major publishing house.  Some writers enjoy the independence of owning his or her own business and keeping all creative input in their work. 

Whatever the reason, it is possible to be successfully self-published!

The first thing you need to do is start with a good product.  After you've written the manuscript and had it read, edited, read again, and then edited again, THEN it is time to take the next step to having it published. One of the biggest mistakes self-publishers make is not having their manuscript professionally edited.  Outside of printing and cover design, editing will be one of your biggest expenses and it is worth every dime. Do not skimp on the editing if you want your book to be taken seriously. Some writers argue that, 'this is just my style and I want to be different and I don't want to write like everyone else.' If we're talking contents and beautiful play on words that doesn't break every grammar rule there is, wonderful. If we're talking ignoring grammar rules or the rules of writing fiction then I urge you to listen to the editor or feedback group.  Unless you're James Joyce and your writing will be considered among the best literary masterpieces one day (after you're dead and died broke), follow the rules of grammar. It will not matter how good the storyline is if the reader can't read it and the writing style doesn't make them want to turn the page (I talk more on this in, Quill). 

For self-publishers, having a well-edited book enhances your credibility as a writer in the eyes of the reader as well as the publisher if you wish to sign with a publisher one day.  

Self-Publishing has changed since Karen and I did it, but some fundamental things about self-publishing remains the same. I created a guide called The Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing. In it are the basic steps you need to  be successfully self-published. The Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing is a workbook.  It is designed for you to write directly on the pages. You will be talking with a lot of people and doing a lot of things yourself, so you need to stay organized.  This workbook will help you so that you do not end up with several pieces of paper scattered around your home office.  Everything you need is in one place AND it is packed with information you need to be successfully self-published. 

It is not overwhelming and should not confuse you. I've read How To Self-Publish books that were so convoluted or spoke in language I couldn't follow that I ended up putting them down feeling completely overwhelmed and without the confidence I needed to pull it off. I remember breaking down in tears while trying to figure out how to typeset the manuscript even as I had one of those books opened.  Most self-published books say exactly the same thing and that's good because there are some basic steps to self-publishing even if the market for self-publishers have changed.

One of the major changes is getting your book to market. Getting your book inside bookstore is more difficult, but it can be done with diligence and patience.

I made this guide available to you for FREE. To download the guide, click The Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing (be sure to read the disclaimer)

I hope the guide is useful to you and Good luck!

PRINT-ON-DEMAND AUTHORS CAN USE THIS GUIDE TOO!  

Even if you use a Print-On-Demand, you can benefit from The Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing.  Be sure to check out Part Two-Promotion and Marketing Your Book.  As a Print-On-Demand author, you have a book in hand, but how to get that book into the hands of more people becomes a challenge.  The Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing will help you achieve that goal.

Answers to these questions are in the book..

Information about distributors, bookstores, starting your business, typesetting, promoting, and do you need a publicist? What goes into a promotional package? How do I go about getting a book signing? What are some names of book distributors? Where do I find a list of African-American booksellers and book clubs? What should my book look like? How do I get an ISBN? Do I need a barcode and where do I find one? How do I find a good graphic artist? Where can I find a commercial printer if I don't do Print-on-Demand? And Much More!