The Beauty in Self-Publishing and Why We Support You
As a self-published author myself, I know how difficult it can be to get your books on the shelves and in front of an audience. Large publishing houses require an agent and take most of the shelf space. Some bookstore owners won’t glance in your direction once they hear the words self-published, partly because of the fear of the quality of your work and partly because you may not make them any money. Yet, the self-publishing industry is on the increase because it allows for complete autonomy. Guidelines on cover and content are not enforced and you have the freedom to work directly with your illustrator to create a masterpiece that just the two of you collaborate on. Time to market is much quicker than the traditional six to nine months with a traditional publisher, and e-version books will not be released prior to the printed version. Additional benefits are longevity, the ability to make revisions quickly for e-books and print on demand, higher royalty and bit more control over pricing which can get quite high with a traditional publisher. The ability to obtain global distribution and control who sells and sees your work are definite benefits.
But, it’s not all roses. Make sure you collaborate with an editor because that support system may not be available through your self-publisher. Also, your visibility (especially in bookstores) will be extremely limited and you will be responsible for marketing yourself. You will also be responsible for all upfront costs. With publishing deals you will receive a monetary advance. Poe & Company Bookstore wants to provide self-published authors more visibility for your work. You have put the time, money, blood, sweat and tears into your book and we want to support your creativity. Contact Chrissy Butler at poeandcompanybookstore@gmail.com to set-up your author reading and book signing event! We are excited about what you have created!
