Self-Publishing Sunday {Week 5}: Q&A 1

Facts & Myths / Companies / Costs & Earnings / Branding

Question: How do you self-publish?

Answer: Self-publishing means exactly what it sounds like – you published it yourself. There are a couple of different options. One is through something like blogging. Create a website and release your writing on there! The other version (which is what most people mean when they say, “I self-published”) is by working with a company like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. These books are often e-books or hard copies that can be (or are) purchased. I wrote about some of your company options a few weeks ago, and there I talk about it in a bit more detail. Self-publishing that way is generally where actual money is made. 

Question: I’m writing a book featuring lots of color photography. Will that greatly affect the cost?

Answer: Unfortunately, it most likely will. This is because it involves higher quality paper, the actual process of printing color ink, etc. From what I found while trying to answer this question, your least expensive option will be to go through Lulu.com. (I’m considering doing a second companies post about options for books that go beyond the traditional book with text, such as photo books.) 

Question: Why did you self-publish?

Answer: I self-published because it is so ridiculously difficult to get a literary agent nowadays if you don’t have any sort of marketable presence already. Ideally, within the next 10 years I will have an agent and a deal with a larger publishing house. Or I’ll be making a real income through self-publishing! 

Any other questions? Shoot them to me! Next week’s post will be about promoting – why you need to do it, how to do it, etc. 

Oh, and I made a new video on my YouTube channel! Given you a pep talk and talking about writing and stuff.