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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Indie

Indie

7 Good Reasons to Self-Publish

By Bob Hostetleron February 21, 2018
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I have mentioned before on this site (here and, most recently, here) that aspiring writers often shoot their publishing futures in the foot, so to speak, by self-publishing a book (or books). I won’t repeat myself again (see what I did there?).

Instead, I will talk briefly about the good reasons to self-publish. There are many bad reasons to do so, of course (because no agents or editors seem to recognize your genius, you’re frustrated and impatient, etc.), but there are also some good reasons. These include:

  1. You have money and time on your hands

Okay, I’m being facetious. Just a little. But, seriously, self-publishing done well is an expensive and laborious process. It requires that you have not only writing skills but also extensive editing, design, and marketing skills—or that you hire the services of those who do. 

  1. You want a family keepsake

Biographies, memoirs, and cookbooks are a tough sell. But coming (as I do) from Amish ancestors, I place a high value on family records and histories (shoot, I even coauthored—with a distant cousin—two historical novels based on our family’s history). So I can understand and encourage someone who self-publishes a book expressly for family—children, grandchildren, and others. Such information might otherwise be lost to future generations.

  1. Your book must be released soon

Suppose your topic is time-sensitive, and it really needs to be released soon (say, for the hundredth anniversary of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s abdication in November 1918). If you signed a traditional book contract today, it would normally take at least eighteen months for your book to be released. So if your book can’t wait, self-publishing might be the best option.

  1. You have an amazing platform

If you pastor a church of thousands, host a popular radio/television/YouTube show, or present seminars to thousands of people every year, you may do well to self-publish something for your audience to take home from an event or pass on to others. Of course, that is also a pretty fair indication that your platform might attract a traditional publisher, so you might want to pursue that possibility first.

  1. You have a marketing and distribution strategy that will sell thousands of copies—or more

 In recent years, an average of 700,000 books a year were independently published.[1] I was never great at math, but that seems like a lot. When you self-publish, the task of getting your book noticed and bought (and, often, shipped and/or stocked) is up to you. But if you have those skills and can move a lot of books, then your sales success as a self-published author could work for you in pursuing traditional publishing deals in the future. 

  1. You plan for your self-published book(s) to create synergy for your traditionally published books, and vice versa

I have friends (don’t snicker, they’re real) who release a top-quality ebook as a prequel to a new release, as a premium for pre-orders, or a giveaway in exchange for signing up on a website or mailing list. In such cases, of course, the self-published book is every bit as good as their traditionally-published products, but is carefully designed and its release timed to interest specific kinds of readers for a strategic purpose.  

  1. Your traditionally-published book has gone out of print

If you had a successful book that a traditional publisher has stopped producing, but you have good reasons to believe it still has legs, you may want to self-publish. In fact, you may be able to obtain the digital files from your former publisher. It’s worth it to ask, and can save you trouble and expense.

I’m sure there are other good reasons to self-publish (including: your Aunt Fiona has promised to buy 10,000 copies for her knitting circle), but these are what I could jot down with very little thought and effort.  Maybe I should write a book.

[1] http://media.bowker.com/documents/bowker-selfpublishing-report2016.pdf

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Category: Indie, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Indie, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life

Test Marketing Books

By Dan Balowon May 23, 2017
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In the traditional book-publishing world, insiders often refer to the initial release of a book from a new author as a marketing test…more R&D than launching and promoting a known product. The self-publishing process can function in a similar role of market testing for a first time author. You won’t know for certain how it will be received, but it is worth the effort to try. Most authors …

Read moreTest Marketing Books
Category: Book Business, Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, The Publishing LifeTag: Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life

At What Point Would an Agent be Interested in an Indie Author?

By Steve Laubeon April 10, 2017
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I am an indie author. I’ve written several novels, some of which have sold well and all of which have *at least* 4.7 stars. Is there a point at which an agent would want to talk to someone like me? When/why might I consider getting an agent? Thanks to Heather for the question! A number of factors play a role in answering this question. (Are you getting tired of my “it depends” answer to all your …

Read moreAt What Point Would an Agent be Interested in an Indie Author?
Category: Agents, Book Proposals, Indie, Pitching, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, Indie

HELP! I’m a Self-Published Author

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 16, 2014
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Time and time again, self-published authors come to me asking for help. They self-published or published with a very small press and found that doing all of their own marketing and promotion resulted in sales in the three-figure range. Some authors are able to achieve the low four figures but that’s not much better as far as impressing a traditional publisher. A cumulative total of several …

Read moreHELP! I’m a Self-Published Author
Category: Career, IndieTag: Career, Get Published, Indie, Self-Publishing

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