The art of self-publishing is quite a bit like baking. If you have the right ingredients, coupled with the talent and vision of the bakery (author consultant, editor, book designer), you get more than you expect!
More than once this past month, I’ve been handed a self-published book by an eager author who can’t wait to get my glowing opinion and never-ending compliments. Unfortunately, each book shouted, “SELF PUBLISHED!” and as I struggled to find at least one nice thing I could say about each book, I felt sorry for the author. “Nice photo on the cover” or, “Nice blue you picked for your signature.”
Yes, it is quite an accomplishment to reach the point of having a published book in-hand, but if done incorrectly, it can cause your brand more harm than good . . . unless your brand includes, “missing the mark” or “unprofessional”.
If you don’t know what you are doing . . . ASK FOR HELP.
It’s not just self-publishers who let themselves down. It’s very much a “buyer-beware” industry. It’s not my job to scare you with horror stories, but please take the time to educate yourself on the industry, or reach out to a professional author consultant and ask tons of questions. Not everyone who calls themselves a publisher . . . is a publisher. Just about anyone can upload their own manuscript onto CreateSpace, pick out a cover photo and type in their title. And more often than not, the finished book LOOKS self-produced, and becomes an automatic repellent for new business. (If you want to hear about the horror stories . . . give me a call.)
If you wouldn’t dare bake your daughter’s wedding cake, then PLEASE treat yourself with the same respect and avoid self-publishing your book all by yourself . . . and beware of those who oversell their experience with publishing. Settling for a half-baked book is a lot like setting for half-baked cakes . . . no one wants them.
You can also join me for this month’s FREE Lunch & Learn webcast, where I’ll be sharing my signature talk and slides, “Self Publishing 101: Creating a Magnetic Brand through the Power of Publishing.” Thursday, February 22, 2018. Remember to pre-register here.
And you’re more than welcome to have cake during the presentation!