Self-Publishing

How do you feel about it? I've often wondered about it meself - in a sort of 'just want to do it before I die' sorta way.

I think that the days of 'vanity publishing' are long over and that self publishing is going to become more and more acceptable and relevant as time goes on. It cost around £80 to set up an account and then £3 to print each book after that - so sales at £10 per copy can cover your cost pretty quickly! It's a no risk option as books aren't printed until they are ordered. This strikes me as an excellent way of getting yourself 'into print'. A family history, a collection of stories or poems to give to friends and family or even your first novel are all worthwhile doing.

I'm all for it - just don't expect to produce a best seller!

On the other hand you might. All these guys self-published:

Remembrance of things Past, by Marcel Proust

Ulysses, by James Joyce

The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter

A Time to Kill, by John Grisham

The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton

In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. (and his student E. B. White)

Deepak Chopra

Gertrude Stein

Zane Grey

Upton Sinclair

Carl Sandburg

Ezra Pound

Mark Twain

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Stephen Crane

Bernard Shaw

Anais Nin

Thomas Paine

Virginia Wolff

e.e. Cummings

Edgar Allen Poe

Rudyard Kipling

Henry David Thoreau

Benjamin Franklin

Walt Whitman

Alexandre Dumas

William E.B. DuBois

Beatrix Potter

amongst others, including William Blake and, if I remember correctly, George Orwell.

http://www.ukauthors.com
http://www.ukapress.com
http://andrealowne.ukauthors.com/

I've already self published a book. It's a good feeling holding something that is more permanent than you are, something that'll last after you die, like having made your mark in the world, you know?

Spoiler alert: shameless self plug.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/this/7355006?showPreview

I think self-publishing is definitely a good thing but shouldn't be used as a source of primary income.

But I like it. Lulu, I think, is the best place to go through and do it.

If you ever try to use it as a source of primary income, I fear you'll more than likely starve...

Lulu is good.

http://www.ukauthors.com
http://www.ukapress.com
http://andrealowne.ukauthors.com/

I did it. I feel OK about it, no shame, no social stigma. Good experience overall. But if you're not good at self promotion forget about selling many copies. It would be nice if a real publisher was interested. Are you out there real publisher?

I was thinking about it, could you use a self-publishing site to get together a manuscript, a really good looking manuscript, so you'll have one that looks really good for the occasion an actual publisher is interested in your work, or would that piece become ownership of the site you're publishing through?

You should check the small print but all reputable self publishers are really just printers and you retain the copyright of all of your work.

barryj1
On a slightly different note (i.e. but really the same topic), I recently taught myself how to bind books by hand - both traditional hardcover and paperback and, I swear to God Almighty, that the end product is every bit as professional and attractive as anything you find see in the bookstores. Simply stated, it isn't that difficult to produce your own books if you possess reasonably good crafting skills and are willing to learn the art of bookbinding.

*

Are you going to keep submitting and resubmitting even after 30 years hoping to get published? I've given 13. That's enough time for a child to hit puberty. So I self released work as a start. There's no shame in it because I've had work accepted before at the BBC and also Gutenberg.net for it means I'm no slouch or lacking anything in terms of composition. More people will self publish if mainstream publishers and agents only go for the present trend and close ranks tighter and stickier than molasses. What happens when you're holding the next big hit and they don't even know it?

Check out my work and thoughts:
http://dominaeprimus.blogspot.com

Check me out in here by clicking my name.

done it, was chuffed with the result. Check it out,
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1743645

You can even buy one if you are really impresssed!

hi all :) I often thought about this but at first thought where do you find the self publishers that will print your work for an afordable price. But i have learnt that really if you can use a printer and computer and some how try and bind it lol then you have your book, the main area I feel is in selling it yourself! you have to be confident in your selling ablities and your work. I have not yet self published or approached any one its the binding part putting me off lol but i hope to soon. but well done to all those who have and even if there is no career out of it to hold your own work in your hands all polished must feel so rewarding and fantastic. take care x keep writing and keep smiling :)))))

M4nfred.
Can you give details of publishers that you mention?