Why I self-published my first Novel
- Erin Anastasia
- Aug 2, 2017
- 3 min read
...and things I learned.
There's this stigma that goes with anything to do with self-publishing in the book world and there seems to be a war with the scales; traditional vs self-publish. If it had been a few years back, and according to online thoughts, I'd say traditional was winning, but over the years people have grown accustomed to this get-out-there-and-do-it-yourself lifestyle and self-publishing your book has become such an easy feat and growing business.
Now, don't get me wrong; to be published by a traditional house is still an honor for writers, it's just that they are terribly difficult to get into, especially if you're a beginner writer, as most big names like to stick with big names or just haven't gotten to your manuscript just yet.
To be honest, I knew I wanted to self-publish my novel, Lost Oceans, from the very beginning. It was in fact one of my favorite YA authors, Amanda Hocking, who helped me realize more about this pathway in the writing world... so I didn't submit Lost Oceans to traditional publishers.
There are two ways you can self-publish:
Hire a self-publishing company to do the process for you.
Do it all on your own i.e. editing, formatting, design, etc.
I chose the first option because let's be real, I had no idea how it all worked.
Lost Oceans was/ is my baby. I spent ten months writing it. After completion I continued to go over it many times - cleaning it up, (attempting) editing, changing things. After +130 000 I was thrilled to have finished the book but I was afraid to let other's see it... for three years... I let it sit on a laptop, keeping it from the world. Until finally I was ready. I used google to search for self-publishers in my area and I had kept going back to the same one until finally I decided to email them. I continued to talk with them, finding out information and the process and making sure they were legit (very important) until I eventually asked to meet with them. This concluded my decision to hire them to take my baby - I mean book - I made this choice because I didn't want my novel to be taken and I had no say in what was going on. Also, the company seemed like the type of people who cared about the authors and not just about business (something you should take into consideration.)
After working long and hard on Lost Oceans, then getting myself ready to let it out in the world I wanted to be able to be included in the process - and that's exactly what I got to do. I was a part of all the approvals and decisions regarding Lost Oceans . When I didn't like something I could say no - and I did. I also realized how much work goes into publishing the book - the actual process that allows readers to be able to hold a book in their hand isn't as easy as pressing print.
There are a lot of pros and cons to self-publishing your book.
The negatives of self-publishing.
The author does all the marketing - this is quite literally the biggest drawbacks every one seems to stress. And it's true. If you do go down this path then you are now not only the author but also the publisher and therefore have the duties of a publisher; marketing. Luckily there are many options and ways you can get your book out there, but unfortunately, if you're an introvert like me (and most writers) this task is even more daunting than usual.
It's a slow process... and like all good things in the world; it takes time.
The positives... With self-publishing you get to build yourself how you want and the way you want. You get to decide and make all the rules. And though the idea of communicating with others can be scary - you're going to meet a lot of people - and you'll surprisingly enjoy it. In these few months, I have met many people. Strangers, fellow writers, old friends, new friends, unknown family and more coming out to show their support. As unknown as it all seems, self-publishing can really be worth it, because at the end of it all... you're holding a bounded print of your book. And who else to take care of your baby than you right?
- Lost Oceans is available on Amazon & Kindle. If you reside in Durban, South Africa you can contact me (Erin Anastasia) for a signed 1st edition paperback.
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