It’s been one year since I released
my book Comics Startup 101: Key Legal and
Business Tips for Comic Book Creators. Since it’s my first book, and I went
the self-publishing route, I thought my readers would like to hear some of the
things I learned.
I
decided to self-publish my book for a few reasons. First, I wanted to keep the
price low and be able to control it. It was important to me that my book be
affordable so creators could buy it without putting a dent in their income.
Additionally, I wanted to get out into the public quickly. I knew it would take
a long time to submit to publishers, wait for them to respond, and then go
through their editing process. It wasn’t something I wanted to do for this
book.
I
chose Amazon’s CreateSpace program because books published through it are
listed Amazon and any online bookseller who chooses to opt-in to their product
offerings. It also was easy to make it available digitally on Kindle, and there
were no initial print run demands. The book is only printed when ordered, and I
have no obligations to order a set amount.
How
has my book performed? The sales have been in line with my modest expectations.
I knew I wasn’t going to get rich of this book. It’s a short book that appeals
to a narrow audience. I’ve sold 36 physical copies through Amazon and extended
channels and 12 Kindle copies. I know, those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but
I’m pretty happy with them. I’ve also sold an additional 10 copies in-person.
However,
there are far more copies of my book circulating among the public than what
I’ve sold. I have given away a number of copies at conventions, for reviews,
for gifts, and for strategic purposes. The number of free copies I’ve
distributed totals 71. It’s not a surprising number. People love free books,
and I’m happy to get mine in the hands
of as many people as possible. Obviously, I’d prefer they pay, but under
certain circumstances, distributing free copies makes sense.
So,
what have I learned? Self-publishing is hard. You are responsible for the book
from start to finish. The likelihood of someone discovering your book by
accident and buying it is slim. Here are four takeaways I’ve learned.
1. Edit, edit, and edit some more.
Please, make sure to edit your
book. Obviously, you’ll be responsible for doing some of the editing, but hire
an editor, or find an editor willing to help you out (Hi, wife!), to edit your
book. It will make it better. Looking over it once isn’t enough. Read your book
so many times you’re sick of it. I’m pretty sure my wife and I read through my
book at least 10 times, and each time, we’d find something else to fix or
change.
2. Make it look good.
Make your book look as attractive
as possible. Design a compelling cover. Make sure the interior looks great. The
more professional your book looks, the more likely someone will be to buy it.
Some publishers will offer basics for formatting your book, and some offer
“add-on” services for a fee. Make sure you choose what works best for you and your
budget.
3. Promote, promote, promote
Sadly, your great looking book
won’t promote itself. You are going to be responsible for getting the word out
and promoting it. Talk about it online before it’s released. Submit copies to
be reviewed. Find outlets where you can talk about and promote your book. For
me, I saw a noticeable sales bump every time I went on a podcast or gave a
panel at a convention. You will be your best salesperson. So, make sure to get
out there and promote it.
4. Profit?
Keep your expectations of profit in
check. It’s possible to make good money by self-publishing, but it will
probably take a while to turn a profit. You are going to be spending a lot of
time, energy, and money on making and promoting your book. Make sure you
understand how much money you will make on each book, and how you will get
paid. If you’re self-publishing, evaluate a number of publishers and choose the
one that’s right for you.
Some people look down on
self-publishing. I don’t. I think there are number of valid reasons to do it,
and honestly, some authors make a killing doing self-published work. If you
choose to go the self-published route, keep in mind the things I discussed
above.
If you’re interested in checking
out my book, here’s the link (affiliate):
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