I’m so pleased to begin a new author’s tour this month with Nancy Famolari. Nancy is a talented writer and is offering a great article on some of the benefits of self-publishing. But, before we start, let’s learn just a bit about Nancy.
Nancy Famolari lives with her husband, five horses, two dogs and five white cats on a farm in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. Her stories and poems have appeared in Long Story Short, Flash Shot, Fiction Flyer, Lyrica, Alienskin Magazine Clockwise Cat, and Matters of the Heart from the Museitup Press. She received an award from Fiction Flyer for one of her flash fiction stories.
Doesn’t Nancy’s home sound like a bit of heaven. Living in New York City, it sure does!
Okay, on to the good stuff:
An Unexpected Benefit from Self PublishingBy Nancy Famolari
Self-publishing has many benefits:• Control of the text of your book.
• Control of the cover design.
• Ability to make the book available in both digital and traditional formats at the same time.
For me, these were important reasons for using this flexible publication medium. However, with the first book I published, I found a benefit I wasn't sure I wanted. Having complete control of the text, I had to take full responsibility for the final product.
I had avoided thinking too much about the mechanics of getting a book ready for publication. I thought my editor would smooth out the text and make it salable. Editors do a great deal, and I had a superb editor, but when I was forced back on my own resources, I found I could do things I should have done before the book ever went to an editor. These included:
• Assuring the grammar and punctuation were correct. I thought I knew enough grammar to get by, and whatever I didn't know would be supplied by the editor, or surely the copy editor. Controlling the grammar and punctuation myself made me conscious of what each sentence conveyed. It led to a lot of rewriting. Punctuation is a valuable tool that can be used to enhance the images you are trying to convey.
• Making sure each speaker's the body language is correct. I favor description of the speaker's actions to elucidate the text. After several a careful reads, I realized there were many instances where I could use description to increase tension and reveal character.
• Checking the facts to assure each link in the chain of evidence works. When working for myself, trying to assure that each scene made a contribution to the story, I found myself making time lines and synopses. It was a lot of work, but when you're writing a mystery, it's necessary.
Perhaps I was naive when I started writing novels. I felt like an amateur, and I prepared my manuscripts that way hoping professional editors would correct the problems. When I became my own publisher, I became critical of my work and took responsibility for the finished product.
I don't mean to suggest editors are unnecessary, or that everyone should take up self-publishing. What I do suggest is that we should each view our work as though we were the publisher. I'm sure our editors will thank us, and we'll have a better chance of finding a publisher willing to spend time and money on our books.
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Nancy, thanks for these great insights into self-publishing. It’s a publishing route a number of authors are looking into today.
Now, let’s take a look at some of Nancy’s books:
19 Comments on An Unexpected Benefit from Self-Publishing with Nancy Famolari, last added: 11/3/2010
It's my pleasure to host a talented author and entrepreneur, Virginia S. Grenier. Virginia has graciously prepared an informative guest article for us, but be sure to read to the very end . . . you won't want to miss: A Bit About Virginia S. Grenier and her wonderful children's picture book,
Babysitting Sugarpaw.
Does Marketing Really Matter with VS GrenierKaren thanks for having me as a guest blogger today. I gave the topic a lot of thought over the past couple of weeks. For those who do not know, Karen asked me share with you about marketing my book, Babysitting SugarPaw while I was pregnant. So without further ado here is my story.
When I first got the go on my picture book, Babysitting SugarPaw being published, I started my email blasts. I had press releases sent out, I posted on all my social sites, talked about it in SFC Newsletter for Writers, did radio interviews, etc. I wanted to build the hype about my book before it even became available. Once it did, I did not stop my marketing campaign. In fact, I stepped it up a notch once it came out.
My publisher sent an email blast about my picture book to their contact list with the cover art, my photo, a blurb on the book. I had them send me a copy of the blast so I could do the same with my contact list. I also had post cards made up of the blast to send out. I sent them to every school, library, preschool, daycare, children’s store, doctors, dentist, and bookstore I could think of or find in my phonebook. I did give-a-ways. I had free coloring pages available on my site. I did contest. I sent copies to blog review sites. You name it . . . I pretty much did it and I was not even done yet with the ideas I was coming up with either.
But then things changed, I found out I was pregnant and I was only just getting warmed up with my marketing campaign. I knew this did not mean the end, but it did mean I would have to stay local with most of my in person promos and change some of my strategy a bit. No big deal. We have a pretty big county here in Southern Utah. Plenty of schools I can visit. Lots of kids to share SugarPaw’s antics with at local events. That was until the H1N1 virus decided to show up.
Talk about putting the breaks on my marketing strategy. My doctor did not want me anywhere near public places being pregnant. Heck, he did not even want to me to shop for food if I could help it. That meant no school visits in the fall. No book signings, no library visits, no nothing to help promote my book in person. I was missing out on a lot of local events in my area. Just my luck. Okay, but I still have the internet . . . right? I could still do interviews, guest blogging, radio interviews, Skype visits, blog talk radio, or blog tours, etc. At least that’s what I was hoping for. But I guess the rain wasn’t enough. No, it had to storm on my book campaign.
I ended up sick, even though I avoided all public places and my hubby did all the shopping, with . . . you guessed it H1N1. I was down for the count. Between being pregnant and sick as a dog, there was nothing left for me to give to my book, Babysitting SugarPaw. I watched as my book sales dropped off the charts.
My book, Babysitting SugarPaw came out July 2009. I have actually ended up only selling a couple hundred copies over the past several months. But do not think because my marketing campaign not going the way I would have like when the book first came out is going to stop me. Just because it has almost been a year, I am not going to give up on my book. Now that
Great article, Nancy. One of the things I love about being indie is the freedom to write whatever I want and not have to fit into any agent or publisher's niche. However, you make a vital point. We need to make our books as professional as possible. Editors should be for catching those little mistakes that slip by us, not for re-working our entire manuscript.
Thank you, Nancy and Karen, for sharing this with us today.
Thanks for having me as a guest today, Karen. Your post is wonderful!
Darcia, I agree with you. One of the major benefits is being able to keep your own schedule!
Nancy's books sound wonderful, Karen. And thank you for mentioning me.
When I first started in this industry, self-publishing had a stigma attached to it...the belief that anyone who went that route did so because they couldn't find a house to publish their work. I've avoided it like crazy, but lately my viewpoint has changed. I'm proud that I just signed up on Createspace to publish my latest novel in print. The e-book version is owned by BWLPP, but I want to compare my royalties as an Indie as opposed to getting 10% of the net which equals about 12 to fifteen cents. I enjoyed your interview, and you've encouraged me and made me feel my decision was a wise one.
Hi, All, Got started a bit late today.
Darcia and Ginger, Self-pubbing is coming into its own. More and more accomplished authors are taking this path to have more control.The key to doing it is to make sure you create a quality product.
Nancy, it's a PLEASURE featuring you today!
And, Janet, gotta pay it forward. :)
great post, and gives the reader much to consider when thinking about self publishing. I think it is the wave of the future for many talented writers.
Terri
http://terri-forehand.blogpost.com
http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com
Great post! Am thrilled with how much more accessible - and more accepted - self-publishing has become.
You have some great tips. Thanks for sharing!
Terri and Debra, thanks for stopping by. Places like CreateSpace are giving authors great opportunities. I'll be looking into CS for a nonfiction book I wrote.
I've enjoyed all your comments. I hope I've convinced some of you that self-publishing can be fun and a very professional way to get books out.
Ginger, I'm so glad you're trying it. I hope you'll have a good experience.
Nancy:
What a terrific article. It's wonderful to hear that self publishing is getting over the stigma of being the "red headed step child."
Keep up the great work!
Best wishes,
Donna
Good piece, Nancy. Of course one other benefit is significantly increaesd profits. Some big authors like Seth Godin and Stephen King have been doing it for both the reasons you suggest - control, and for the increase in profits - because they already know their market and have a direct line into them. Certainly the stigma is starting to diminish, as long as authors do as you say and make sure that they pay as much attention to editing (especially!) and promotion.
Hi, Donna and Maggie. Yes, self-pub has come a long way, but unfortunately, I think it still has a bit to go . . . only because of the authors who put very low quality work on the pod sites like CreateSpace.
Great post ladies. Glad to hear that self publishing is becoming more accepted.
I'm very happy to see this post. As an author previously published with three houses, I'm now totally Indie, and loving it! Yes, we must make sure to deliver a good product. The print books sell for more, so the reader is entitled to get their money's worth. We have to become very strict editors!
Nancy, I just love your cover art. It really draws me to your book.
Martha Swirzinski
www.movementplus.com
Thanks to everyone for visiting and making such interesting comments. I think we all agree self publishing is here to stay!
Kathy, Miss Mae, and Martha,
Hey, all, thanks for stopping by. Miss Mae, yes, we have become editors out of necessity. :)
Nancy great guest post and one many writers should see. I've twitted and posted a link from my blog to come read this. This is a topic we've talked about a lot on my blog radio show 'A Good Story Is A Good Story'.
Kudos to you for sharing your insight.
Hi, Virginia,
Thanks for stopping by and linking back to the post.
It is an important topic especially many more writers are choosing this pub path.