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To Self-Publish Or Not To Self-Publish

By Robert Swartwood on August 25, 2009

Isn’t it funny how the times change? Years ago someone would be crucified for suggesting writers self-publish their work. And those that actually self-published their own work, well, they were looked down upon as jokes.

Nowadays though, with publishing being where it is in the barrel, self-publishing has become tolerated, if not almost accepted in some circles. Keep in mind when I say “self-publishing” I refer to those print-on-demand places that don’t charge an upfront fee but will publish the book for you and then give you a little (should I say tiny?) royalty based on how much the retail is set at.

As so many more publishers are going the POD route, what difference does it make if a writer is published by one of those or they decide to self-publish their own stuff?

Theoretically, the final product would be the same, wouldn’t it? I mean, assuming the person doing the self-publishing knows how to properly layout the text, can provide substantial cover art, etc. A publisher is supposed to back your work, help promote it, but let’s be honest here — the bulk of promotion lies in the author’s corner anyway. The benefit of having a publisher back you is your book is more apt to get reviewed by respected magazines, might get decent distribution, though in terms of most small press publishers that still doesn’t mean you’ll end up in major bookstores.

Why am I bringing this up? Do I plan on self-publishing a novel or short story collection? No, not at all. But I’ve been thinking about my pet project, the novella I posted online and also uploaded to Kindle. As I mentioned before (either on this blog or the old one), the project was more an experiment than anything else. Yes, it’s always nice to make money, but the purpose of putting The Silver Ring online was to try to attract new readers. I do pretty much no self-promotion on the thing at all, but the website has been linked to enough places that there are visitors every day.

My initial plan was to do the PDF thing, the novella and a bonus short story for a donation of 99 cents, and while a decent amount of people have donated (thank you again, everyone!), it’s definitely nothing that will buy me a new car any time soon … or even a clunker. But again, this thing was never about making money. Ultimately it’s about the reader, giving the reader what I hope is a good product.

Only, the more I started thinking about it, is a PDF copy really a good product?

In the end, what does one do with it? Read it on the computer, sure, or else they print it out. And once they print it out, then what? It’s not like you can put it on a bookcase, and even if you tried, what would be the point? It’s not really tangible, something you can carry around and show people. No, of course not, so what happens to it? Most likely, it ends up in the trash.

When I launched the novella back in May, the whole Hint Fiction contest had been in full-swing, and then with everything in its wake the project sort of got put on a back-burner. But like I said I’ve been doing some thinking, mostly about self-publishing, and I’ve been playing around with the idea of releasing The Silver Ring as a digest-sized paperback. It would include the entire novella plus the bonus short story and host that great cover my friend Wyatt made for it (even better, it would hopefully be wrap around too). And, as this was never about making money, the plan would be to price it just above the manufacturing cost, so that it would be as cheap as it can be. Right now I’m thinking around eight bucks, and that would include domestic shipping (international shipping might be another dollar or two). I would limit it to 100 copies, signed and numbered, and could sell them directly from the main website — otherwise, going through Lulu’s online store and Amazon and elsewhere, the retail price would be more expensive to off-set their costs, and then you would have to pay shipping on top of that.

So I would really like to hear your thoughts. Not necessarily regarding my novella, but in general — are you more apt to buy a book if it’s priced reasonably than you are a PDF? Are PDFs a waste of time? Are actual printed books a waste of time? Is the fact that a particular story — like my novella — completely free to read online make you less likely to purchase a copy of the book? Or do you not care at all?

Every reader is different, just like every writer is different. What works for (or appeals to) one, won’t work for (appeal to) another. It’s trying to find the balance that is the hard part, and truthfully, I don’t think there is a way to find it.

Of course, this is all speculation right now. Just throwing the idea out there. And please keep in mind that those who had originally purchased the PDF and would like to buy the book as well will have 99 cents factored out of the cost.

Now, as Martin Landau always says in Entourage, does that sound like something you might be interested in?

P.S. My official thoughts on self-publishing are the same as giving your work away for free — I don’t see a problem with it as long as you know exactly what you’re doing (self-publishing or giving your work away for free) and have a damned good reason for doing it.

Posted in , | 7 Responses

  • http://jointhebirdies.blogspot.com jeremy kelly

    I personally would rarely spend money on a PDF, and am more apt to purchase something in print. Not necessarily because it makes sense – its just the way I like to read.

    And I think that the difference between having a publisher put together a POD of your manuscript and self-publishing it yourself is acceptance. Its nice to have someone like your work enough from the get-go to want to sink a little time and money into it and show it to others. A sort of instant gratification.

    Which means self-publishing is really only for writers with high self-esteem. : P

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  • http://aaronpolson.blogspot.com Aaron Polson

    I’m with Jeremy. A couple of bucks (maybe) is about my threshold for something digital. I prefer to read in print and I don’t (as of yet) own an e-reader.

    So yeah, I’ve been known to pay for something that I can get for free online. I think it’s all about the value added.

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  • http://www.gaydegani.com gaydegani

    There’s something about owning something tangible–and easy to store–that most of us still cling to. I downloaded and paid for THE SILVER RING and it was definitely worth it. I would buy it as a paperback book for eight dollars even though I’ve read it because I liked it. I would like to own it.

    As for PDF, phffft. Means nothing. More loose paper to shuffle around. Even if it’s in a binder, a binder is big and clunky.

    At the early stages of a career, it’s important to create a demand for one’s work, so with that in mind, your uploading to Amazon and contemplating a limited print edition is a step toward building your future. I don’t think it’s a misstep, but a forward step. I see no downside.

    Especially, Rob, when you consider that you WILL be a successful writer. Imagine those of us who purchase a first edition of The Silver Ring, signed and limited, and how pleased we’ll be to have recognized and appreciated the early stages of your writing?

    Things are shifting. We need to shift with them and taking risks often has pay-offs worth the cost.

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  • http://gristleandsmoke.blogspot.com Jeremy D Brooks

    ♫It’s time for we writers, wherever we roam
    To admit that the waters around us have grown…♫

    I have folders full of PDFs that I haven’t gotten around to reading. I don’t have an e-reader either and I just can’t sit at a monitor and read for any period of time.

    But, that said, I agree with Gay: there is a market for e-books that needs to have your book on their flash drive. Same with POD. As long as it’s quality (edited, proofed, good cover), the more stuff you can get out there with your name on it is a good thing. I think they days of hiding behind the curtain until the audience is seated and the lights dim and the music starts are over…we’re damn near literary buskers now, which makes it harder to make a living, but puts more control in our hands (for whatever that’s worth).

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  • http://http//rosehunterblog.blogspot.com/ Rose Hunter

    I think this is a really interesting question. I want to say, no, it doesn’t matter, it’s the quality of the writing that counts of course…but still I would be more likely to shell out for a book than a PDF. When I had a big row of bookshelves I was quite fetishistic about them, as a lot of readers are – and I agree that there’s something about being able to locate the spine of a book and pull it out, rather than a PDF doc that’s piled under something else and maybe looks like an old university essay or part your tax return, and which you therefore forget about.

    I think that e-readers are the future – people will simply get used to reading on a screen when they consider the advantages of having all that stuff in one little device (especially for travel, + being able to download it from home instantly, etc etc). I know I disliked reading on a screen but got over it quickly when it was the only option available, to read a certain thing. (I live in Mexico and would have bought a Kindle by now only they don’t sell them here. Have to wait until I go to the States.) But having said that I think these will co-exist peacefully with physical books for a while to come at least. And especially as (and as you allude to) the other thing people like to do with books and bookshelves of course is to show off. This may be a base observation, but vanity is what drives most products to sell, right?

    Anyhow, I’ve gotten a little off track here. My point is I think your idea to do a limited print run of your book is a terrific one. Very exciting! And self-publishing a book never hurt Virginia Woolf or James Joyce….

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  • http://significantkinks.solelyfictional.org NKKingston

    A couple of bucks (maybe) is about my threshold for something digital.

    If only some of the retailers would realise that’s true of most people, and stop pricing eBooks higher than the average hardback!

    I have a growing collection of eBooks, but nothing to really read them on, and they’ve turned into something to look at when I’m on a train with no wireless, not novels I’m gagging to read in their own right. An eReader would help, but I’ll always be a sucker for secondhand books, the older and more worn the better (and if there’s a 75 year old newspaper cutting inside, I’m positively giddy!). eBooks don’t get covered in other owner’s doodles.

    Self Publishing is great for something with a limited market, or to produce some kind of special edition, but it’s still not commerically viable. I’m planning to publish through lulu an anthology of stories from a magazine I used to edit – the market is pretty much limited to people who are in the anthology, so there’s no point throwing money at a Vanity Press and getting 1000 copies that I’ll never shift. I can whip up a decent looking PDF fairly easily, but for something commemorative like this I think the contributors would prefer something solid to hold – most of them have PDF copies of the mag anyway, and to me at least PDF magazines now feel like a final draft, not a finished product.

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  • Robert Swartwood

    You know, I find myself feeling the same about PDF magazines. I’d rather be published in print, or online, than a PDF. Seems in a weird limbo between the two.

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