Self-Publishing

What is self-publishing? This is a concept we all want to know. Self-publishing is paying to have your book published. What is so wrong with that? We have traditional publishers, and we have publishers like iUniverse.com, Lulu.com, Outskirtspress.com, and Booksurge.com. There are many more, but these are some of the popular ones.

As I browse their websites, and their bookstores, I see that I am not the only one interested in self-publishing. There are tons of authors who have given this path some serious thought, and actually utilized their knowledge to make their dreams come true.

Authors have no choice in the matter because we just can't depend on the traditional process to make our dreams a reality. I sent my book proposal out so many times I think my eyes are going blind or something. The traditional publishers send informal rejection letters, and some of them do not even bother to send anything. You figure if you do not hear from them in six months, they discarded your partial manuscript in the slush pile which went automatically to the garbage pile. How insensitive is this?

If I am being rejected, I want to know the reason why, and a nice letter with my name and address on it, addressed exclusively to me, explaining the fact that you read my manuscript and what you did not like about it. This kind of rejection will give me the courage to send out my manuscript to another publisher with some revisions that I received from a rejected publisher.

Authors work hard to make their books marketable by writing what is being published, and revising our hearts out. In my case I have an editor, which I pay handsomely to make sure that my book is up to market value. My editor is a published author herself, so she's knowledgeable on what I need to make my novel publishable. She's worth the money and the information she has educated me with.

There are publishers who will not give you the time of day if you self-published your work. I think this is a myth and a rage within itself. Authors believe in their books, and it's their job to make sure that readers read them, and a self-publisher will enable this. They are equipped in publishing your book, and enabling you to promote it, and not worry about the publishing side of it.

I worked with Lulu.com and this is a very inexpensive way to get your book published, and it takes less than an hour. The service is recommended because it enables anyone to publish a book, but my advice is making sure that your work is edited. Lulu.com provides the publishing tools, but it's up to you to do the marketing, and that's with traditional publishers too. Authors are going to market their books by word of mouth, business cards, bookmarks, and postcards. This is a way for readers to know that we have a book published, and we want you to read it.

There are authors who are so dissatisfied with iUniverse.com and some of the other self-publishers that they are coming up with their own publishing houses. This is good also, but it's going to cost a lot of money, and remember money is the key here.

Why should we pay money to publish a book? We should find a traditional publisher and let them pay us because our product is worth it and then some. We pay to get our work read. It does not matter how we manage the task, but the essence of the book. My debut novel "I Confess" is a collection of twenty-two, confession short stories, published by a traditional publisher. The process took a very long time, and patience was a virtue I did not have. I am highly proud of my debut novel, but there are still people who do not know my book exists. It's my goal to sell one million copies. This book is superior, and should be read.

I have spent money to go to college, buy clothes, food, books, take trips, buy houses and other material things in life, and so why not pay to self-published my book? I do not have to wait long for the entire process, which is a highly-acclaim attribute in self-publishing. There are many well-known authors today who have taken this path, and this passageway has led to success in ways unbelievable for many authors.

I am a romance author, and I have many stories to tell, and many books to write. I am going to get my book out there so readers can enjoy the stories I tell. Short of illegally doing it, I will continue to pursue the self-publishing path, and encourage others to follow in my footsteps. New writers are making their presence known and there are no ends to the many books that will be promoted soon for this year and many years to come.

Rejection is available at Lulu.com and Torn Between Two Lovers will be coming soon by Outskirtspress.com. I have more books in the works, and will publish them with iUniverse.com and more with Lulu.com and Outskirtspress.com. I have a voice and stories to tell, and they will be told. My books can also be purchased at my website at http://www.carolannjohnson.net so take a ride with me and romance.

And remember that when we want something done, a kingdom of wild horses won't stand in our way to make our dreams and goals come true. Self-publishing is a phenomenon I recommend, and it is here to stay for many generations and years to come. This author is ecstatic!

Copyright © by Carol Ann Culbert Johnson

Carol Ann Culbert Johnson is a published author of "I Confess, Rejection, Articles for the Soul, and Torn Between Two Lovers." She lives in Oak Lawn, IL, and busy at work on many more books. Ms. Johnson works full-time at a clinic, and she attends Ellis College for her BA in English/Professional Writing. She has just finished her Associate Degree in Paralegal Science.

Please visit Ms. Johnson's website at http://www.carolannjohnson.net and sign the guestbook.

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