Self-publishing requires different skills than writing does; you need to be a project manager, a marketer, a publicist, and more. As such, many authors rely on experts to handle the nonwriting details when putting out their own books. Some may try to do it all themselves but eventually discover that in order to successfully self-publish, one typically needs a little help. After Clayton Smith self-published a book of short stories, Pants on Fire: A Collection of Lies, in August 2013, and then a novel, Apocalypticon, in January 2014, he figured out which parts of the process he could handle himself and which required assistance from others. Using what he learned in the process, he then founded a company to help other authors self-publish. I spoke with Smith about his experiences, and then talked with Kim Bookless, an editor and consultant who works exclusively with self-published authors, and Lissy Peace, an experienced publicist who has worked with both self-published and traditionally published authors.

The Author’s Approach
Clayton Smith holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri. He lives in Chicago, where he studied arts management at Columbia College and worked in marketing for Ticketmaster. In addition to his novel and story collection, he has also self-published a children’s book, three digital short stories, and a play. 

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I have been writing on and off since childhood. In between work and teaching, I was always working on several projects—but I would write several thousand words and then not finish the piece. As I neared thirty, I knew it was time to get serious. I chose the book that I was having the most fun with, my novel, and planned to go the traditional publishing route. I received twenty rejections, and more than half were form letters with no constructive criticism. But I didn’t want to give up. I had worked really hard and I knew this was the book I wanted to publish.

Determined to get the book out into the marketplace, I began to consider self-publishing. I realized the process was complicated, and knew I had to spend the time to learn about it, so I decided to do a test run by first publishing a short story collection. That way, I could get any mistakes out of the way before publishing my novel. I spent about eight months assembling the stories in Pants on Fire: A Collection of Lies, and researching self-publishing. I had a graphic designer friend do the cover, which in retrospect was pretty bad. I didn’t pay for any editing. I posted it on Amazon and sold only a few hundred copies. I thought I had done my homework, but not hiring a book designer or an editor were rookie mistakes. For my novel, Apocalypticon, I hired an editor I had found online and used 99designs.com for the jacket. I then republished Pants on Fire—after having the stories edited and a new jacket designed. The new edition has been selling better.

I didn’t think endorsements were important, so neither book has blurbs. But I’ll be getting them for future books. I did look into hiring a publicist but ended up not using one. Because I handled social media for Ticketmaster, I was comfortable promoting online; I have about twenty-five hundred Twitter followers and I’ve been trying to grow my e-mail list. My followers are supportive and they’re engaged when I discuss my work. I did launch events in Chicago and in my hometown of Saint Louis.

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I’ve gotten a few reviews, have spoken at a conference in Chicago, and appeared on a few panels. I’ve sold about thirty-five thousand books, including some twenty thousand free downloads from a Kindle promotion this past February, which only cost one hundred fifteen dollars. I probably spent less than three hundred dollars on the first edition of Pants on Fire, and it showed. For the novel, I spent about twelve hundred dollars and I’ve made that sum back. 

 After my experience—especially knowing the mistakes I made—I formed Dapper Press with Steven Luna, another writer. We help authors through the self-publishing process by providing low-cost services including editing, copyediting, proofreading, and design. We put together publishing packages based on the services that each writer needs. We have a small team of freelancers, and we help authors produce both e-books and paperbacks for between seventeen hundred and two thousand dollars. 

As for my own work, this past March I self-published the first title in a new children’s series, Mabel Gray and the Wizard Who Swallowed the Sun. (Imagine Harry Potter and The Wizard of Oz directed by Tim Burton.) I wouldn’t rule out traditional publishing in the future, but for now I’ll continue to self-publish. My advice for writers considering self-publishing is twofold: First, remember that a good book editor is different from a friend with a command of the English language. Don’t balk at hiring an editor. Second, get help and input from other authors through a writers group or a self-publishing meet-up. The authors will be supportive and provide objective feedback. If you only talk to friends, they’re not likely to be critical.

An Editor’s Take 
Kim Bookless is a publishing consultant/book editor who specializes in self-published authors. Earlier in her career, Bookless worked at McGraw-Hill and in the nonprofit arena. She is the founder of the Chicago Self-Publishing Group and president of Chicago Women in Publishing. 

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It can be hard for authors to figure out how to self-publish. The information on Google is often contradictory. Authors who contact me usually have a finished manuscript and are eager to publish. However, most of them haven’t given editing any thought. Either they’re certain their book doesn’t need it or it’s just not on their radar. I feel strongly that authors shouldn’t publish without having their books edited. Ethically, I don’t feel right having them spend their money if they omit this essential step. I first ask authors to get a manuscript evaluation, which generally costs five hundred dollars. I work with a small number of experienced editors who will review a manuscript and write a report on how the book could be improved. Reading details about how their books can be made better convinces most authors that they should work with a developmental editor.

Anyone can post a book for free on Amazon, but there’s a lot more involved than simply uploading book files. The other stages—copyediting, production, e-book conversion, proofing, and project management—are also important. I tell clients to expect to spend between five and ten thousand dollars to self-publish (though Clayton’s company’s fees are lower). Sometimes, you can eliminate one round of copyediting or handle your own project management, but cutting corners only increases the chances that the book won’t look professional. Cover design is incredibly important. It doesn’t matter if your book has amazing content; if the cover is boring, readers won’t pick it up. Work with an experienced book designer, not just a graphic artist. Clayton’s books are hard to miss. The cover of Apocalypticon has a tactile quality that somehow integrates zombies with Disney. It’s really well done. Each of his covers pop. They’re distinctive and match each book’s genre. 

In my initial conversation with authors, I stress that publishing, especially self-publishing, is a gamble. There’s no guarantee that you’ll recoup your costs, let alone make a profit. What I do is help give authors the best chances for success. If an author has the budget to do it properly, I’ll facilitate connections to all the right people—but still, self-publishing remains a risky proposition. Unlike Clayton, who is incredibly prolific, many of the authors I work with will only publish one book. 

The most important advice I have for authors looking to self-publish is this: People are incredibly unforgiving of errors, whether it’s a spelling mistake or a missing word. Many readers are likely to mention those mistakes in a review and be very critical. You’ve spent a great deal of time on your writing, so make sure the end result reflects your efforts. It’s worth waiting six months until you can afford to hire experienced help. You owe it yourself to produce the best book possible. You don’t want it attacked with one-star reviews on Amazon for errors that could easily have been prevented. You want readers focused on the story, not typos.

A Publicist’s Perspective 
Lissy Peace, founder and president of an eponymous national publicity firm based in Chicago, has more than twenty-five years of experience working with authors. She has also produced several television shows and audio products.  

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An author has to honestly assess whether he or she can wear two hats—as author and marketer/publisher. If you’re pitching and someone turns you down, you as the author might take it personally. You have to be able to turn that side off and approach the media as the marketer. If you can’t do this, you’ll lose sight of what you’re trying to accomplish. You should schedule a four-month window from when you complete your book to the release date. It takes time to get the book listed in the distributors’ systems and get books into the hands of reviewers. During this time you should be ramping up your social media posts and building your contacts list. Authors who want to jump in can do it themselves but a professional will have a laser-beam approach. The publicist knows whom to contact and how to write a good press release. If you’re going to handle your own publicity, take the time to learn the media standards so you don’t blow your one shot. For example, a press release is not an advertisement. Fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books all require a slightly different type of press release. If the author is great at social media, he or she can post about the book. On the other hand, some authors need step-by-step help with online platforms, and a publicist can guide them.

Get all your ducks in a row: Request an ISBN, have a professionally designed jacket, pay attention to formatting, editing, and copyediting. How the book looks is very important. You should also acknowledge the people who invested in your book. List the names of the editor, designer, copyeditor, and anyone else who worked on the book. That will show a team effort and demonstrate to bookstores (and the media) that the book is a quality project.

Authors shouldn’t simultaneously publish in hardcover and paperback; publishing in separate formats at later dates can give a book a new life. But definitely do e-books and audio, which have both been growing in popularity. Every self-published author should:

Take advantage of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and Target. Each of these websites has resources to promote your book, many of which are free. 

Participate in writing groups. These will help you build an audience for your book. Members will tell you which of their own strategies have been successful and which have not. They’ll also share ideas on innovative ways to sell your book and how to find potential reviewers.

Write an op-ed. Newspapers and blogs are always looking for opinion pieces. Write about a topic related to the book or something you’re passionate about; make sure your byline identifies the book’s title.

Approach a range of national, local, and online media. If you appear on a program with a large viewership, be sure to have thousands of books printed and available in stores.

Although smaller printings can be more expensive, print conservatively. Your first print run will probably include mistakes, so you’ll have to reissue the books anyway. 

Clayton is clearly a prolific author, and his approach to publishing books in quick succession makes sense. Authors who write and publish quickly never stop promoting. With a second book, you can go back to the same outlets that covered you the first time. 

Debra W. Englander is a New York–based freelance editor and writer. She managed a business-book program at John Wiley & Sons for nearly seventeen years and previously worked at Money magazine and Book-of-the-Month Club. She has written about business and books for numerous publications, including USA Today, Good Housekeeping, and Publishers Weekly.