Getting your emotion out of the way in most endeavors helps you think more realistically. This state of mind definitely applies to self-publishing, says LeeAnn Brook, author of Points of Inspiration: An Artist’s Journey with Painting and Photography. Her book recently gained a starred review from Publishers Weekly calling it a “magnificent debut book.”
The seasoned graphic designer credits the success of her book to over four decades of experience in her profession and taking her emotions “out of the equation.” She has also consulted several self-publishing guidebooks, which she found to have some loopholes. She then separated the wheat from the chaff and used what she learned in the planning and decision making involved in finishing her book. While self-publishing was costly, she believes it was all worth it.
LeeAnn gives an objective approach to self-publishing your book:
1. Invest in a professional designer
They say “You can’t judge a book by its cover” but when it comes to making a choice in purchasing a book, the cover greatly influences the buying decision. Graphic designers who are well-versed in book design can help make your book stand out from the crowd. An experienced designer is well-versed in preparing photos and pages properly for a printer, and if done correctly, can save you money in revisions at the printer. Check references and see samples of published work.
2. Find an experienced editor and proofreader
Experienced doesn’t mean your aunt who’s an excellent English teacher, but rather someone who edits and proofreads copy for a living. Again, make sure to check references and see examples of their published work. I found that in writing my book, I was often too close to the subject and needed an outside perspective from a professional who had a command of the language. My editor helped my writing flow and also caught some critical typos in the proofing stage.
3. Be objective
This is the part where she says you have to take your emotion out of the equation.
It’s easy to get blinded when you are in love with your product. Rather, be impartial and honestly measure the financial feasibility of your book before you start down the road of wanting to self-publish. Look at the costs first and make sure that you can make a profit after selling it to bookstores. Ideally you should be able to set your retail price at a minimum of four times the cost, allowing for the wholesale/retail markup. And don’t forget about marketing costs, fulfillment and storage fees, shipping, travel, etc.
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