By Cathy L. Scrimshaw
At our January meeting we learned about the booming business
of self-publishing from Patty Osborne of Vancouver Desktop
Publishing. Patty outlined the pros and cons of doing it yourself:
saying good-bye to all those form rejection letters while gaining
control of the process; paying all the bills upfront yourself, but
then reaping 100% of the profits.
It's a lot of work. She brought a handout that outlined the steps involved, from writing through editing, layouts, proofing and printing, to marketing and distribution. Writers who self-publish need to wear many hats, and commit to the expense and time of working with professionals who can assist in producing a quality book. It is also important to know your market and then work towards it, both in the writing and the distribution. And sell, sell, sell!
Patty brought many examples of self-published books, from children's stories to biographies and even past-life regression. All these books were important enough to their authors to self- publish; all were intriguing and appealing enough to warrant a look and perhaps a purchase.
Her advice at the end of the evening for authors? Be professional. Work with other professionals who know the business. Do your research, and check the details each step of the way. If you work hard at it, you may be surprised at how successful you can be.
Patty's website, , contains all he information you need to decide if this is the route for you. So have a look, and you might end up with your name on a cover!
