Hello Self-Publisher!
I am a newbie on this forum. I am actually a freelancer designer working on free and customized e-book covers for people like you. I want to make my free service specified, so I'd appreciate if you can answer or discuss on my one simple question: What are the biggest challenges you facing in the Self-Publisher's world today?
There is no bad or good answer. Thanks.
What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: February 16th, 2015, 7:25 am
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Re: What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
Marketing your works!!!!
Established publishers pay smaller royalties because the put a lot of $$$$ in publicizing/marketing their products. They also have established distribution points.
Let's say you self-publish on Kindle or CreateSpace paperback for Amazon.com. Where are you going to get the money to:
a - pay for reviewers to give your work the good word?
b - advertise in the various publications?
c - make a lot of copies to sit on store shelves?
The way the most successful self-publishers are that way because they crank out book after book and catch the eyes of potential buyers. It's a self-generating game. Write a lot of works and get decent reviews which increases the visibility and chances of being bought by readers.
And there is this - we are often so engrossed in telling our story at length that we ignore how to sell it as briefly and eye-catching as possible. How many novelists could make a living working in an ad agency?
Established publishers pay smaller royalties because the put a lot of $$$$ in publicizing/marketing their products. They also have established distribution points.
Let's say you self-publish on Kindle or CreateSpace paperback for Amazon.com. Where are you going to get the money to:
a - pay for reviewers to give your work the good word?
b - advertise in the various publications?
c - make a lot of copies to sit on store shelves?
The way the most successful self-publishers are that way because they crank out book after book and catch the eyes of potential buyers. It's a self-generating game. Write a lot of works and get decent reviews which increases the visibility and chances of being bought by readers.
And there is this - we are often so engrossed in telling our story at length that we ignore how to sell it as briefly and eye-catching as possible. How many novelists could make a living working in an ad agency?
Drop by Father Serra's Legacy http://msgdaleday.blogspot.com. Comments always eagerly awaited - but only if you find the item interesting enough to respond to.
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: February 16th, 2015, 7:25 am
- Contact:
Re: What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
Thank you longknife!
I have asked this question on other forums and surprisingly - or not - I got exactly the same answers about lack of marketing. Thank you for your reply!
I have asked this question on other forums and surprisingly - or not - I got exactly the same answers about lack of marketing. Thank you for your reply!
Re: What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
- Unnecessary, unprofessional, and fair-weather profiteers' goods and services scavenging off gullible self-publishing consumers' vanity
- An ever exponentially expanding plague of narcissistic daydream writing that is static -- the white-noise hiss of a corrupted transmission signal
- Lack of blunt and frank self-assessment and otherwise conscious, critical editorial evaluation
- Obliviousness to minimal, essential grammar, rhetorical style, content and organization craft, expression and discourse, and appeal features
- Nonnative and otherwise incompetent English language users advertising predatory publishing services and goods for self-publishers
- A flood of incompetent services and flawed goods and static narrative expressions that corrupt writing and language arts and sciences
- Self-interested perpetuation of self-delusional and erroneous gossip and rumors about self-publishing and conventional publishing
- Vice-ridden culture
- An unnecessary human wreckage of broken ambitions
- A la carte services and goods nibbles that drain wallets and kill writers' dreams by a thousand knife cuts
In a final analysis, only a strongly appealing and competently arranged product successfully sells; and, it successfully sells itself.
Spread the love of written word.
- hesperus_lux
- Posts: 19
- Joined: December 30th, 2013, 10:23 am
- Location: Hudson Valley, NY
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Re: What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
Good call Longknife! Marketing knowledge is helpful for anyone who has decided to take the fate of their career/products into their own hands. I suggest reading a couple of good books on copywriting, or finding a good site or online course. Don't worry, your story telling ability can help with writing good copy!longknife wrote: And there is this - we are often so engrossed in telling our story at length that we ignore how to sell it as briefly and eye-catching as possible. How many novelists could make a living working in an ad agency?
Also, I have found that for good advice in general, Joanna Penn's blog and podcast are great resources: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/blog/
“Nothing is exactly as it seems, nor is it otherwise.”
- Alan Watts
- Alan Watts
Re: What're the challenges facing in the Self-Publisher's world?
Bonne chance a tous !
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