Au Contraire, You Self-Publishing Naysayers!

Mar 10, 2021

I belong to an authors and writers Facebook group. An author was lamenting that he couldn’t get any publishers to read his manuscript and that he could not even get their attention. He asked “What should I do?” 

He got all kinds of answers about agents and patience and tenacity. And I chimed in with: “Self-publish! If you’re successful, the traditional publishers will come to you.” 

And wow! That got an immediate strident response that said something like this “That never happens.  Traditional publishers never come to you. Publishers don’t want a book that’s already been published.” 

Well, I beg to differ. I agree, it is not common, but it is becoming more and more common. And there are some really BIG titles and authors (both fiction and non-fiction) that did start as self-publishers. 

Here are just a few:

    • 50 Shades of Grey (HELLO FB naysayer) by E.L. James
    • The Martian by Andy Weir 
    • My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking
    • Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
    • What Color is Your Parachute

 

 

With that said, it is difficult and not the norm, but it is less rare than a shark attack, a bear attack, winning the $900,000,000 lotto, or being struck by lightning. 

Here’s how to improve your odds:

The book MUST be successful. You MUST sell thousands of ebooks and print on demand. 

You do that by 

  • Marketing, marketing, marketing. 
  • Build a loyal following who will follow you to a traditional publishing house. Build a following that doesn’t care who publishes your book—they just want more of you.
  • Build a workshop, course, or program where your book is an integral piece of a bigger picture. 
  • Build a robust and large email list. 
  • Create a strong social media following. 
  • Engage with every single person who writes you a review or asks you a question or invites you to speak. Be involved with your audience. 

And maybe your goal is NOT to be picked up by a traditional publisher. I would hope that your goal is to sell books, or keynotes, or widgets, or change the world. Get over thinking that a traditional publisher is a sign of success—that’s just an out-dated paradigm of an author’s success.

Call Juxtabook for guidance in how to create your marketing plan. Or consult with us on what your book goals are. 

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