tomeubanks.com

                                                            

    I'm trying to market my self-published novel, Worlds Apart.  Tonight, I will be speaking before the Literary Branch of the Ojai Art Center at 7 p.m.   I have this opportunity, because Liz Grumette, the chairwoman of the event, is a good friend of mine.  I'm excited (and scared) about this appearance, but I also realize that it goes with publishing a book.  

    But when I was preparing to send a press release out to the Ventura Star  newspaper, I called the paper to ask who I would send it to, and the first question I was asked was "Is this a self-published book?"  I wanted to say, "What difference does it make?" 

    Yeah.  The first thing I do when I'm in my local book shop is pick up the book and look to see who published it.  "Oh, gee, HarperCollins published this, it's gotta be great!"  Heck no.  I look at the cover, read what the book's about, read about the author if I don't know the author, then I read the beginning of the book--a page or two--then a little from the middle.  And I decide if this is something I want to read.  

    I don't know how many self-published books I've read, because I don't care if the author published it.  In the 1970s, a writer friend of mine named Todd gave me a book called The Whorehouse.  He said a friend of his wrote it and it was a funny read.  I read it.  I liked it.  When I gave it back to him he told me it was self-published.  

    The Shack was first a self-published book.  It sold so well, that it was picked up by a mainstream publisher and became a best-seller.  There are many of these self-publishing success stories. 

    I don't understand this asinine fixation on the publisher.  I've read books published by one of the big five publishers that wasn't very good.  Have you?  Of course.  We all have.  So the fact that publishers have professional acquisition editors reading books submitted by well-respected agents doesn't mean in every case the book will be good.  It just means it probably won't be bad.  And there lies the only difference.  A self-published book can be really, really bad. But reading a few pages of a book will tell me if it's poorly written--no matter how it was published. 

    My book was actually accepted by an E-publisher (RFI West) in 2000 and published in 2001.  Within 18 months, they imploded and I was back where I started.  So I knew my book had at least been accepted by the publishing establishment.  That they couldn't get along with each other and didn't know how to run a business was another issue.

    So what can we writers who intend on self-publishing do to make sure that our book is worthy publishing?  First, I have writers I know and respect read it and give me feedback.  I don't give the book to my wife or mother or brother.  If they don't like it, they won't tell me, and if they do like it, I'll likely wonder if they're just saying it because I wrote it.  Hiring a professional editor would be wise, but most of us couldn't afford one.  But if I could, I'd consider it.  
Whether it's going to a mainstream publisher or I end up self-publishing does not change my approach to writing the book--and it shouldn't. I re-write, let it sit for a while, then re-write, let it sit, then re-write.  Writing is re-writing!  I never forget that. 

    I am working on getting an agent.  I really don't want to be in the book-selling business and when I self-publish that's what I end up doing.  I want to write them and let the booksellers sell them.

    After tonight's talk, which is about self-publishing my book,  I've decided I will not  mention that it's self-published ever again.  If I'm asked the asinine question "Is it self-published?" I'll reply, "iUniverse published it."  If they happen to know that iUniverse is a self-publishing company, so be it.  

    I realize that the stigma of self-publishing has created in me a bit of defensiveness.  It reminds me of how the local professional theater folks look down their noses at the community theater population.  I've seen bad performances by professionals; I've seen great performances by "amateurs."  

    I have a good book.  I don't need a publisher's stamp of approval to convince me.  It's asinine not to believe in something I love.