Tips on Self-Publishing from an Expert

Time for an update on my self-publishing cookbook project. In a previous blog post, I promised that I would finish my manuscript by the end of 2009…I’m getting close but I’m finding that completing a book is like finishing a marathon. You THINK mile 26 is just ahead but you’re really only at mile 18. But I like to keep my promises so I will be buckling down over the next few weeks in order to finish it. Oddly, the idea of completing it makes me a little nervous. What happens when you finally accomplish a dream that’s been sitting inside of you for years?

When I need some inspiration, I only have to look to my brilliant friend and colleague, Lauren Braun Costello. She co-authored her first book this year with Russell Reich who published it for them. “Notes on Cooking,” is a wonderful collection of kitchen “notes” on how to become a better cook.  Jacques Pépin said this about the book, “Concise, focused, and sensible…full of useful advice.” Yeah, THAT Jacques Pépin! And if you can believe it, this talented woman has another book coming out this month,  “The Competent Cook” which includes more kitchen advice and a collection of her extremely well-written recipes. You know I’m picky about cookbooks - but anything written by Lauren is a sure bet.

Self-publishing has become much more common in recent years. The internet, social media sites, and online “publish-on-demand” (POD) sites make it much easier for people to market and self-publish books. When I first started contemplating self-publishing, I spoke with Russell (co-author of “Notes on Cooking” - he and Lauren started dreaming up the book in one of my JCC in Manhattan cooking classes). He pointed out that even if newbie authors have a traditional publisher, they still have to do a lot of their own self-promotion - with very little profit.  With a little creativity, it’s now possible to successfully market your book on the internet. The author of, “The Middle Place” found herself paying for her own book tour - but after a youtube.com video of her doing a book reading went viral, her novel ended up on the New York Times bestseller list. Clearly, she is a talented writer - but she also knew how to take advantage of technology.

So, for those of you who are interested in self-publishing, I interviewed Russell Reich, co-author of Lauren’s “Notes On Cooking.” Russell very successfully self-published his first book, “Notes on Directing,” before online publishers existed - and has since then picked up a lot of knowledge on the topic.

What are the benefits of self-publishing?

Autonomy. Speed. Quality assurance. Total control over the finished product and every aspect of the brand we’re creating. The sense of accomplishment and integrity in the work. And the potential for a lot more of the profits going to me and Lauren rather than a bunch of other people.

What have the been the challenges?

The financial risk of financing it myself. The extraordinary amount of sheer hard work in writing, editing, designing, producing, warehousing, publicizing, and selling the book. It’s joyful, but it’s A LOT. Having a co-author like Lauren makes a huge difference.

Did you use a P.O.D. site or did you do the more old school method? And why?

I did not go POD. Custom sizes are very hard to come by with POD, as are custom papers, inks, and endpapers. Our brand requires a high quality of material execution, and the highest standards of the printers art, so we went with traditional, smyth-sewn binding, offset printing, and true cloth-covered boards. POD quality is increasing all the time and the stigma and barriers to acceptance within the channel are decreasing, but it still isn’t right for us. We have to put up with the higher costs, warehousing, and time to print, but I think it’s worth it to get the best possible book.

What tips would you recommend to other people who are thinking about self-publishing?

-Read The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing by Tom and Marilyn Ross
Buy and read two more books on self-publishing of your choosing.
Join ibpa-online.org (Independent Book Publishers of America) and attend their Publishing University, held every year just before Book Expo America.
-Subscribe to and read Publisher’s Weekly (you get a good deal on a subscription by being an ibpa member) Know what you cannot do and find good people who can do that for you. Only do this if you are absolutely convinced that many, many people will want to buy your book (your desire to create a book is virtually irrelevant. Who [else] cares is very relevant.)
-Only do this if you are absolutely certain you can write a great book with a distinguishing element in the marketplace. Only do this if you have a source of income to sustain you while you’re working on the book. Know your audience.

And of course, if you have any other thoughts, feel free to share!

Design the cover first. It will help you stay on track as you navigate roiling waters. Don’t expect to make money. Expect to gain clout (if your book is good).

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Thank you, Russell! I will be sharing more of my experiences with self-publishing in upcoming weeks as I work feverisly to tweak recipes and finish the manuscript. Stay tuned for more Adventures in Self-Publishing….