Self-Publishing

How do you feel about it? I've often wondered about it meself - in a sort of 'just want to do it before I die' sorta way.

I think that the days of 'vanity publishing' are long over and that self publishing is going to become more and more acceptable and relevant as time goes on. It cost around £80 to set up an account and then £3 to print each book after that - so sales at £10 per copy can cover your cost pretty quickly! It's a no risk option as books aren't printed until they are ordered. This strikes me as an excellent way of getting yourself 'into print'. A family history, a collection of stories or poems to give to friends and family or even your first novel are all worthwhile doing. I'm all for it - just don't expect to produce a best seller!

On the other hand you might. All these guys self-published: Remembrance of things Past, by Marcel Proust Ulysses, by James Joyce The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter A Time to Kill, by John Grisham The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. (and his student E. B. White) Deepak Chopra Gertrude Stein Zane Grey Upton Sinclair Carl Sandburg Ezra Pound Mark Twain Edgar Rice Burroughs Stephen Crane Bernard Shaw Anais Nin Thomas Paine Virginia Wolff e.e. Cummings Edgar Allen Poe Rudyard Kipling Henry David Thoreau Benjamin Franklin Walt Whitman Alexandre Dumas William E.B. DuBois Beatrix Potter amongst others, including William Blake and, if I remember correctly, George Orwell. http://www.ukauthors.com http://www.ukapress.com http://andrealowne.ukauthors.com/

If you ever try to use it as a source of primary income, I fear you'll more than likely starve... Lulu is good. http://www.ukauthors.com http://www.ukapress.com http://andrealowne.ukauthors.com/

I did it. I feel OK about it, no shame, no social stigma. Good experience overall. But if you're not good at self promotion forget about selling many copies. It would be nice if a real publisher was interested. Are you out there real publisher?

You should check the small print but all reputable self publishers are really just printers and you retain the copyright of all of your work.

barryj1 On a slightly different note (i.e. but really the same topic), I recently taught myself how to bind books by hand - both traditional hardcover and paperback and, I swear to God Almighty, that the end product is every bit as professional and attractive as anything you find see in the bookstores. Simply stated, it isn't that difficult to produce your own books if you possess reasonably good crafting skills and are willing to learn the art of bookbinding.

done it, was chuffed with the result. Check it out, http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1743645 You can even buy one if you are really impresssed!

hi all :) I often thought about this but at first thought where do you find the self publishers that will print your work for an afordable price. But i have learnt that really if you can use a printer and computer and some how try and bind it lol then you have your book, the main area I feel is in selling it yourself! you have to be confident in your selling ablities and your work. I have not yet self published or approached any one its the binding part putting me off lol but i hope to soon. but well done to all those who have and even if there is no career out of it to hold your own work in your hands all polished must feel so rewarding and fantastic. take care x keep writing and keep smiling :)))))