Firstly, congratulations! Writing a story is a massive accomplishment in itself. But, I get it, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed by what to do next. While it may seem like a daunting task at first, with the right resources and support, you can successfully publish your book and share your story with the world, and it doesn’t have to be painful, or cost you an arm and a leg!
In terms of publishing, you have two options; find a publisher, or self-publish.
There are pros and cons with both.
You should consider if there’s a date or holiday you’d like to have your book published by. If you’re not in a rush, I always recommend submitting to a few of your favourite publishers before ruling out traditional publishing completely. Publishers will pretty much take care of everything from finding an illustrator to distribution, so they’re great if you’d like to be hands-off after your story is finished. But they are incredibly selective about the books they take on, it’s unlikely you’ll have much creative control, and you can expect to wait 3-4 four months after submitting your manuscript before you’ll hear anything.
If you’d like to speed the process up, self-publishing can be a good option. And, if you have concerns about the cost of funding your publishing yourself, not to worry, you can tailor your self-publishing experience to suit. Print-on-demand services offer a way to publish your book with minimal upfront costs.
One of the biggest advantages of self-publishing is that you’ll have full creative control! You can find the illustrator that matches the vision you have of your book, and you’ll get the final say on how each illustration and page layout looks. Of course, going the non-traditional route doesn’t mean your book can’t be successful - these days, there are so many options for self-publishing, and it is quickly becoming “normal” in consumers’ eyes. However, self-publishing can be a bit more hands-on, so that’s definitely something to weigh up while considering which publishing route is best for you.
You don’t have to go it alone though, finding the right people to help bring your book to life is key - that’s where I come in! I aim to be a one-stop shop. I can help you go from having your story written to having a ready-to-print file all set to send to your chosen printer or print-on-demand service provider. That means you won't need to liaise with a book designer or cover artist, and I can even help with editing if that's something you'd like an extra pair of eyes for. This means you’ll have full creative control, and you can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like.
Sound like what you need? I'd love to chat about your book! Feel free to book no-cost, no-obligation brainstorming session with me, or stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll go into detail about the process of getting your story ready to print, so that you can enjoy the process of bringing your book to market.
If you decide self-publishing is right for you, stay tuned! Over the next few blogs, I’ll explore how you can find the right illustrator for your story, and how the process of having your book brought to life might look. Feel free to join my mailing list to be the first to know when my next blog is live (I promise I won’t spam you!).