Do Self-Publish

The conversation came about because Marva Dasef brought up the suggestion that the IAG (Independent Authors Guild) become a publishing coop. Points for brought up by members like Moriah Jovan include the fact that:

“…outlets like fictionwise.com…require a publisher to have 25 titles by at least 10 different authors…before you can list on them. However, Fictionwise is huge and…really important to the success of a title. A publishing coop with a stable of authors could meet those requirements.”

Then came this from “Audrey”:

“I have noticed that some of the independent authors whose books I review have self-published them as if they were a publishing house.”

Lynn Osterkamp responded:

“It’s not AS IF they are a publishing house. We ARE publishers and you can be also. Buy your own ISBN….”

To me, this is just semantics, though. Fact is, an author self-publishing is an author self-publishing, whether or not they hide behind the facade of a publisher alias.

Fact is, without a big house and a big push behind an author, their work isn’t going to get any real recognition, not without solid grass roots support from the public. And getting that support isn’t easy. Then, and only then, once a book has sold 30,000 copies, will a major house move to buy the rights to publish the book, putting it in the running for national and international limelights.

Fact is, a small publisher, whether it is an author fronting themselves as a micro-publisher or a small press, doesn’t have the clout necessary to take the golden ring. A few books have made it, but almost every one of them was purchased by a major house before achieving that lucrative best seller status.

Oh, yes, self-published can be lucrative — very. The most successful of them are non-fiction how-to books, and the most successful of those are books like: “How to Succeed in Self-Publishing.” *boom-chukka-chukka-chukka-ding*

Something has to change (…or should) — yes, I certainly agree — but it isn’t going to be done by Wanda Writerly and Arthur Author running around independently, or even as a small group, trying to get enough buyers for their work. What is needed is something different, like a distributor who exclusively handles top flight indie books and won’t sell to Wal-Mart or Costco or any discount book seller. This indie distributor would only carry books vetted by editors who indie authors as well as the press and the public respect. This would guarantee the publishers, authors, and their books some media attention were it done right. It would create a monopoly of sorts: Bookstores and buyers could only get these vetted indie books from that distribution venue, and they would have to pay “full price.”

To really capture the limelight, though, what literary independents need is some editor or, rather, a team of editors who will thumbs up or thumbs down their books — people who have excellent reputations to recommend in a way that smacks the major media on the nose to get heads turning. Think “Siskel and Ebert” for books published only by small presses and independent authors.

Now I know that we have a splatter-fest out there of reviewers who people flaunt as already doing this, but they aren’t. They don’t have a regular slot during evening news where a couple of reviewers of renown sit around doing “quip and cut, rave and rant” over independent and small press books — something keen and cutting edge with antics and palaver that people enjoy watching.

Oh, yeah, we have Oprah’s book club, but how many others? And, be honest, getting on Oprah is harder than getting published by a major house. It means the major house is giving the book “the big push.” We NEED something like Oprah’s book club, but strictly for indie authors and presses, and it needs to be hot, grab major media’s attention, and become a overnight sensation with staying power.

Can it be done? I’m sure it can if someone knows the right people. Chances could be, though, that the majors would get in there once it is successful and buy the show.

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