Self-publishing: The future of publishing

As a recently published author, I have heard hearty congratulations for my new poetry collection, Serenity at Two Lights and Other Social Issues, which is on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Serenity-Lights-Other-Social-Issues/dp/1938883527/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1399316509&sr=8-9&keywords=serenity+at+two+lights. My publisher is Maine Authors Publishing, and they have a Facebook presence at https://www.facebook.com/maineauthorspublishing. They did an outstanding job of editing, graphics, and the finished product is something that would make any author proud.

I heard only a few hushed comments about self-publishing and how it's not "real" publishing. A good article about the positive side of self-publishing can be found on Peter Anastas' blog at http://peteranastas.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-i-chose-to-self-publish-decline-of.html. He's right about the initial premise -- there is a stigma attached to self-publishing. He wrote this article in 2011; in 2014 there's still a stigma but much less of one. However, that didn't prevent a family member from letting me know he was disappointed I was taking the self-publishing route and not supporting the major publishing houses with my work. What he didn't grasp is that many major publishing houses have their own self-publishing divisions. They have to in order to compete in today's marketplace. It's almost satisfying to see the big publishing houses, who threw out manuscript after manuscript, scramble to stay alive. I'm not advocating the death of the publishing house but I am hoping it becomes a less painful process.

Self-publishing is the future of publishing. No more slush piles. No more rude publishers. In fact, while books, whether in e-book format, hardcover, trade paperbacks or paperbacks have increased in volume and in sales, these numbers include books which have been self-published. Some books do not fit any particular genre or are more difficult to get in print than others -- poetry, for example. I didn't hesitate to find a well-respected self-publisher for my poetry collection. Publishers don't make money publishing poetry, so many will pass on it, and even those publishing companies which publish poetry have an extremely limited list of published poets in their catalogues.

Self-publishing my poetry was relatively easy. It involved editing, reviewing the edits, reviewing graphics and layout design, and rewriting where necessary. After all, the self-publishing house wants you to have the best book you can possibly have, and of course, so do you.

I have friends who have been published through traditional publishers. That doesn't mean their prose is any better than my poetry. I've read some of it and a couple of books didn't quite make it because the characters and plot were thin. Nevertheless, they were congratulated on their success in being published, even if the only people who bought the books were their family members and friends. I mentioned that I was self-published and heard, "Oh, that," and they walked away shaking their heads. Do I have leprosy, I wondered? Is the self-publishing image that bad? Or is there an issue of being an elitist when it comes to how your book is published? The answers are no, sometimes, and yes.

I suggest potential authors take a look at Maine Authors Publishing to see how a well-run self-publishing company operates. They turn out beautiful products, and some of their books become best-sellers. Some of their books win awards of all kinds.

Self-publishing is the future of the publishing industry, so if you've self-published your book, be proud of it. Sooner or later you will get the accolades you deserve. Above all, don't give up. Check into the self-publisher you would like to use. I have seen absolute garbage come out of traditional publishing houses and self-publishers, but I've also seen professional looking books published by self-publishers. Do your homework and you'll find a reputable self-publisher for your book. Ask to see copies of some of their published books. If you feel uneasy about the self-publisher, find another one. They're out there and they'll help you get your ideas in print.

Congratulate yourself for being published. After all, you did it! You've avoided the dreaded slush pile and rejection letters. Instead, you received top-notch editing, beautiful graphics, and something you can proud of for years to come.