Hi I have completed my manuscript and it needs to be edited now. I am considering self publishing but it is like a minefield out there, different companies offering publishing packages. I don't mind investing in this at all but would like a service that would get my book out there the best way with the least royalties. (Dont we all?) Its a personal story about domestic violence and i see it has a misery memoir with the potential of helping other victims, well that is what i would love to achieve. Therefore i would like an editor who perhaps would help me shine my book in the best light. Any advice on getting my book to the next stage would be really appreciated. Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I'm an editor and also run a self-publishing company (although I've also worked in trade publishing and at a literary agency - so I can give you well-rounded advice!). I'd like to find out a bit more about your project so I can give you some specific help. I think the best way is if you book in for a consultation, then we can sit down with you 1:1 and go through what your project needs and how it all works - book in here: https://www.iamselfpublishing.com/free-consultation/
Thanks!
Leila,
Although I'm not a writer, having a good editor and proofreader are both essential things. It's easy to think self-publishing is a solo affair; far from it. having a good small team can only help your book's success.
As a graphic designer and cover artist, I'd obviously recommend a good cover... you can't always judge a book by the cover, but good artwork will get it noticed!
I would avoid those pre-made cover sites... you surely want a cover that is unique to your book; not a cheap one that's already been designed. And they all tend to look very same; you can spot them a mile off.
Many self-pubbing authors do the cover art themselves, probably to save cost, but when they're not always trained designers, it sadly shows, and the last thing you'd want is your book to be missed due to a poor cover. The cover art is more than that though, it's all part of building your brand, which you'd then be marketing via social media. The marketing of your self-published works is where you have to work really hard.
I certainly do my best to help the writers I work with, by promoting their book on social media, my website, etc. And getting on places like Goodreads is essential - but I'm aware we're jumping the gun totally here! You need to get your book out there first :-)
As much as self-publishing has made book publishing available and affordable to anybody, it also means that there's little vetting of quality now on all fronts and the marketplace has become quickly saturated. I do sympathise with how daunting it must seem.
Isa, you mean Stephanie, not me!
Michelle, you're right about the cover - I'd advise a professional one. Too many covers are so obviously amateur; the typeface is a giveaway, for a start. Then there are the stock covers, which appear on many different books. Go for something that makes yours unique - you've slaved at this for months/years, so make it special - but always, always make sure the content is the very best it can be.
Lorraine