Tuesday Toolbox - To Self-Publish…Or Not

Once upon a time (aka three years ago) self-publishing was something an author might consider after she’d received rejections from every editor and agent on the planet, if they deigned to acknowledge her at all.

Now self-publishing is the land of opportunity where the Kindles are paved with gold. Authors who’d never turned a profit through traditional publishing herald us with dazzling stories of overflowing bank accounts. Many more authors self-publish to modest or disappointing results.

Self-publishing is no longer a last resort for misfit manuscripts and stories that never should have seen the light of day. It is a legitimate publishing option that stands shoulder to shoulder with traditional New York publishers and smaller independent (often digital) presses.

Self-publishing is not an either/or proposition. I see it as another tool available to the author, one that can be very powerful in the right hands—and completely ineffective for those with no clue how to capitalize on it.

I first published with a small press for a hardcover romance. Several years later I digitally self-published two children’s chapter books. Both those ventures proved disappointing (although I still have hope for my children’s books). Now I am digitally published with three digital publishers in romance. My success is modest as yet but continually growing. I am excited to continue working with my publishers. I love my editors, my book covers, their automatic distribution to multiple e-platforms, and our joint promotional efforts.

I’ve also decided to test the self-publishing waters again, this time with an erotic romance novella. Why? First of all, the book is short, which makes the price point low enough that splitting the profits doesn’t leave a significant amount for anyone. Second and much more compelling to me is flexibility in promotion efforts. I now have a book where I can give away as many promotional copies as I please. I can experiment with the price and the genre classifications. I can even take it off the market and revise it after it’s published.

A rising tide floats all boats. Self-publishing helps publisher sales and vice versa. I’m excited to put my boat in the water and discover where I float to.

 Haley’s Man

Contemporary Erotic Romance Novella
Currently 99 cent download only from Amazon

When Haley Miller posts on a sexual fantasies forum that she wants to have an orgasm while surrounded by her friends, one reply stands out. Intrigued and desperately aroused, Haley prepares for the orgasm of her dreams. But when she arrives at her friend’s house, she learns that the man of her dreams, Seth Gardner, is back in town. Now she must decide if she wants to go through with her plans for public pleasure or go after her dream date with Seth, or risk losing them both.