Do-It-Yourself, When Nobody Else Will

by Leslie LeBlanc
(NB, Canada)

A Knight to Remember

Genre: Romantic Fiction.

You've done it. You've written your book the best that you could and now you wait. Anticipation is killing you as you ask yourself: Was it good enough? Then it starts, the long trail of We're sorry...

Don't lose heart, there is something you can do. Self publish. Now don't for a second think that all self publishers are bogus. Only a small percentage of writers (in the single digits) are actually taken by legit companies for publishing. Many talented writers are left feeling down and out and don't even think of self publishing, or if they do, consider it wrong. It can take years before they consider you good enough so until then...

I'm not going to say there aren't people who don't take this seriously and abuse the self publishing privilege but it can be useful if you've done your best and really want it out there. Just don't expect everyone to take you seriously right away.

For serious writers it's important to make sure your story is the best it can be. Finding software with grammar and spell check is a must. Having a friend or family member who's honest is good too so that they can point out any inconsistencies or problems with your story.

Even at that, you may find yourself going back and fixing it up after it's already been published. That's ok, since you're the publisher it's your right and if you think you should you're probably right.

When self publishing you may want to try it free like I did for my book 'A Knight to Remember'. Many companies that charge will do all the things you can do yourself, some with no cost and others don't deliver as promised.

Many online companies like lulu, createspace, wordclay, etc offer free publishing but some also offer marketing packages and such if you do want to pay. With certain self publishing sites you get your own website which can be useful.

Look into the laws for copyright and find an ISBN number. In some countries you will be told that though paying for a copyright is nice your work is actually copyrighted the minute you put it on paper, computer or whatever. If anyone does infringe on your work the burden of proof is on them to show they created it first. If you don't pay for a copyright be sure to have as much proof as possible to show you created it and when.

ISBN numbers are what are used to put the bar code on the back of the books so that you can sell them in stores online and off. Some places may try to charge you but some will provide it for free. Check out your governments websites first. They may be able to help you with this.

If you're on a budget the marketing can be difficult. Google had been like my best friend for the longest time. It's takes a lot of time when trying to find free advertising and whatnot and to weed out the junk.

Link exchanges can be useful but you must be careful with this. Just because you are listed on a website one day doesn't mean you will be the next. It's hard but you should try to keep up on your exchanges.

Some sites like linkreferral come in handy since it's free to list. Though they want you to browse the links on the site it could prove crucial since there are other writers listed there as well who may swap links directly.

Beware of ones that require you to watch endless advertisements for points for traffic. They take time away that you could spend writing or finding better ways to advertise. Often they don't deliver as promised.

Sites like Authorsden can be a great asset as well. You can post your book and other things such as articles, poetry, etc. Be sure to take a look at their books while there. Not to advertise for them but for your own sake.

First, their stories can show where your weaknesses lie, give you insight into what people like to read and also if you contact them directly they may have a website where you can post your book, exchange book postings or links. Second, after reading them you can leave reviews which people read. The more reviews you leave the more likely people are going to see you. When putting a review always end with your name and position, even name a book or two you've written and your main website if you have one.

For example:

Jennifer, I found your story 'A Naughty Knight' to be steamy and exciting. The characters were almost tangible and the plot was so great I felt as though at the edge of my seat. I look forward to your next novel.
Barb Banana
www.Books.com
Author of such books as 'The Delicious Doctor' and 'For the Sake of Duty'

On the site people will criticize your writing. Don't get discouraged. Take it into consideration because it can help you write better. Remember that these people are writers too and know how hard it is. Some writers often do (and should) help and support each other because it can be a tough business and you have an understanding of each other that most people don't.

Any time you decide you want to try anything out, especially if it cost money, check with the better business bureau. It's risky enough putting money on advertising and such you don't want to open your wallet to an unsatisfactory company because there are a lot of scams out there. Many people will prey on inexperienced writers. Sometimes you can find companies on the bbb site that could help but it takes a lot of time that you might not have.

Writing romance novels as I do can be difficult too since there are people that will give you trouble for it. Not all romance novels are exactly the same but all romance novelists ought to support each other knowing the hurdles and the way many people react when they hear that's what you write. Write what you're comfortable with, what you enjoy, and don't worry what other people think. Though you want your book read, not everyone is going to like it.

When you're done one book write another. Though you want people to read it, you want to make money you also should do it because you enjoy it. It can take a long time, maybe even years before you start making good and that's with persistence. Don't give up.

Remember to research your characters, background etc. You want your story as realistic as possible and it can take a long time to research everything but when you get the finished product it's worth it. Your story will be much better for it.

I hope that I've been helpful. If there's anything I missed I'm sorry. Keep writing and keep trying. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

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