Why ‘self-publishing’ is a misnomer

This may seem an odd thing for the tutor of Jericho’s Simply Self-Publish course to say, but I strongly believe that self-publishing is a misnomer. Here’s why.

Although self-publishing is author-centric, from first draft to finished book, the author is not the only person involved. Nor is the process DIY.

Self-publishing is not a game of solitaire, but a team effort. Successful self-published authors employ experts such as editors and cover designers to ensure their books match the quality of those traditionally-published.

Self-publishing may be author-driven, but it’s not only about fulfilling the author’s desires.

By all means, write the book you want to read – but also focus on what the market wants. Respect readers by making your book the best it can be. Don’t insult your readers by letting typos, plot holes or continuity errors through. Brand your book with a genre-appropriate cover so that it appeals to the kind of reader who would enjoy it. Publish on the right platforms and in the right formats to reach as many readers as possible.

• Thinking of skipping ebooks because you prefer print? Do so at your peril: most indie authors make most of their sales and profits from ebooks.
• Planning to bypass Amazon because you don’t like shopping there yourself? Only if you don’t mind skipping the biggest book sales platform in the world.
• “You are not your reader” is a useful mantra to keep in mind.

Self-publishing does not operate in isolation from the mainstream book market.

Indeed, it shares many of the same production and distribution platforms as traditionally-published books. Although the business model is different, if you follow my recommended process to self-publish, your books will appear not only on online stores such as Amazon and Apple, but also on physical bookstores’ websites. Readers who prefer not to order books online may order your paperbacks and hardbacks from their local bookshop. You can also make your self-published books available to public libraries via their preferred distribution networks.

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There’s no hard demarcation line between self-publishing and traditional publishing.

You don’t have to pick one or the other: you can be both. Many self-published authors go on to sign up with traditional publishers who headhunt new writers from self-publishing success stories. Savvy self-published authors selectively license the rights to the intellectual property that their books represent. While continuing to self-publish in your own language, you might license translations to specialist traditional publishers, e.g. French language editions to French publishers, or self-publish ebooks and print while licensing audiobooks to audio specialists.

Similarly, authors whose publishers want only limited rights, e.g. to a particular language, format, or territory, may self-publish different editions to reach more readers. Equally, when your contracts with traditional publishers expire (usually after five to seven years), and you get your rights back, you can create a new lease of life for those works by self-publishing them.

So, if I don’t like the term self-publishing, what do I prefer? “Independent publishing” or “indie publishing” has gained traction over the last few years. However, it’s not to be confused with “indie publishers”, who are essentially any publishing companies who are not affiliated to the main industry players.

I prefer the term “indie author” to “self-published author”, but as the boundaries between the indie and traditional sectors blur, I’d rather just call us all authors, however our books are published.

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If this article is making the prospect of self-publishing seem more complex and daunting than you first imagined, help is at hand. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, I teach Jericho Writers’ Simply Self-Publish course.

In ten weekly modules, I walk you gently through the process and fast-track you to self-publishing competence and confidence, with personal feedback and advice specific to your book(s) and to your goals.

Many course alumni have gone on to self-publish at least one book to professional standards, and many more are in the pipeline. Could yours be next? I hope so!