I Have the Power!

I only just realized that it has been nearly a month since I posted here on this blog.  That’s just not going to cut it, is it?  I’m going to step up my game.

So, this week, let’s talk about why I decided to publish my books independently.  For starters, I love writing my stories.  I love creating characters and making them interact with one another.  I enjoy this thing that I do so much, that I don’t really care if it’s not read by everyone on the face of the Earth.  Sure, it would be cool if other people found the same joy in my work as I do, but this just isn’t the case for a lot of writers out there.  I’ll wait my turn. 

The foremost reason I’ve turned to independent publishing is because it’s just my nature.  I am a DIY kind of person.  I mow my own grass, I change my own oil, and I grow a small portion of the fruits and vegetables that my family eats.  If my car breaks down, I buy the parts and I fix it myself.  If I have a leaky roof on my house, I stand up a ladder and I patch it.  (Granted, I am in the business of building homes and would not recommend that you try to repair your own roof unless you have some form of knowledge and experience in roofing.) 

I have been self-employed my entire life.  I’ve been running my own business, on my own now, for about fifteen years, (and eight years before that with a partner) and so far, I’ve done surprisingly good for myself.  So, with all of this under my belt, why wouldn’t I try to take on publishing my own books also?   

Okay, some of you might be thinking that I’m a “do it yourselfer” because I’m a tight wad with my money.  That’s kind of true—but in my defense, I must be.  Yes, I have paid people to do work for me, and I will pay people for work in the future too.  But if I have the time and I’m capable, I am going to save the money and do the work myself.  That being said, I’m not trying to downplay the work that publishers do as something that anyone could do—because I don’t believe that’s entirely true.  You must have good work ethic and independent drive to do the work.  The books are not going to sell themselves.  Traditional publishers have their place with some people.  It’s just not for me.  Maybe someday I will change my mind, but for now, I’ll hold on to all the royalties that I can, thank you.    

And you know what, this whole self-publishing bit is a bit of a power thing too, isn’t it?  When I think about the idea of handing my book over to a traditional publisher to produce and sell, it just makes me feel so powerless.  When I sign that contract, they’re going to be calling all the shots from then on. 

I want the power! 

I want to make the decisions on where to promote and how to promote.  I want to choose the cover texture, and the page thickness.  Yeah, I’m going to make some mistakes along the way, but I learn quickly.  As I figure this indie publishing scheme out, I will adjust my plan and keep moving.  Besides, now days, it seems like the world of publishing is an ever-changing monster—I’ll need to stay on my toes! 

Plus, anyone that is self-publishing their own book will probably agree with me—doing this is a lot of fun.  The joy of holding your finished product in your hands, and watching the little sales graph do its thing—that joy is all the more satisfying when you know that you had a hand in every decision of making that book. 

Keep reading everyone—and read my book too, by the way!