A somewhat snarky look at 5 self-publishing myths
A myth is a popular belief that is often untrue.
MYTH #1: The book will sell itself. This one is widespread. I suppose because we’d all like to believe it’s true. Imagine it’s launch day. You press the Publish button, and later that evening, to your ecstatic surprise, you find thousands of sales. “But I didn’t even do anything special,” you say with an innocent gleam in your eye.
I mean, yes please, fairy godmother, make this happen. Just throw the book out there and watch the readers come like moths to a porch light—who wouldn’t want that? We can dream, can’t we?
It's more likely, however, that YOU are your own fairy godmother, and the book sales you create won't happen via magical wand but actual proven marketing practicing. Boring, right?
MYTH #2: The hard work ends with “The End.” This is even more detrimental than Myth No. 1. Not only do you believe the book will sell itself, you don’t even think you need to be involved in the selling.
In my opinion, the EASY work ends when the book is written, edited, proofed, and ready to go. Marketing is a lot more difficult for writers than writing is. And why wouldn’t it be? We’re not salespeople! We don’t like to talk about ourselves. We aren’t public speakers by nature. We’re people who like the company of a computer and maybe a cat or dog.
But that doesn’t mean we can opt out of the selling. If you want to grow an audience for your book, you need to make it happen.
MYTH #3: A website is optional. This is actually true for many people. Specifically, for those who don’t care whether readers who search for them actually find them. And for those who disagree with every self-publishing expert who says they absolutely need a subscribers list. And, finally, for those who have decided their books don’t matter. Then, yes, a website is optional.
MYTH #4: Readers don’t want to know you. If you’re a writer, I assume you’re a reader and that you remember what it's like to come to the end of a really good book. I do. When I came to that last page, when all the feelings rose to the surface and sprouted flowers, I wanted to write that author an email telling them how great they are and how their characters now live in my head and are welcome to do so, and that I aspire to have a similar effect on the readers of my books.
And then I turned to my computer to see what I could learn about that author. Nothing stalker-ish. Just the basics. Like where they live, their approximate age, and, most important, whether or not they have more books I can read!
MYTH #5: Everyone who reads the book will write a review. Only a small percentage of readers leave reviews, and of those, many will only leave a rating. And that’s fine.
Authors love these people who feel strongly enough to leave feedback—when it’s positive, of course. If they harbor strong feelings in the opposite direction, we hope they’ll kindly keep it to themselves. Some of them won’t, and that’s okay. As an author friend of mine pointed out, “You’re not the real deal until a few whacked-out one-star reviews show up for your book.”
And that's it. Five myths debunked. What others belong on this list? Leave a comment below.
Kim Catanzarite is the author of the award-winning sci-fi thriller series The Jovian Universe. She is a freelance writer and editor for publishers and independent authors, and she teaches copyediting for Writer’s Digest University. Her Self-Publishing 101 blog discusses the ins and outs of indie life as well as all things writing craft (www.authorkimcatanzarite.com/blog). She lives on the east coast USA with her husband and daughter.
