How
many books have you self-published?
None
and five – depends on what you mean by
self publishing. My partner, Roni Jay, and I
started our own publishing company after being
freelance writers for over ten years (we have
over 100 books in print between us). We wrote
the first few books for our company ourselves
as at that stage we couldn’t afford to
commission authors. Now we can and have just
contracted our first four authors for books
for next year.
Tell
us about your first self-publishing experience.
As
I say we don’t really consider ourselves
as self-published although I suppose we are.
We set up our publishing company along very
professional lines and consider we have to sell
at least 15,000 of each of our titles in their
first year. After that we think they will all
back list for many years.
What
was the biggest challenge with your first self-publishing
experience?
Getting
stocked by the main high street chains. This
isn’t because we are self published but
because we are new and don’t have a track
record. We have however remained firmly ‘in
their faces’ and their resolve has crumbled
and we are now stocked pretty well everywhere
we want to be.
What
resources can you recommend to authors looking
to self-publish their book?
You
must know your business. This means joining
professional ‘trade’ associations.
For us in the UK it means something like the
IPG (Independent Publisher’s Guild). You
have to seek advice on distribution, wholesalers,
high street chains, Amazon. You need an editorial
board to stop you being self indulgent –
which incidentally in our experience often goes
hand in hand with being self published. Suggest
trying www.publishing-services.co.uk
What
do you feel are some of the most common self-publishing
mistakes?
Not
being professional enough. Printing On demand
– it’s a dead give away that you
aren’t serious or you aren’t funded
or that you aren’t even that committed.
If you are, go ahead and print 2,000 copies
and then get out there and sell them.
Describe
the ideal candidate for self-publishing?
Someone
with a track record who knows and understands
the business. What we don’t want are airy
fairy poetry pamphlets that let the whole industry
down or someone who publishes their own book
after it has been turned down by everyone in
town because it is basically no good. Only self
publish if it is a specialist or niche market
where mainstream publishers dare not go. But
only publish it if it is good – and the
author is the last person to know that. They
must get advice.
What
are your thoughts on POD publishing? Can you
personally recommend any POD publishing companies?
Lightning
Source is the best but I think the future still
lies in commitment and that means a minimum
of 2,000 copies and that gives you a hell of
an incentive to sell, sell, sell. POD is expensive
compared to a decent print run.
What
has been one of your most successful book marketing
techniques?
Offering
readers the chance to sell further copies of
the book they have just bought and earning themselves
a bit of money – in one case a lot, as
we have one ‘barker’ (our name for
those who sell our books for us) who seems to
be making a serious living out of it.
Do
you feel that it is important for an author
to have their own web site?
Yes,
if only to flatter their ego – and make
no mistake, egos do need flattering from time
to time. I have my own - www.richardcraze.co.uk
– it doesn’t sell anything but it
makes me feel proud to be a writer.
What
made you decide to start your own publishing
company?
We
were sick to death of giving really good ideas
to publishers and then seeing them doing nothing
with them. We figured we could do better, especially
in the PR and marketing department – and
we have been proved right. All our books have
attracted mass media coverage including TV and
magazines as well as the quality newspapers.
What
all was involved with starting your own publishing
company?
For
that you would have to read The White Ladder
Diaries – the pain and pleasure of launching
your own publishing business by R Jay which
is our own account of how we started the company
and all our ups and downs. You can get a copy
at www.whiteladderpress.com
Any
general advice for authors?
Know
your trade. Spend the time honing and perfecting
your craft. Be utterly professional. Submit
proposals that look so good they sell themselves.
Be in it for the long game and don’t expect
to retire early on the profit but do expect
long hours of frustration and loneliness and
a whole big dollop of utter joy – from
time to time.
Contact
Information:
Richard
Craze
Great Ambrook
Ipplepen, Devon TQ12 5UL
Tel: 01803 813927 Fax: 01803 813926
email: rich@richardcraze.co.uk
