The Journey of Self-Publishing: My Experience with

When I set out as a new author, I had no particular goal in mind. My only ambition was to write a novel. I wanted to create a coherent, structured, and original story with credible characters and a compelling plot. With The Magical Diaries of Charles Lester Seymour: A New Eden, I believe I achieved that goal. However, in terms of sales, marketing, and appeal, I had little success. This was not surprising, given my lack of knowledge about storytelling and worldbuilding. Even less so about how to get my story in front of readers. So, with a completed project that needed professional editing, I began searching for suitable publishers to query. Suffice it to say, the only acceptance letters I received were from hybrid publishers eager to publish my novel for up to five thousand pounds in advance. Sound familiar?

The Realities of Traditional Publishing

I soon realised that traditional publishers are unlikely to take on unknown writers with little experience or an established audience. This led me to explore self-publishing. The biggest drawback for any self-publishing author is the lack of editorial direction. There are software options for those who cannot find or afford an editor. These tools can catch errors and, after repeated use, can get you pretty close (I use Perfect It, an add-on for MS Word). However, they cannot replace the experienced eye of a line editor.

The most crucial edit for an author is the developmental or structural edit. I was fortunate to receive help from two exceptional authors. I shared my manuscript with them through Google Docs, and they edited it with comments that I could accept or decline. I learned a lot about editing and structure during those sessions, and I cannot thank them enough for their input.

The Editing Process

After several rewrites, I had a final draft that was thirty thousand words lighter but much more robust. I realised I was exceedingly fortunate to have received such help. I probably won't be so lucky in the future, so I made it my goal to learn as much about developmental editing as I could. I would advise any author in similar circumstances to do the same. There are many books and resources available on the subject—too many to mention here. A quick Google search will provide enough information to get you started on the road to effective self-editing.

Self-publishing requires wearing many hats beyond that of a writer. Unless you have a lot of cash to invest in your project, you will need to be an editor, marketer, promoter, and cover designer if you want the best chance of getting your book noticed.

What Comes Next After Editing?

So, you now have a final draft that has been through several rounds of structural and textual editing. What’s next? There are many strategies available at this point, and which direction you take is a matter of personal choice or experience. I took the path most travelled: that of little to no expense. I didn’t have the funds, and I was not about to take on debt to prove to others what I had already proved to myself: that I had the self-discipline and focus to write, edit, and design a book I was willing to stand by.

My next step was to find a platform where I could publish for free. After much deliberation, I settled on D2D. I found it easy to format and upload, and I published in eBook and paperback format worldwide. I ordered several author copies and was thrilled to hold a book I had written in my own hands. That was it for me. I had achieved my goal and was happy to let it languish in obscurity forevermore.

The Call of Creativity

But, after a couple of months, I missed the routine of indulging my imagination and manifesting it on my screen. When I wasn't writing, I was exploring ideas and inventing characters and subplots during mundane activities like cooking or driving. I missed the mental challenge already. Luckily, I had left the end of my story open for continuation, and I found myself once more filling my quiet hours in the world I had created. A year later, I ended up with a sequel of 70,000 words and a newfound passion for writing and, to some extent, cover design.

Now, I have two books of a planned trilogy available. But how do I convince someone to part with their hard-earned cash to read a sixty-year-old child's imaginary babble? Before exposing myself to the world, I spent many months seeking free reviews from various places. This sometimes involved sending paperbacks to India, Australia, and Canada. Eventually, I received some good reviews that encouraged me to build a platform for myself with a Facebook page and an author site.

Building an Author Platform

Once again, as before, I have only used free resources. I do not advertise or market my books and rarely promote them. I am getting on a bit now and simply can't be bothered. I have sold around 50 books (both paperback and eBook, most of them free) and earned a grand total of around £30 in worldwide sales. All I have invested is time and patience. My real reward is finding a pastime I enjoy and a steadily building writer's skill set. I am currently working on the third instalment of my trilogy and a standalone apocalyptic thriller entitled Requiem.

The Value of Self-Publishing

In conclusion, I would recommend self-publishing to anyone who believes they have a story to tell and is prepared for a considerable learning curve. The level of success you receive will depend greatly on the amount of work you have put into creating something of quality and how you intend to publicise it. If you think you can hook a traditional publisher with a query, then this should be your first choice. However, you may have to change certain elements of your story to align with your editor or publishing house's requirements.

In this respect, self-publishing has a great advantage over traditional publishing. It allows you to keep your vision uncompromised by trending tropes or popular genre requisites designed to make your book marketable. I prefer to view my books as a creative endeavour rather than a product.

You probably won't get rich and famous from self-publishing, but you will get your work out there. Who knows? Maybe someday someone will read your book and be inspired to write their own. In my humble opinion, that should be the true goal of every writer.

Learning Resources

• The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

• Developmental Editing (A Handbook for Freelancers, Authors and Publishers) by Scott Norton

• Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

  
  

Useful Websites

• Simbi

• Richie Billing's List of Book Reviewers

• Self-Editing Techniques Checklist

• Effective Self-Editing Process for Writers

• How to Do Your Own Structural Edit - Part 1