The main problem with self-publishing is it is all up to you. The main advantage in self-publishing is that it is all up to you. The advantage end is that there is no agent or publisher to each take their cut of the action, but, on the other hand, you have to learn how to create the action yourself.
And that is a learning process.
I hate promoting myself. I come from a long line of Southern women, and, as all us Southern women know, we are not to "put ourselves out there". My great aunt, Auntie, always said that a person is supposed to be in the newspaper only three times in their life: when they are born, when they are married, and when they die. Otherwise, it's not seemly.
But, when you are trying to market a book, you have to be in the newspaper more than that. You also need to find a way to be on the radio, or TV, or wherever. You need to be able to get up in front of people and tell people why they want to buy this book; why it is good; why you wrote it and how you wrote it and how wonderful it is. That is definitely leaning toward the unseemly, I'm sure Auntie would think.
Not only that, you also have to call up radio stations, and walk into book stores, and smooze with people, all the time letting them think that you think that this book you wrote is God's gift to the world and that they couldn't possibly turn you down.
And, all the time, you believe...really believe in your heart of hearts...that the book you've written is really REALLY GOOD. It really is. It's better than most of the mess that is out there selling a bi-zillion copies on the New York Times Best Seller List. You've poured your heart and soul into this book and feel like it has something good to say and that you actually could burst into tears of gratitude of this book store owner would carry it.
And yet, you can't let on how desperately you believe all that. You have to just act nonchalant and when you get turned down, you smile and say have a nice day and just leave. Not burn any bridges. Not put a pox on their store like you want to.
Then, when you do get on the radio, or a bookstore owner hands you a fat check for a bunch of books, you still have to act like you have this happen every day and not drop to your knees, weeping, and kiss their feet like you want to. You tell them have a nice day, and just leave.
Publicity. It's a gamble. It's a game. It's necessary. And, it's sort of fun, because, like a gamble, it lets you win just enough to keep you coming back.
And, you hope that that feeling, deep inside yourself is right. You hope that the feeling that this book is really, really good is not just a figment of your imagination.
The Book House
480 Veterans Memorial Hwy SW
Mableton, GA 30126