Forget the Publisher- Publish Your Book Yourself

Have you ever dreamed about writing a book and getting it published? Before, writers had to get agents to help them convince publishers to take on their books. Publishers would then read the books and take a long time deciding whether or not to support the projects. The entire process was daunting and often times led to dead ends. Now, it's never been easier to publish your own book. Welcome to the world of self-publishing on-line.

I never knew these mediums even existed until one of my artistic freshmen showed me his very own book. Zachary Kloes, a fourteen-year old artist and apparently self-published writer, published his own book through Lulu.com- an on-line system that allows people to publish books, music, magazines...almost anything. Lulu.com allows people to self-publish and also makes it easy for the consumer to purchase items. In Zach's case, he is selling his book titled The Autobiography of a Werewolf. Zach wrote, published, and even drew the front cover of his paperback book now on sale for $10.90.
Here's a description of the book written by the author:
"In a world where one fourth of the population holds a dark secret, four friends make a discovery, one that will change their lives forever, one of them is not fully human, he is a werewolf. And while they deal with their own problems, a sinister creature from the darkest corner of the woods threatens their lives and the lives of those around them with its strange and alluring ways."

This is a great opportunity for anyone aspiring to get a book out there. Of course, the main advantage of having a big name publisher is the publicity. Authors who sell their books with one of the larger publishing companies can sell thousands if not millions. These self-publishers tend to only sell to their family or friends- perhaps up to 100. Nevertheless, 100 copies sold at about $10 per book and the majority of the money earned goes directly to the self-publishing author adds up to a profit that isn't half bad. There have been some other success stories; sisters created their own cookbook for dinner parties and sold over 500. I discovered an article that gives a lot of good advice about the best way to market oneself through self-publishing (Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know).

After reading an interview with Stephanie Meyer, I was struck by how simple it seemed to be a writer. Stephanie Meyer explained that she never wrote a book or considered herself an author until after Twilight became successful. In fact, she mostly wrote the book for herself. You don't need an MA in English in order to get something out there. It is liberating to think that anyone's creativity can catch on- even the creativity of a teenage student. Of course, it never hurts to write a niche book.