Alan Russell

Recently I was asked to blurb a self-published book. I declined to put my name to the book for a very good reason – it wasn’t good. But instead of coming right out and saying that I didn’t feel comfortable extolling the virtues of something I didn’t like, I offered up the excuse that I don’t blurb self-published books (truth to tell, on one or two occasions I have done just that).
At almost every writing conference I have ever worked a pre-published writer has come up to me and asked for my thoughts on self-publishing a book. My comment has always been, “Unless you are a hell of a salesperson, and you really enjoy marketing, promoting, and most of all, selling your book, I would advise you not to do it.”
My advice runs contrary to all those websites promoting self-publishing. They tout such books as THE CHRISTMAS BOX, THE CELESTINE PROPHECY, A TIME TO KILL, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, and even REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, as examples of incredibly successful self-published books.
Yes, and I can cite you hundreds of people that have won millions playing the lottery. Does that make you want to go out and bet the farm?
There’s a reason a lot of people want you to play the vanity press game – it’s called a profit motive. There are firms and individuals employed in doing the artwork, design, packaging, printing, and promoting of the book. Even if you can cut out all of those middlemen, you are left with the marketing of your book, and especially if it’s fiction you are going to have a tough sell.
With the non-fiction market you might have a particular niche or specialty area that can generate sales. Certain occupations are better suited to self-publishing, as they operate in venues that make for easier sales. Public speakers have ready outlets because they address audiences on a regular basis. High profile individuals and occupations have a better chance of generating sales than most. However, if you’re Joe Schmoe, just how are you going to unload those books? The difficulty quotient soars if we are talking about fiction.
Vanity presses like to cite famous books that have been rejected by publishing houses. Their implication is that you probably have written one of those books, and the world will realize its merits after you get it “out there.” I hate to tell you how many garages are full of such books that only silverfish seem to have discovered.
Yes, sometimes publishing houses blow it. There are cases when good books have had a difficult time of finding a home. In my own writing career I know I have been ahead of the curve several times, and books I have written were rejected for not fitting into an easy niche. My literary agent has lamented two books in particular that mixed genres before others were doing that.
Does that mean I should have self-published those books? I doubt it. I am notoriously bad at sales. Some of my novels have starred reviews, and wonderful plaudits from such newspapers as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. Did those books become bestsellers? I wish. If major publishing houses couldn’t move my books, does it stand to reason that I could?
If you are great at sales, you should probably disregard everything I have written in this column. Several years ago I did a series of signings with a self-published writer (he set up all the signings, did all the legwork, arranged everything, and just asked that I show up). This individual knew he wasn’t that good of a writer, but he also knew he was a hell of a salesman. While I sat quietly he hawked, pitched, and cajoled. At most of our signings he sold more books than I did. He is a great carnie-barker; unfortunately, he’s a bad writer. I always felt sorry for the people that purchased his book and just wish I could have directed them to fine books that deserved to be bought.
In most cases there are good reasons for books not getting put into print by mainstream publishers. There can be any number of areas where the book failed. Perhaps the prolix was burdensome, or the characters didn’t come to life, or the book just wasn’t original, or the prose was pedestrian and didn’t sing. Just because a book has been written doesn’t mean a publisher should buy it. And it also doesn’t mean that book should be self-published.
I know there are all sorts of technologies that now make self-publishing easier. When a writer experiences close but no cigar too many times self-publishing becomes that much more tempting. I know the heartache that writers feel at not finding a home for a book they love. I know that sometimes it seems the entire publishing industry is conspiring against a book ever seeing the light of day. I know it is human nature to want to show friends a copy of what you’ve been working on for years. I know the book you are considering self-publishing might very well be better than a lot of the crap that does get published.
All of that said, though, I still think that when it comes to self-publishing there are more negatives than positives. After you have published your book you will find that most bookstores won’t do signings if you are self-published. And I wish you good luck finding shelf space for the display of any of your books. Getting the book reviewed is also not going to be easy. Of course there are seminars – for a price – that will tell you how to get around these obstacles. And there are people that will advise you on how to get your book distributed. But wouldn’t all that time and energy spent on selling this self-published book be better spent on writing a book that a mainstream publisher might actually publish?

Pax,

Alan Russell
March 5, 2010