Self–Publishing Tips

Manuscripts are more than future piles of dusty paper on a shelf or stuck in the stacks at the Library of Congress. Manuscripts hold the silent wishes of authors that have expressed themselves through the information they have scribed.

Along with the sincere hope those written words will be absorbed by others who are seeking like information and insuring the energy of the author will not be forgotten as time travels forward.

The author's essence flows between the lines as your eyes are being pulled across the pages. In that very moment humanity, both past and present, weave together and provide knowledge for the future, through the messages of the past.

It is our wish at Dandelion Publishing that you will find your JOY in writing and the energy you are seeking to propel your manuscript out into the world through Self–Publishing.

Proving Once Again Dandelion Wishes Do Come True!

Self–Publishing has an inherited stigma attached to it for a lot of writers and by the public. Self–Publishing gives, among others, two strong first impressions:

1. The author is vain or controlling and no agent will consider representing their work.
2. The authors' work is un–publishable and no agent or large publishing house will consider it.

Well guess what! When I sent my first manuscript off to the world of publishing, with every expectation of hearing “YES”, I had no idea that trying to get a manuscript read was not only an expensive venture, but a real life challenge. The advice that came back from agents and publishing houses, in my self–addressed stamped envelopes, was summed up with:

“You don't have any experience,”

“Your writing is not right for our product line”, and

“I enjoyed your work, you are so funny that I couldn't put it down, but the market is sluggish, Keep writing!” Fond Regards, blahhh, blahhh and blahhh.

Hummm...Was I completely utterly disappointed?

Not exactly, as a matter of fact, for some reason, I felt relieved and set free from the following “sheep” syndrome. Either I am not a good follower, or I am very baahhhdd at accepting defeat.

So, I had a long talk with myself and I remembered what I have always learned when starting a new adventure:

KEEP IT SIMPLE and USE WHAT YOU KNOW!

I started with placing my pile of manuscripts, finished and unfinished, across the table from me, where they became my “clients”. And asked what I wished a publisher would have asked me, “What can I do for you?”

Oh Snap! That was the missing ingredient, no one asked what they can do for me, and they looked at my manuscripts for what the manuscripts can do for them! I would like to say one of my manuscripts stood up and answered, but I will admit I answered my own questions of how I can get this manuscript off my kitchen table and out into the world.

I made a list of all the things a publisher could do for me to send my manuscript out into the world. I made another list of what is expected of the client and it's a short list!

Pre-publishing steps simplified:

1. Edit, Edit, and Edit again. Find a friend to read your pages for you, or hire someone. I hired a great proof reader, who is now on my staff. I am the worst speller in the world. Spell check even fails me.
2. Create a working title. Not just a title that fits the manuscript but one that will WORK for you with search engines, etc.
3. Create a cover. Remember sometimes the only difference between a manuscript and a book is the cover! You can't judge a book by its cover, nor can you a manuscript, so try to make a cover that expresses the manuscript.
4. Printing was and printing is still the trickiest part for me. I wanted a really nice print job, so I searched out all kinds of print shops big and small. I started out with a really cool cover idea that wrapped around my manuscript and folded out with illustrations on the inside of the cover. Very costly! Then I realized it's a manuscript, print it as a manuscript! Keep it simple. I pulled myself back into the reality of my life and got away from the fancy flare, and came up with a WORKABLE cover!
5. BIG NOTE: DO NOT PRINT UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR ISBN.
6. So I did all of the above, now I had my product, what should I do with it?

SELF–PUBLISH:

1. Create a publishing name.
2. Register your manuscript title with the Library of Congress.
3. Purchase your ISBN, a must for marketing.
4. HAVE YOUR MANUSCRIPT PRINTED.   Perfect cover (paperback) is accepted by most bookstores. >>
5. Create a Web Site. Web Site design services. >>
6. Add Pay Pal to your website, it isn't costly and people are used to the “card purchase”.
7. Once you're “published”, contact your local book stores and arrange a book signing, by you, a Local Author!

This should get you started...it did me!  I was off and running in two months!

Dandelion Publishing hopes that you continue writing, too!