Self-Publishing for Traditionally Published Authors: Method Writing, #2

By Jules Horne

Are you an author confused by the self-publishing landscape? If so, this is for you! It's the perfect guide for

• traditionally published authors wondering whether to self-publish
• MA and MFA creative writing students who need a clear intro to the new publishing
• published authors keen to exploit their back catalog
• indie author beginners who need a clear overview
• writers and journalists who want to cut to the chase and start earning

In short, anyone who wants to avoid overwhelm, save time and money, and focus on author essentials.
In self-publishing these days, it's so easy to get caught up in contradictory advice, courses and platforms. Publishing and self-publishing are now so fragmented and fast-evolving that it's hard to keep up! And it's getting harder to tell the difference between genuine professional services, assisted publishing, vanity publishing and other models.
Where do you start?
Start here!
By the end of this book, you'll have a clear overview of the self-publishing landscape.
You'll understand whether to dive into self-publishing, or stay on the traditional publishing path.
You'll have a roadmap of which steps to take first.

You'll be able to cut to the chase. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Texthouse
• Release date: Dec 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201804091

Jules Horne

Jules Horne is from the Scottish Borders and writes for the stage and BBC radio. She has won Edinburgh Fringe Firsts for her stage plays ALLOTMENT and THREAD, and the National Library of Scotland's Robert Louis Stevenson Award for her fiction. She teaches creative writing for the Open University, and writes in a former textile mill in Selkirk, with a blues band next door.  

Book preview

Jules Horne

Self-Publishing for Traditionally Published Authors

Writing Business Mini-Guide

First published by Texthouse 2022

Copyright © 2022 by Jules Horne

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

Jules Horne asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

Publisher Logo

Contents

Method Writing

I. PART ONE

1. Introduction

2. What can self-published authors earn?

3. The opportunity in publishing

4. Who’s doing self-publishing?

5. Is self-publishing for you?

6. What’s in this book?

7. Three key concepts

8. Book publishing vs production

9. Blurred lines and publisher secrets

10. Is self-publishing difficult?

11. Self-publishing scale and skills

12. Self-publishing roadmap

13. Don’t get overwhelmed

14. A word on traditional publishing routes

15. Already mainstream published?

II. PART TWO: SELF-PUBLISHING 101

16. 1. The main industry players

17. 2. How self-publishing works

18. 3. Self-publishing business models

19. 4. Pathway for beginners

20. 5. Pathways for intermediate

21. 6. Pathways for no-low budget

22. 7. Pathways for higher budget

23. Next steps

About the Author

Also by Jules Horne

Method Writing

Method Writing books are for authors who want to take their writing to another level with advanced craft techniques from the writing industries.

Check out the books here and join my mailing list for news and freebies here.

I

Part One

1

Introduction

Welcome to this overview of self-publishing for traditionally published authors.

This isn’t a detailed how-to-publish book, though you will find very useful practical signposts.

This is about the new publishing territory, how it fits together, pros and cons, and where you might fit in, as a traditionally published author who’s considering self-publishing. If you’re confused by KDP, Draft2Digital, ACX, POD, wide, exclusive, and other terminology, this guide will really help.

After a general overview, I go into how to approach self-publishing in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. I’ll also explain some of the mistakes I made, so you don’t have to make them!

Note that this is a fast-moving field. There are new developments every few months. So, this guide can’t claim to be comprehensive.

But it’ll show you round the territory, and help you to make your mind up. You’ll then be able to make practical choices.

Here’s what will be covered:

Why authors are choosing to self-publish

Traditional publishing and self-publishing – the key differences

The publishing ecosystem and where independent authors fit

Why print on demand (POD) is the future

Earnings from trad and self-publishing

Vanity presses, assisted publishing – emerging models

Why bookshops and traditional publishers don’t love indie publishers.

This is for you if:

You’re a traditionally published author curious about self-publishing

You want to understand the pros and cons

You’re concerned about vanity publishing

You need a roadmap through the confusion.

And maybe, just maybe, you got a less-than-impressive advance for your last book and aren’t sure your next will be published. Or your books are out of print. Or you’d quite like an audiobook out, or overseas sales, and aren’t even getting reviews these days. And you’re wondering more and more.

In particular, you’re wondering if there’s any money in it.

Who am I?

I’m a fiction writer and playwright, with 13 years’ experience as an undergraduate and MA tutor with The Open University. I have a background in BBC journalism and run a copywriting business. So, a working writer who loves the freedom and creativity of indie publishing. And sees a lot of misconceptions, which this guide aims to put right.

So first of