It is time to self-publish your book?
When Michelle Dickinson and I first started working together, it was clear from her pages that she had the makings of a very compelling memoir. Having grown up with a bipolar mother, she had led a life that was very different than most. I was sure the lessons she had learned along the way would help people.
The challenge was to turn what read like a collection of autobiographical notes with a self-help slant into a book that allowed readers to vicariously experience Michelle’s story. Telling them what she wanted them to learn wasn’t going to do the job. She had to show them.
Michelle had to dive not only into the past but into herself during the revision of her book, which she wound up calling Breaking Into My Life: Growing Up with a Bipolar Parent and the Battle to Reclaim Myself. The writing played a significant part in that reclamation process.
When she was finally ready to self-publish her book, like most of my other writing coach clients, she had absolutely no idea of what to do next. So, I told her that I had just started up a self-publishing company called Incubation Press that was designed to simplify the process, provide a team approach and accommodate a range of budgets.
Michelle may have been Incubation Press’s first book, but just three years later, we can already point to a handful more that are just as beautiful.
On the business front, Tracia Larimer published 7 Ways to Pay More for your Mortgage … or Not: Planning Steps That Can Save You A Bundle. The Amazon sales copy reads: Written by an experienced mortgage broker, this easy-to-read book helps home buyers to avoid the pitfalls that can result in potentially higher interest rates or negatively affect the approval process. The author also shares comprehensive steps home buyers or homeowners can take as preparation for applying for a mortgage.
Mortgage broker Matt Huffman took a different tack when he decided to self-publish to his book Don’t Take No for an Answer: Can’t Get a Mortgage? Think Again. The theme of his book reflects his particular area of expertise, as well as his clientele.
Human resources authority Christine Frazer wrote and self-published HR Step 1: The Surprisingly Fun Human Resources Guide for Small and Growing Companies to guide business owners through every aspect of HR, from hiring employees the right way to legally letting them go so you don’t get sued. The topic might scare you off, but this book really is fun to read.
Speaking of fun, Morri Stewart turned the bedtime stories she told her children into Faltofar, a young adult fantasy novel populated by mythical half-man, half-horse creatures named Sepheriis, sorceresses, forest dwarves, and magic.
And, of course, ten years after finishing the first draft, I resurrected, rewrote and self-published Busting the Brass Ceiling: How a Heroic Female Cop Changed the Face of Policing. The book is garnering some serious attention—on May 15th at 11 a.m. an online panel discussion focused on the book is being sponsored by the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, the USC Department of Public Safety and the LAPD Museum. To register, go to http://tiny.cc/USCbrassceiling.
So, I have one question for you. Are you ready to self-publish and launch your book into the world?
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