Author Resources

Consider this! 

To self-publish or traditionally publish?

If you are thinking of writing a book, and aren't sure whether to self-publish, or to try to submit to a traditional publisher, one author offered these words of advice:

If you have one story that you are just dying to get out and that's it, self-publishing may be the best route.  If you are interested in a career in writing, it may be worth it to seek a traditional publisher, with all of the resources that go along with it -- editors, cover design, marketing, sales, etc. 

If self-publishing is for you, then we suggest checking out these self-publishing avenues and resources:

If you want to try to traditionally publish, you'll most likely need an agent and a publisher.  A great place to start is THE WRITER'S MARKET.  These books have listings for book publishers, consumer and trade magazines, literary agents, and writing contests and awards, plus submission guidelines and articles devoted to the business and promotion of your writing. 

And definitely consider this!

  • Join local writing groups!  These are great places to learn, seek advice, gain information and develop your craft.
  • Have your book professionally edited.  Spelling errors may cause a potential reader to walk away from your book without buying it.
  • Hire a professional graphic designer to create an appealing cover and to format the layout of your book.  Formatting errors can disrupt the flow of a book, and we all know that the old cliché "never judge a book by its cover" just isn't true in the book world!
  • Make sure your name and the title of the book are clearly printed on the spine of the book.  This makes it easier to spot on the shelf!
  • Buy an ISBN and have a barcode printed on the back cover of your book.
  • If you choose to self-publish, go with an affordable publishing company so that you can price your book reasonably within its genre.  Before pricing your book, look at other published books in the same genre and format to get an idea of common pricing.  Price your book accordingly.
  • Send people to us to buy your book!  Send friends and family to us, and list us on your website and social media as an outlet for your book with a link to our store’s website.  (We will provide you with a unique link!)  Whenever you promote your book, list us as an outlet.  People need to know we carry your book.  If people aren't buying copies from us, we won't be able to buy more copies from you.  
  • We know you'll want to, but don't giveaway copies of your book to your family and friends!  The most impactful way your family and friends can support and acknowledge your incredible accomplishment of publishing a book is by purchasing a copy of said book.
  • Develop a marketing and promotional strategy for your book.  Think about this:  Thousands of books are published each year.  How are you going to promote your book in order to get your book into the hands of readers?  How are you going to grab readers' attention and make your book stand out?  

Even more resources!