Many people dream of becoming successful published authors. However, the reality is publishing your book can be a difficult task to undertake without the help of an established publishing company like Lucid Books to lean on. There are many pitfalls for those who decide to go down the self-publishing route, and at the end of the day, the hardest part is having to go it alone. In today’s blog post, we’re going to explore some of the top struggles that come with self-publishing your work as an independent author.
Design
Writing, illustrating, and design are all hard enough tasks as it is. But self-publishing makes each of these that much more difficult because everything falls to you and you alone. Even if you’re a seasoned book designer and graphic artist, designing an eye-catching cover is not always straightforward. That’s because creating the spine and dust jacket is just as important as choosing a captivating front cover readers want to pick up. With partnership publishing companies like ours, we work together with our experts in editing, illustration, and design to handle the entire process for you from start to finish and from cover to cover.
Timelines and Accountability
When self-publishing your book, there are plenty of uncertainties about timelines. However, working with a publishing partner eliminates confusion because deadlines are agreed upon in advance and are clearly defined for every step. This helps ensure publishing success!
In addition, deadlines can also become overwhelming. However, as a professional author, it’s crucial to stay organized and stick with them! By using a printing company, you are required to meet deadlines in order for your book to ship on time. This set schedule helps provide authors with accountability and motivation to press on, a driving force that doesn't necessarily exist with self-publishing.
Distribution
The struggle with publishing doesn’t end when you finish writing and illustrating your book—distributing it is a significant task in itself. It takes more than just publishing a great book—you also need to find ways to promote, distribute, and sell your book. This can be next to impossible because many brick-and-mortar stores don’t always prefer to sell self-published books. Getting into credible online retailers can be challenging, too.
When it comes to distribution as a self-publisher, it’s essential to understand just how difficult it is to get your book in front of potential readers because so many independent authors are vying for the same opportunities.
With a partner in publishing like Lucid, you’re able to take advantage of our already-in-place distribution channels to ensure your book reaches more readers with maximum exposure.
Marketing
Marketing as a self-publisher means navigating each marketing avenue independently – including social media platforms, blogging sites, paid advertising on Facebook or Google AdWords campaigns, and so many others. All of this costs money and time, things of which a newly published author may be lacking in abundance. A publishing partner can assist by helping you get your book out there and spread the word through their own established channels, including podcasts, TV spots on networks or radio stations, or print media campaigns in magazines and newspapers.
Lucid Books is here to help you navigate the publishing world with our knowledgeable team of publishing experts. Whether it’s editing, layout, or marketing – we have a plan for your book to ensure maximum success! Get in touch and let us know more about your story so that together, we can get you on the path toward becoming a published author.
