The Christian PEN Book Review: Do You Really Want to Self-Publish Your Book?: Things You Should Know Before Making the Leap

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Book Review

The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network Do You Really Want to Self-Publish Your Book?

Do You Really Want to Self-Publish Your Book?:
Things You Should Know Before Making the Leap ,
2^nd Edition
by H. L. Nigro
Price: $10.95, shipping included
To order: www.strongtowerpublishing.com

"I've tried pretty hard ... to scare you into not self-publishing" (p. 220), says H. L. Nigro as she concludes this work. That's not entirely true; the text is about 80 percent straight information. Nonetheless, Nigro is right that "this book is not really a 'how-to' book" (p. 15). It does explain the mechanics--editing, marketing, publicity--but the central purpose is to present an accurate picture of reality.

"This is the hard, cold truth about self-publishing," says Nigro. "The risk is larger, the commitment is bigger, and the overall costs are higher ... pay-off ... comes only to the very fortunate few" (p. 25). Many how-to-self-publish books so flaunt the "few" as to imply that self-publishing guarantees success. Do You Really Want to Self-Publish? makes it clear that the only guarantee is getting your work into book form.

Still, authors whose works are too regional, or too radical, or too anything else for traditional publishers may find Do You Really Want to Self-Publish? the perfect information source. Those looking for a "what to do after the book is written" guide will especially benefit from Chapters 5-7 and 12, which focus on necessary professional services and on finding the right ones.

Even writers going the traditional route shouldn't ignore this book. Chapters 2 and 3, on determining marketability and preparing manuscripts, are helpful to any writer. So are Chapters 11 and 12, on promoting and marketing. (Even commercially published authors sell more books when they help with the marketing.)

Probably the best answer to Do You Really Want to Self-Publish? is summed up by the book itself: "You need to have a very realistic look at what you're getting yourself into so you are sure it's something that you really want" (p. 221). The same might be said of any writing.

--Katherine Swarts

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