I’m often asked what I think about self-publishing. Normally what I say is that I have friends who have self-published and are happy with the experience.  They have complete control over everything that happens, and these days publishers expect writers to do most of their own promotion anyway.

The longer answer is, as an editor and a former record label owner, I’m familiar with what it takes to get art polished, packaged, distributed, promoted and sold.  On one hand, this should make it easier for me to do all of that on my own if I wanted to — after all, I’ve done it, or overseen the process, for a lot of other people.  But what the experience has really taught me is how many steps are involved, and how much more smoothly they are all likely to go when other professionals are able to contribute their specific skills.  That’s why my next book will still be with a traditional publisher, as were the three which preceded it (not counting my e-books and anthology contributions, which also had publishers).

Yesterday I received a list from my editor of what my publisher is getting ready to do for my human rights manuscript.  Keep in mind that this is all after the editor has already edited the entire manuscript and handed it back to the publisher:

I am now sending the whole book to [the publisher’s manager/director], who will do the typesetting over the next couple of weeks. At the same time I am sending the book to the academic review panel…. I am also sending the book to the others you asked to review it…

Once the book is typeset, you will receive a pdf file for you to proofread…. The book will go to other proofreaders as well…. At the same time, I will do an index… Once I have the proofs back from [the manager] a second time, I will make sure she has entered all the corrections, send back more corrections and she will send a third set. We go on like this between us until all the corrections are made and the index is proofed.

Simultaneously with me sending the book to [the manager], she alerts our cover designer… We will let you see the proposed cover.

Once we have the cover designed, it will go on the website.

And that’s why books that go through my publishers are better than books I would release myself.

Technology makes self-publishing easier and more cost-effective every day.  There are several things I’ve thought of self-publishing, and I have no doubt that eventually I’ll find a project where that seems to make the most sense.  But in the meantime, I appreciate my publishers.