My first book was
published by a mainstream publisher in 1989 and titled Combat
Frogmen. It was non fiction and unique in that nobody had written about
the subject since the Second World War. It sold well and was even translated
into a German edition. At that point the reality of being a published author
was made known to me at a meeting with the editor of the book. He said that it
was very lucky for a new author to get published. He showed me a growing pile
of unopened manuscripts which would never be read by that publisher, but in
time, returned to the author with a ‘not this time or not for us’ style of
letter. I had fortunately sent a letter separate to the manuscript and the
right person read it and the rest as they say is history.
In 1993 I ventured
into self-publishing following a disastrous holiday with a well known top-end
tour operator. I found little to no help with our cause and was left with only
one option; putting the case through the courts. The outcome was successful and
the claim was settled out of court. At the time there was very limited help
available, so my wife and I wrote a book to provide advice to others. Successful
Holidays: And What to Do If They’re Not was in the making. The problem
came when we could not find a publisher as it was claimed that it could be seen
to put the travel industry in a bad light.
Determined to
continue we looked at the options. There were at the time publishing companies called
vanity publishers. They wanted large sums of money to produce a book, which
when printed, copies were delivered direct to the author who then had to
market, sell and distribute the books. Following some research we found that we
could do what the vanity publishers offered, at a fraction of the cost. We set
about typing the manuscript, found an editor to work on the content and an
artist to design a cover. Obtaining an ISBN and complying with publishing
requirements was not a problem. A printer set out the contents and printed the
books. We had a good professional product but then faced the hardest part of
publishing, getting the books into the marketplace. At this time there was no
worldwide web or social networking sites. The media facilitated mass
advertising from travel companies and they did not want to promote a book that
helped people to deal with travel problems. The book was sold wherever we could
find a customer and that really was the hard bit.
When I was
commissioned by a mainstream publisher to write a book entitled Exploring
the Deep it required me to write the contents and obtain more than 200
specialist photographs within a time frame of nine months. After a mammoth
effort on my part the book had a flurry of sales and then just moved down the
list of published books. The company had moved on to new titles.
We were flogging
through the conventional publishing houses with our new titles but became
frustrated with publishers' attitudes. One
publisher confirmed that the focus was on ‘celebrities’ and those well known at
the top of the pyramid. Their demands for high advances meant that the amount
of money available to everybody else was dramatically reduced or in many cases
not available. So we sought to self-publish
using a company that was not a vanity publisher but a professional house that
could undertake the whole process. I cannot stress
enough how important it is to select a good company providing self-publishing
services as it is your money that is being invested.
So how do you find
one?
My first action
was to search the web which produced copious amounts of information relating to
self-publishing companies. I also consulted the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook
for information on self-publishing, but, beware, they will advise that if your
book is good enough it will be published by a mainstream publisher. Now, that
requires an agent. I have had an agent but found that they focused on mass market
selling authors, of which there are not many when compared to the vast volume
of books available and ‘celebrities’ who dominate the bookshelves. It could take
at least two years to get an agent to accept you. Then you wait until a
publishing house decides whether you have a book worthy of their name. However,
you could be lucky, right place - right time!
Equipped with
information about self-publishing, I reviewed those companies that could do the
best job for me. I required a professionally published quality book where
consultation would allow an input into what the finished product would look
like. In fact, I was lucky, because my son provided the cover
photograph/designs for my latest self-published books The
Crabb Enigma and Crime
Pays. There had to be access to editors if deemed appropriate. Equally
important was what each step of the process was going to cost. Many of the companies
I evaluated said they could produce the book for a minimal fee but I then found
that there were hidden extras.
I also needed the publisher to have an in-house
marketing and PR option, utilising the web and social networking and not just a
link to another unknown company, which made it difficult to assess their
credibility. The books had to be available to the distributors and be an
integral part of the industry. So from the vast amount of information, I found
a company that ticked all of the boxes. However, even with the odds in my
favour, the one thing they cannot do is make a customer buy a book. So in terms
of your investment, ask yourself why anybody would want to buy your book; know
what it is going to cost you; understand that you may not get all of your cash
back; and then decide to publish and be damned. Through self-publishing you
will be the master of the destiny of your book.
Mike Welham was a magistrate for sixteen years and a chairman of the Bench for most
of that time. He sat on a wide and diverse range of cases in the adult courts.
When
not in court he was an enforcement officer managing a team of government
inspectors. During this time he gained experience in both investigations and
court activities. He also worked with the police on investigations and
prosecutions for manslaughter. Using this experience, he wrote a professional
book, Corporate
Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide – A Managers Guide to Legal Compliance.
He has for 6 years acted as an expert witness to the courts.
This
combination has placed him on both sides of the adversarial arena and in the
middle making judicial decisions. Although he no longer sits on the Bench, he
is on the supplemental list retaining the JP title.
Mike
served in the military and also worked in the dangerous world of oil and gas
diving, both in the UK and various parts of the world. His interests outside of
court and work activities include researching, with his wife, the life of
Commander ‘Buster’ Crabb, a frogman who ‘disappeared’ in mysterious
circumstances. They have produced two books on the subject: Frogman
Spy and the recently published, The
Crabb Enigma. He has a keen interest in elephant conservation.
Mike chose Matador, a
self-publishing service of Troubador Publishing UK for The Crabb Enigma (with Jacqui Welham),
and now, Crime
Pays - Reflections from the front line of criminal justice,
available from 3rd January, 2012. We are
very pleased with their professional services and it frees us to spend time on
research and writing.
Mick Rooney – Publishing Consultant
If you found this review or article helpful, but you’re still looking for a suitable self-publishing provider to fit your needs as an author, then I’m sure I can help. As a publishing consultant and editor of this magazine, I’ve reviewed and examined in detail more than 150 providers throughout the world like the one above. As a self-published and traditionally published author of nine books, I understand your needs on the path to publication and beyond. So, before you spend hundreds or thousands, and a great deal of your time, why not book one of my personally tailored and affordable consultation sessions today? Click here for more details.
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