Ready to publish your book?

There are more publishing options than ever before, and choosing which one is right for you can be daunting.

In this post, we’re going to talk about one of the most accessible forms of publishing: Self-Publishing.

Right in our backyard is Schuler's Chapbook Press, and with us to talk about Self-Publishing is their printing and publishing coordinator, Pierre Camry.

Why might someone be interested in self-publishing?

It’s becoming more complicated to become an author if you don’t have an agent or an MFA in writing. Some people who go this route would love to sell as many copies of their book as possible, and others are just happy to put their book out there.

Many authors write books with a local interest and it makes sense for them to self-publish. Their niche market might be too narrow for a traditional publisher.

What type of material have you seen brought in for Schuler’s printing services?

All kinds and all genres: novels, poetry collections, short stories, cookbooks, business books, local history titles, autobiographies, family histories, etc…

What sets Schuler’s self-publishing services apart from other businesses?

I think a big difference is having a personal contact. I work one on one with potential authors/customers. I take time to explain all the services and technical requirements. With online businesses, you don’t really get that kind of help.

Schuler Books was one of the first independent bookstores in the USA to acquire an expresso book machine, capable of printing, binding and trimming paperback books indistinguishable from those produced by major publishing companies. What spurred Schuler Books to make this leap?

The owners of the bookstore had seen a demo of the machine at a book festival (maybe Book Expo America?) and were excited to bring a new tool and new services to the bookstore.

What about the process that surprises new authors?

New authors/customers love to see the machine in action. The walls of the machine are transparent, and you can see the whole process from the printing of the pages and the cover, to the binding, trimming and release of the book.

When new authors hold their book for the first time, it can be quite emotional. They can't believe it is a real book.

As someone who has worked with many people through this process, do you have any advice for those interested?

Check the guidelines before you format your book. Each publisher will have specific guidelines and it is easier to check them first before formatting a book. It will save you a lot of time and possibly a lot of money. Also, ask a lot of questions.

So Pierre, for those interested in self-publishing what should their first step be?

They should check our services and guidelines on our website and make an appointment with me to discuss their book project.

We hope this helped make your journey to publishing a little less daunting. But even if this path doesn't appeal to you, Pierre has some advice to get you started.

Check out the yearly edition of Writer's Market if you’d like to get an agent. You can check it out at the library for free, or buy it.