3 Things to Know Before Self Publishing In Canada
There are 3 things to know before self publishing in Canada. Self publishing in Canada is one of the greatest innovations in authorship over the last century. It has enabled brilliant young writers to reach audiences they never before thought possible, and also allows one to escape the dreaded (and often overly) bureaucratic nature of traditional publishing houses.
But self publishing in Canada can also be tremendously difficult if not done directly. Not only are authors tasked with the massive burden of writing an amazing novel – now they also have to take care of such responsibilities as:
- Book design
- Book binding
- Book marketing
- Paid book advertising
- Book sales
- Book revisions
Most authors are excellent writers, but novice or sub-par marketers, leading to significant over estimation on their behalf of how well their fledgling book will do. Additionally, many young self publishers don’t fully understand the process of self publishing, and what to reasonably expect once their book is ‘out in the wild’, so to speak. We’ve tried to peel back the wool by offering a short list of things to keep in mind during self publishing:
1. When Self Publishing in Canada, Success Takes Time
Don’t expect to sell a thousand books the first day after you self publish in Canada. in fact, don’t even expect to sell one hundred. Most self published authors spend years getting to the point where they can sustain themselves fully just using their writing, and even then it often requires conscious and constant marketing to maintain a steady stream of sales.
2. Don’t Just Tell Your Story, Sell Your Story
A big mindset difference between traditional publishing and self publishing is ‘telling’ versus ‘selling’. When you traditionally publish, the brunt of the advertising and sales effort are put on the publishing house. Authors get to spend all of their time iterating on their work, and focusing on producing the best results possible for their readers.
With self publishing, however, authors need to expand their horizons. The inner flap is no longer just a space for summarizing your story – it’s now a place where you intrigue and engage prospective readers with a taste of what’s inside. You have to make a conscious effort to sell, and it changes most authors approach to writing and publishing.
You don’t necessarily have to become a jack of all trades, but you do have to gain enough experience marketing and advertising to become familiar with the nuances of what makes a good advertising campaign. So long as you’re good enough to hire and manage a team of people doing your advertising, you’re golden.
3. Most Self Publishers Make Little, But A Few Self Publishers Make A Lot
The world of self publishing finances is one of marked asymmetry – the vast majority of authors self published in Canada make very little, while a small minority make a lot. The difference in income distribution is massive, with the top 5% of self publishers making over 50% of all book proceeds.
It’s clearly very important that you get yourself into that 5%, but how do you maximize your odds in a world increasingly saturated with self publishers?
That’s a big question to answer. One that many self publishers would pay millions for. But the truth is quite simple: you need excellent content and excellent marketing.
Excellent marketing, including book design, website design, and intelligent media placement will get you in the door. And excellent content will let you take advantage of the social network effect, where an organic referral gets you ten free sales for every one that you pay for. Having one or the other doesn’t work – you need both to combine to maximize your chances of succeeding in modern day authorship.
Self publishing in Canada works. It’s a market ripe for creative ideas, and with the right combination of advertising and content, an author today can build a comfortable life for themselves while doing what they love.
But it’s not instant. Nor is it easy. Self publishing is an entirely different beast than traditional publishing, and requires authors to gain and improve upon many skills not historically associated with writing good books.
Whatever path you choose – traditional book publishing or Canada self publishing – the team here at First Choice Books wishes you all the best on your writing journey!
This was an article by First Choice Books, your #1 choice for Canada Self Publishing. Looking for book printing or self publishing companies in Canada? Request a quote here!
