ISN’T IT MUCH CHEAPER TO PUBLISH MY BOOK ON AMAZON?

We get this question a lot.

The answer is yes, most certainly, yes. Especially if your goal in writing a book is to place it on your shelf in the perfect spot for display and say to yourself, “I DID IT.” 

Does this mean it’s the right answer for you? Not necessarily.

Something to keep in mind…

Listen, I understand that life has become ridiculously expensive. Many of us have already cut off the fluff - getting our nails done, buying designer clothes, rolling through Starbucks (well…) - and we still struggle to stretch our money to the end of the month.

What we need to understand is that writing a book is like starting a business.

We would never expect to start a business with zero cost. We would expect some kind of upfront investment to launch a new venture. Publishing a book should be viewed with equal respect and preparation. 

You have a message, you took the time to get it all out of your head and onto the white screen, or the phone, or the paper if you’re old school, and now you want to share that message. You want to see people taking your hard-won life experiences and learning from them, assimilating them, being impacted and changed by them. This is why you wrote the book! 

Here’s why DIY might not be for you.

I have seen many KDP books at local events, and I usually can spot them right away, before I even open them. The covers are a giveaway that a professional book designer was not involved, the formatting is not uniformed as it should be, spacing and grammar can range from a few errors to the point where I wonder if anyone else ever set eyes on the manuscript before it was uploaded.

And of course, we don’t want this for you.

Here’s the thing: even the best writers have blind spots. One of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, will sometimes post unedited Facebook rants and I am always appalled at the number of errors in her writing. I know she wouldn’t dare publish one of her actual books without having an editorial team comb through it with the utmost care.

I can almost hear you now: “But I’m not trying to be a famous author…I just want to get this one journal/devotional/memoir/business book out.”

I know. Not all of us will aim to be professional authors on book tours or give the next greatest TED talk on YouTube. Still, do you really want to just toss your precious ideas out into the marketplace without anyone skilled in editing, design or marketing to offer feedback or help you through the process?

I can’t stop you from doing it. I wish I could grab your face like an Italian grandmother and look into your eyes and say, “Honey, don’t do it. Invest in yourself. You’re worth it!”

And there ya go…I just did.