Publisher Cate Sutherland sits down with self-publishing gurus to bust myths and share tips on creating a successful book
In this podcast, recorded at The Business of Being a Writer seminar, Fremantle Press publisher Cate Sutherland delves into the world of self-publishing with authors Wendy Binks and Annabel Smith, and IngramSpark senior manager Debbie Lee.
They address the stigma attached to self-publishing, and give pointers on things to consider before undertaking the self-publishing journey – from creating to distributing and marketing. Annabel challenges the notion that self-publishing is ‘quick and easy and cheap’, and asks, ‘What about your time? The marketing takes an enormous amount of time.’ All three guests emphasise that to self-publish, you must fill the role of creator, publicist, retailer, public speaker and accountant, just to name a few.
Although self-publishing can often be a lonely and risky road, Wendy says that it’s something that could potentially deliver a great reward. Each panellist acknowledges that it allows the creator a lot of freedom, especially in comparison to traditional publishing houses, as self-publishing is not subjected to conventional publishing timelines and protocols. Debbie says, ‘Your work is to be the writer. You decide who you want to work with.’
Much like marketing for traditionally published books, a good relationship with local bookstores will always be a plus. Cate says that you should ‘nurture the communities around you’ by supporting the bookstores, which will, in turn, support you. The podcast ends with some interesting questions from the audience, which will be invaluable to anyone interested in self-publishing a book.
Show notes
Annabel Smith’s self-published book is The Ark.
Wendy Binks’s self-published books are Where’s Stripey?, Scrambled Egg and Invisible Me.
IngramSpark is a self-publishing book company.
This podcast was recorded at The Business of Being a Writer, a seminar hosted by Fremantle Press. Part of the Four Centres Emerging Writers Program, the event was proudly supported and funded by the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Music: ‘Letter to a Daughter of St George’, from The Meat Lunch EP: Songs from Floaters. Written by Alan Fyfe. Performed by Trevor Bentley (guitar and vocals – @trevormb) and Chris Parkinson (harmonica). Produced by Blake Carnaby of Nuglife Studios with impresario work by Benjamin P. Newton.
Producer: Claire Miller
Mastered and edited by: Aidan d’Adhemar
Sponsor: This show was made possible with a grant from the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund
Thank you to Kate Lomas Glendenning, who volunteered at the event and co-wrote this post. Kate Lomas Glendenning completed her Bachelor of Arts in 2019 with a double major in English and writing, and a minor in editing and publishing. Kate is currently undertaking her Honours; her research project focuses on the function of grammar in fictional texts and explores how meaning is derived through incorrect grammar. Since 2015, Kate has been an editor and writer at Underground Writers, and in 2019 she completed an editorial internship at Fremantle Press. Kate is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and is a peer mentor at her university. When she is not reading or browsing bookstores, Kate likes to take her two cheeky labradors to the park.