Should I Publish Myself?

I just think press it up yourself and send it to some poetry zines and do your thing. There's such an anti-self publish thing in literature, and it's always pissed me off. It's so publishers controlling, so classist. If Firbank could self-publish and still be heard of now then anyone can, I say DIY, fucking punk rock.

Self-publish and then shoot someone really famous, I suggest David Bowie.

That Margate Rising thing is amazing btw, I was there yesterday, and it is.

Probably never been a better time to self publish.
But later this fall might be a good time for it, after your first 'title' gets out there ,
and around ...
Obv. getting press, reviews and those things are another issue, lots of effort
but probably not so different from getting gigs and music stuff ...

Yes - go ahead. As has been mentioned the DIY ethic in music is accepted (and praised) but self-publishing still seems to have the stigma of 'failure' attached to it...as if to self-publish is to somehow admit 'defeat' or to want to 'cheat' somehow. Defeat, that is, in storming the fortress held by the few big publishing houses and guarded by editors. Well, why not turn your back on that fortress and build your own? It might not look as impressive (professional) or get the attention, but it'll be yours....something that They didn't need to sanction.

Book-making machines are available now, so why not use them as we used to use the Zerox for fanzines? I'm all for it...destroying the mystique of getting a book published. So some people won't get it - fuck 'em! The same people didn't 'get' 'zines because they weren't glossy, properly bound or available in WH Smiths.

I'm working on mine now and have opted for complete control over the layout - fool! - well, it makes for a lot more work but it's a new challenge. I would have found it hard to describe what I wanted anyway. I'm looking at it as a singular 'work of art' (!) rather that something that must be produced in thousands. If a few other people buy it and like it, great.

I just got sick of thinking I had to suck up to some twat and their slush pile attitude.

Like the look of your work, by the way. Not had time to read it properly yet, though. Do it.

I don't think you should. Only cranks self-publish. You don't want to look like a crank. You'll be one of those people who walk into bookshops with their life's work in a plastic bag, trying to sell to unsuspecting and sometimes dim booksellers. Of course, I always used to buy books off cranks who walked in off the street, but then I worked in an enormous independent bookshop and I had my own budget. Don't do it. Try New Directions - they don't care about grammar at all!

I think it's worth looking at lulu.com

A friend of mine has published his novel on there and uses copies to give to friends for comments. You could consider it like a "demo tape" in music.

My understanding is that it is nigh on impossible to get published without an agent these days. So you could hawk around a limited edition to agents and others and see how you get on.

luka said:

i did sign a contract with zer0, like every other sei-literate blogger

Click to expand...

lol

Luka absolutely needs an agent.

It's not real crankiness. You're sensible.

i think you should publish your work posthumously
that is my aspiration---to have expired and have a stack of papers found under my bed
published by loved ones
hated by the public but cherished by a few

they call it "vanity press" for a reason, i think
i know a few people who have done it

not very populist, i know
but yeah, that thing about tending rabbits

if you DO decide to publish yourself
at least have someone edit for you
it helps to have a second pair of eyes to check on spelling, kerning, and so on

i've done as much for a gentleman who wrote this 7 or 800 page travel journal thing; i cut that thing in half. he was a little stunned but i think it did him good. who the hell is going to read a non-entity's near-thousand page mutterings? only an editor!

Yeah, do it. I don't know why there's such a stigma attached to it in literature.

Definitely build a relationship with an editor. I think that's crucial.

PR & distribution is where you'll meet difficulties. Particularly the latter. But whatever, I wouldn't compromise on control over all aspects of the output.

If you want to create a good artefact, also look to bring a designer in.

there's a huuuuuuuge self-published mystery novel popular in the philadelphia area right now on account of a billboard along a major highway

it is a phenomenon! i don't want to plug the book and add to the hysteria so i will leave out the title if you don't mind.

so yeah, get a huge fucking billboard!

^ you'll go blind!