The difference between self-publishing and Self publishing

This isn’t only about publishing. It’s about doing anything that’s dear to your heart. It’s about the way we do it, and the fact that we do it all.

What am I talking about?

Over my writing career, I’ve been both traditionally published and self-published. You can catch up on the gory back story here and here.

When I finished writing my young adult fiction book recently, I had all of these parts of me craving to be traditionally published.

“Please, please, please,” they were saying. “We want to work with an amazing editor. We want to work with an incredible designer. We don’t want to do this all alone.”

Okay, sure, so we pitched and waited and pitched and waited. After trying many avenues and not finding a match, I was ready to move on. But they weren’t.

“Please, please, please,” they kept saying. “Just pitch one more time. We really, really, really, really want this. Please!”

So I pitched and waited and pitched and waited. Still no luck. But these parts were insistent. They did not want me to give up on the dream. Their dream.

That’s when I decided it was time to sit down with these parts and ask them, “What was this dream? Why did they want it so badly? What was wrong with finding a way to independently publish?”

Aaah. These parts were believing in a dream that did not exist.

They were imaging that experience of being the chosen one, plucked from the slush pile, adorned with praise, lavished with care and attention, and launched into the world with great fanfare.

That’s not usually how traditional publishing rolls. They’ve got far too many books and far too few resources to lavish any one book with all the frills (except for the rare one).

It was time for these parts to give up on that dream. We held a ceremony (in our imagination). We placed the dream in a basket adorned with flowers, and allowed it to float down the stream.

Now there was space! Not for self-publishing but for Self publishing.

Here’s the difference.

I self-published my parenting books back in the day. That means I did all the things you need to do to publish my books - I wrote them, got them edited, found a designer, marketed and sold them.

I did all of the things you are supposed to do. Including things I didn’t enjoy doing like constant social media, selling from the back of the room, creating email sales funnels and checking conversion rates. It felt like shouting out into the ether. Hey, you, come check out my book!

This whole self-publishing process felt hard and exhausting because it was being run by parts of me who wanted to do all the things to make it all happen. We must do all the things! We must make it happen!

This time I’m not doing anything I should do. I’m only doing what feels right, and what feels aligned. That’s Self publishing.

This time, by Self publishing, I’m going to lead the process.

Any parts who want to come along for the ride and help out, they are welcome. But no part is running the show. I am. And our only focus is to honour our book and connect it with its right readers.

I don’t care how many people tell me that I have to do all the social media, platform building, Amazon ads, webinars, email sales funnels, conversion rates, blah, blah, blah.

I’m going to stay in tune with my book, listen to what it needs from me, and show up the best I can. That’s Self publishing.

So I suppose this an announcement of sorts.

Next year, I’m going to be Self publishing (not self-publishing)!my first young adult fiction book.

And I’ve come up with a great way to usher it into the world - a fresh, new, fun way. Not the traditional way. No shouting into the ether.

Instead, there will be a gathering around. And you’ll all be invited. More info coming soon!

Some things to share…

I’m reading…

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, the celebrated music producer. He’s got a spiritual take on creativity, which I love. Plus, you can dip in and out of this one.

I’m watching…

What’s Love Got To Do With It, a lovely rom-com with Lily James. I love Lily James. And I loved the Pakistani cultural colour and insights.

I’m eating…

We’re having a family event this weekend and I’m going to be making chocolate baklava. It is a delicious take on the original.

I’m doing…

Going on my weekly walks in the national park where I walk incredibly, ridiculously slowly. All the joggers, bike riders and even dog walkers, whip past me. I take an hour to do a loop that would normally take 20 mins. It is so good!

I’m processing…

This week, we had two evenings at home where it was just my husband and I, and the cats. Both our daughter and son were out with friends, living their best life. My husband commented: ‘This is a preview of our future life.’ Neither of us are coveting it, but it’s inevitable.

*

Thank you for being here. Love to you and all your loved ones.

Jodie.

xxx