An insight into self-publishing my books: why I didn't collaborate with a self-publishing organization in Pakistan?

Anything in my life has not been 'normal' and so has been the case with my book publishing methodology. When I wrote my first book, I self-published it because traditional publishing came off so hard. It seemed nearly impossible to get my book published and maybe reach the readers. 

For me, the priority was putting my story out there. I wanted people to read it and provide their feedback. If you have ever written something and possibly published it online, you would know the curiosity of receiving feedback. So, my first step was finding a self-publishing platform that was easy to use and involved the least hassle. I found various platforms including Amazon Kindle Publishing but settled with Draft2digital.com; it is a distribution website that helps the authors to self-publish on most of the major eBook stores. I uploaded my manuscript on their website and they formatted it according to their requirements. There are various layouts available and the author can pick any specific style he/she likes. Then, you get to choose a release date. You can also go for the pre-order option before the release of the book. The process was pretty easy and that is what made me return to them for my second book.

I wanted everything to be perfect for my second book, from editing to the cover. For the first time, I hired someone rather than being hired. My best shot was posting in Facebook groups. I feel they are the best way to interact with authors from around the world and share beneficial information. From one of the groups, I came across a freelancer from the UK. He was not just qualified but also, extremely talented and affordable. He edited my book (just the structure, not the storyline) and also gave his feedback. The next thing in line was getting the perfect cover for my book. I had a few ideas but there was no way in the world but I could execute them. Thus, I turned to Fiverr again. I hired a Pakistani book cover designer who was exceptionally cooperative and helped me create the perfect look of the cover.

My passion for the second book compelled me to spend on making it flawless for the readers. Let me explain it using an example: When you cook something, you garnish it and present it in the best way possible. The presentation just enhances the goodness of the product and makes the final product exquisite. Editing and the cover work as the final touches for a book. 

I was determined to publish my second book through traditional means or perhaps, an organized platform where my book would be distributed and handled as well. I came across a few organizations for self-publishing in Pakistan and decided to proceed with one of them. When I proceeded with them, they offered me a royalty over the profit of each book. Suppose, I set the price of the book Rs. 100 and the printing cost is Rs. 75, I would be given 60% of the remaining Rs. 25 which is Rs. 15. Does that sound fair? Not to me.

The printing charges of the self-publishing organization were higher as compared to the printing press with which I worked the last time and to top that off, the 'royalty scheme' was bizarre. As a writer, I have stories to offer. It's something I work really hard on and spend so much to make it flawless. I am not saying money is all that matters but if everyone gets paid for their services, why should the writers suffer at the hands of big corporations? Is there no value for intellectual property and creativity? This whole scenario put me off. I felt exploited. It triggered and got me thinking. 

Anyhow, all things aside, I dropped the idea of publishing with an organization for now. I might be wrong and if you have an input, I'll gladly welcome it but I am at a point where the 'royalty scheme' seems unfair. 

It's not like I don't want to publish my book, I do want to publish with reputable publishing houses but the self-publishing organization is intricate and that motivates me to work hard to opt for the traditional model of publishing. I am getting my book printed and will likely distribute it through a third party. Hustle is still going on and I hope things sort out for the best.

Book editing by macmacbre (Fiverr)

Cover design by rehmanx_x (Fiverr)