You’ve Written an Awesome Book! – Now What?

There are many very talented Christian writers in NZ and there has been an upsurge in NZ authors self-publishing in recent years. Although the NZ market is very small, some authors have done reasonably well, and have at least covered their printing costs (and even their production costs) with local sales. Others have made some classic mistakes and have a wardrobe or garage stacked with unsold books. I would like to help you to avoid such mistakes and encourage you to prayerfully consider some necessary steps ahead of self-publishing:

1. Count the cost (Luke 14:28).
   Firstly check with the Lord. Has he asked you to write a book or is just a whim? Your time spent writing can mean less valuable time with your children (or family). If the Lord is with you, he will help you. Set aside or raise between $3000 and $5000 to cover the costs of production, printing and marketing your book.
2. Who is your Audience?
   If you are not specific as to who your target age group, gender and type of reader is, your book could miss the mark. Start with researching writing tips like the guidelines from Rosie Boom: – https://www.rosieboom.com/category/writing
3. Check out how to self-edit your book
   Iola Goulton has a free editing course available from www.christianediting.co.nz
4. Contact a reputable self-publishing company
   Unless you’re a famous All-Black or a well-known published author, traditional publishers are unlikely to help you, let alone reply to you. And don’t do what so many have done (and regretted it forever) by going to a ‘self-publishing’ outfit overseas. They will charge you an arm and a leg. Books you order from them will have a ridiculously high unit cost (because of shipping) and Christian stores will not purchase them as the RRP (and 40% wholesale price) will have to be set too high to cover your costs. At Wild Side Publishing we have had countless authors come to us, almost in tears, because they made the mistake of ‘publishing overseas’.
   Authors have been charged up to three times what a NZ outfit would charge and their books do not get marketed in NZ or overseas. In New Zealand I know of three reputable Christian self-publishing companies (or organisations). They are Castle Publishing, DayStar Books and ourselves, Wild Side Publishing. At the beginning of your discussion, ask about marketing. If you get a few hundred books printed and don’t make them available to stores and libraries, or market them, you will not recover your costs and will have boxes of books under your bed!
5. Cover design and layout
   Books with homemade-looking covers don’t sell. Your publisher will recommend a professional book cover designer (who hopefully will create exciting back cover text). Then your manuscript will need to be proofread (again) and laid out professionally in a format the printers require.
6. Printing
   Your publisher will get you the best quotes to get your book printed locally. If you are not a preacher, teacher or ministry person (who tours about selling your own books) only order 250 or so. If you think you will sell heaps yourself then order what you can afford to get the lowest unit price.
7. Distribution
   Unless your publisher has an arrangement to get your book promoted and supplied to Christian stores (and NZ Libraries) you have a problem. Find out!
8. Worldwide listing of your book on amazon.com, bookdepository.com and elsewhere
   You can have your book uploaded to an international wholesale distribution platform which means they handle on-demand orders from overseas and you don’t have to post from your NZ stock which is far too expensive. Don’t post from NZ!
9. Marketing
   Unless you budget to promote your book via MailChimp to stores and the Christian marketplace, no one will know your books exist or where to buy one. Targeted FaceBook advertising is also important. It is possible to get low cost, professional marketing.

A full guide to how to self-publish, understand the processes and get an idea of costs is here: https://www.wildsidepublishing.com/get-published I trust the above has been helpful for those new to self-publishing. God bless you as you put pen to paper and enjoy the rollercoaster!