B.I.G. Discusses Power and Perils of Self-Publishing

The Summit/New Providence chapter of  B.I.G. (Believe, Inspire, Grow) offered insight into the world of book and e-book publishing Thursday morning at Twin Maples in Summit.

A panel of four published authors shared their positive and negative encounters on the path to putting their ideas in print. 

Award-winning author Estelle Sobel, who has written a book on skin care and shares her musings on motherhood through her blog, said she regards much of her experience as serendipitous, having met her co-author David E. Bank M.D and her agent rather effortlessly. Sobel suggested that when seeking an agent, authors should look at books similar in tone to the ones they've written. The name of the agent who represented that author can often be found among the acknowlegements. An agent, she said, can help authors get the best deal possible from a publisher and having both an agent and publisher backing your book can create a large team of support. 

Jean Criss, who authored a trilogy, 'My Pain Woke Me Up - BLISS & Legal Injustice,’ detailing her medical journey through breast cancer and legal journey through divorce, decided to turn to self-publishing when she was told that it would take several years before her book would be in print if she pursued the more-traditional publishing route. 

Criss spoke highly of self-publishing platforms AuthorHouse and Amazon.com's CreateSpace, which allow writers to build their own packages. The author and media consultant said she chose to have AuthorHouse create her marketing materials, making it that much simpler when she appears for speaking engagements. While the package she built cost approximately $7,000 for a "turn-key" experience, she said she had an array of options that would have increased or lowered that price. Her newest book, 'LIVE Your Dreams,' will be released in early 2014.

Sharon Gilbert, author of 'Beyond Tuition: Career Coaching Your College Kid,' said she also has had success publishing on her own with the help of CreateSpace. Choosing a no-frills package, the licensed professional counselor, who worked in Career Services at New Jersey Institute of Technology, said putting her book together cost $700. One area where Gilbert said she was willing to pay up was editing. Using a professional who charged $20 per hour, the author said it was money well-spent. 

Writer Regina Radomski, whose book, 'From Half to Whole,' chronicles the experience of adopting older, foreign-born children, explained that self-publishing did not work out exactly as she planned. Radomski said the publisher she selected had more experience with business texts and didn't follow her instructions when it came to illustrations, chapter breaks, and formatting. She agreed with Gilbert that finding a good editor is key in terms of making your book look as professional as possible. 

Because of changes the publishing landscape has undergone during the past decade, the authors concurred that the perception of needing to get beyond industry "gatekeepers" is a thing of the past. Depending on your goal and intentions for your book, self-publishing could be a quick and easy alternative to more traditional methods, they agreed. 

Summit/New Providence B.I.G. pod leader Melanie Wilson expressed her gratitude to the writers for sharing their time and insight. She also thanked members and guests for braving the power outage to attend, noting that each meeting is unique because of the women present and the experience each brings with her. 

B.I.G.'s upcoming meetings and topics are as follows:

Jan. 23:  Public Speaking with Tami Evans

Jan. 30:  Ladies Night Out at Bottle & Bottega. To register, click here.  

Feb. 27:  Online Legal Discussion with Cindy Wilson and Robin Gronsky

Annual dues for 2014 will increase from $199 to $249. To receive the $199 rate, join before Dec. 31 at B.I.G.'s website.