As technology advances, so does accessibility. While publishing literature was once a huge effort that was rarely possible to many who aspired to do so, many literary websites and businesses now offer the option for authors to self-publish their writing. Retail giants like Amazon and Apple offer resources for authors to publish through their services, taking royalties from sales which vary in percentage. While some self-publishing sites, like Apple’s iBook, only offer eBook options, Amazon’s CreateSpace and Barnes & Noble’s Barnes & Noble Press offer on-demand printing for customers who prefer owning a physical book. There are options for all readers and writers alike.
Flor Ana Mireles is an NSU alumni, and, since graduation, has self-published two poetry books in addition to contributing to and editing a fictional anthology novel. Her first poetry book, “Perspective (and other poems),” has sold out at the Barnes & Noble in Kendall, FL five times since she published it herself last year.
“I dove into the self-publishing process because I submitted my manuscript to a couple of different big publishing companies and then with COVID-19 hitting, I didn’t hear back. I didn’t really want to wait around, so I learned the ropes and through a lot of trial and error I got my books out there,” Mireles said.
While “self-publishing” may imply it being a one-person job, there can be whole teams of people who work on self-publishing just one book. Mireles explained that if you want to self-publish a book, you have the option of hiring people to help you with different aspects, like illustration, editing and marketing.
“When I started out, I was still in college, so I didn’t have a whole lot of a budget. I learned the process myself, from formatting the book, to ordering proof copies to make sure that everything looks good on the inside, to editing and just figuring out organization and general structure,” she said.
Mireles also explained that one of the most difficult parts of self-publishing, especially if you’re planning to work by yourself, is marketing.
“It’s hard marketing and just getting your book out there, just because you’re not working with a company that already has a following,” she added.
However, there are plenty of great benefits for writers looking to self-publish their work. Besides being able to make all of your own independent decisions, a deep sense of accomplishment is one of those benefits.
“It’s really rewarding to be able to say, ‘I did this myself.’ Like, I didn’t really have a lot of help and it’s actually getting a lot of success. It’s really amazing to self-publish, because you know that you did everything yourself and you’re still able to make it,” said Mireles.
If you’re interested in reading Mireles’s work, you can purchase her books on Amazon or visit her website www.littleearthflower.com.
