05 September 2024
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Chloe May, Operations Director, Troubador Publishing, explains why self-published authors should consider enlisting expert help rather than face the challenges alone
Going it alone, without being left alone…
With more ways than ever to bring a book to market, self-publishing is no longer just a backup plan for authors. However, it comes with its own set of challenges.
Using our many years of experience, we’ve highlighted the biggest challenges we see authors facing when self-publishing their books and how expert publishers and service providers can help ease the process for them.
- The main challenges facing self-published authors
- What does Troubador do?
- Contact Troubador Publishing
The main challenges facing self-published authors
Quality control: competing with traditionally published titles
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re an author who takes great pride in your work, often spending years perfecting your manuscript before bringing it to market. However, many authors struggle to maintain that same level of quality throughout the self-publishing process.
In a market flooded with millions of books each year, even those with top-notch editing, design, printing and distribution find it hard to compete. For books lacking in these areas, success becomes nearly impossible. That’s why ensuring quality at every stage of publishing is essential for authors looking for publishing success.
Marketing and promotion: elevating your book’s visibility
Millions of books are published globally each year, and that number keeps rising, making it harder than ever for authors to stand out.
In today’s competitive market, simply uploading your book to a platform and waiting for sales isn’t enough. Proactive marketing is essential.
The Troubador team (sponsors of this post) speak to hundreds of authors monthly, many of who are hesitant about marketing.
While marketing may not be a priority for those publishing a book just for family or friends, it’s crucial for authors aiming to sell their books. A strong marketing strategy is key to getting your book noticed and sold.
Distribution: Delivering books to readers’ hands
Book distribution is complex, and understanding the opportunities and limitations of each route is essential. While there are more ways than ever to publish, not all methods offer access to every distribution channel, which can impact a book’s availability and visibility.
For example, a book published exclusively through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) benefits from Amazon’s vast global reach but may fall short if the author wants their book in physical shops. To get stocked in bookshops, authors need a publisher like Troubador that can distribute to wholesalers, retailers and bookshops directly.
We work with authors who have varying goals – from maximising distribution channels to limiting availability to specific platforms for higher royalties. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer; the best distribution channel depends on the author’s specific objectives.
How working with experts can help
We often hear from authors who, after doing their own research into the world of self-publishing, feel overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in producing a high-quality book and getting it into the right hands.
From managing metadata and ISBNs to designing covers, typesetting and sourcing printing, the process can be daunting for authors looking to go it alone.
Many authors tell us, “I just want to focus on writing – I don’t want to deal with all of this!” Yet, these elements are crucial for bringing a book to market successfully, which is where working with experts to execute part or even all of the publication process can be a huge help.
There are several routes to getting help with self-publishing your book, but the two most common are working with individual freelancers or hiring a publishing services provider – each with its own pros and cons.
Choosing freelancers or specific organisations for different aspects of your book might appear to be more cost-effective at first, but it requires you to manage multiple tasks yourself, which can be challenging unless you’re a true multitasker and project manager.
On the other hand, you could opt for a full-service provider like Troubador to handle the entire process for you.
This approach gives you a dedicated team that manages everything from start to finish, ensuring every detail is handled professionally but with you in the driving seat at every stage.
While there will be a cost associated with working with a full-service provider, it is often cheaper to work with one than sourcing all the elements that go into publishing a book from different places.
When you source all the elements that go into publication from multiple places it can be hard to track your total spend, whereas, with a reputable full-service publisher, you know exactly what you are paying in advance.
We believe that the quality of your publishing experience is just as important as the quality of your finished book.
What does Troubador do?
Troubador has been bringing self-publishing authors’ dreams to life since the 1980s.
Based out of our office and distribution facility in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, our expertise and range of services are unmatched in the self-publishing industry. Our team is on hand to provide prospective and current authors with quality and honest guidance on how best they can achieve their self-publishing goals.
We take great pride in the books that we publish for our authors and do everything we can to ensure that only the best quality books are produced, distributed and sold by our team. We’d love to talk to you about your project too, so please give us a call, book a free consultation on our website or request a no-obligation quote to see how we can help you publish your book.
Contact Troubador Publishing
For any authors looking to get some guidance, advice or chat with the Troubador team about their next steps towards publication, simply contact us by email at [email protected], phone on 0116 279 2299, or visit our website (troubador.co.uk) where you can book a free video consultation with one of our experts, browse our blog, bookshop and resources or get your publication journey started by sending your manuscript to us.