How do I choose a self-publishing company?

A quick search on Google will soon bring up a wide range of self-publishing options, some paid for adverts, other organic search results, with all telling you that they are the best option for your book.

So how to decide which is the best route for you?

Firstly, as the self-publishing market has developed two separate routes have emerged plus one to be avoided. The two most common strands are:

• Do-it-yourself self-publishing, such as through Amazon KDP or Lulu. This is usually much lower cost but the flipside is you will be responsible for the editing, typesetting, design etc yourself.
• Serviced self-publishing – this will require more upfront investment but you can select the services you require, such as working with an editor, typesetter and designer and so on.

And the one to avoid? We have long spoken out about so-called ‘hybrid’ options where your book is apparently editorially selected only to then be hit with a big invoice which you are told is a ‘joint investment’ into the publication. Avoid wherever possible.

So, even dismissing the ‘hybrid’ option, how do you go about choosing which of the remaining options to go for?

These are the six basic questions I would start with:

1. What do I want to focus on and what do I want completed for me?
2. For the items I want completed for me, what is my budget?
3. What royalty rates are offered and how books do I need to sell to cover my outlay?
4. Am I able to speak to a member of their team directly rather than being pushed towards online bots?
5. Can I see examples of other books and authors they have published?
6. Is the offering of the publisher completely transparent?

These questions confirm the financial viability, quality, ability to communicate and transparency of your potential publishing partner.

And from here, you have a base to start looking at the individual offerings and putting together the right solution at the right budget that works for you.