I've composed a list of the questions that I'm frequently asked while conducting workshops on writing, self-publishing, and marketing. I'd like to share a few of them with you...


Q:  Why did you decide to self-publish?

A:   I decided to self-publish my first book titled Forgive Us This Day in 2004 because I knew that the traditional publishing process would take some time. Most major publishers now require that an author has an agent before they will even look at your manuscript. So I did some extensive research and decided to try self-publishing after finding out that many of my favorite authors had gone this route and continued on to secure contracts with major publishers. I figured while I was trying to get a big publisher, I could publish the book and make some money while waiting to hear back from agents.


Q:  What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing?

A:  First of all, let me make it clear that self-publishing is not for everybody. But some of the advantages include being your own boss, you keep the copyright to your work, you gain self-confidence and self-esteem, you can work full-time or part-time, you have a good business deducation, you have creative control over your project, it takes less time to produce a book, you can make bigger profits, you can fill a special niche market, and you'll have a local advantage. On the other hand, self-publishing is very time consuming, it can be very costly, it's more difficult to get into major bookstores, it's harder to get a book distributor, you have to contract with outsiders, and you'll need start-up and working capital to maintain the business for the first year.


Q:  How long does it take you to write a book?

A:  Well, it only took me about three months to write my first book, but the editing process took up another six months. I was very committed to writing everyday and made a lot of sacrifices in order to complete the book within that time frame.


Q:  How do I copyright my work?

A:  You need to contact the Library of Congress copyright office at www.Copyright.gov to download an application. You have two options: 1) send in one printed copy of the unpublished manuscript; or 2) send in two copies of your published book. Either way, the current fee is $45.00


Q: What are some of the marketing strategies that have worked for you?

A:  I've used a variety of marketing techniques, but I think that having a presence on the web is the best PR for any business. Some places even offer free websites (but normally you'll have to include their name in the domain name). So if you don't have the money to customize, join a free website company, choose a template, and start downloading. It's that simple. Other strategies include joining local and on-line book clubs, creating a blog, and good ole word of mouth is still very effective.