Self-publishing a book

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Len Madeiros

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Hi guys - anyone have any experience of this?

I’ve done some research, and I’m looking at paying around £500 to get a book published and marketed. Publication will be mainly through the online route, with a small paperback print run. I also have some of my own contacts, who will market the book for me through reviews.

But has anyone here tried anything similar? It’d be great to hear how you got on.

Btw, the book is aiming at a fairly niche, but far from tiny market. I’m writing about my football heroes of the 60s and 70s, but setting these heroes up as “game changers”. Not that they were such great players (some of them weren’t); more that they specifically moved the game forward, by their very presence.

I’ve written 21 out of 23 chapters, so I’ve hit the “two pole”, and I’m looking strong!

Thank you,

Len
 
Go for it, Len

I used Create Space, an independant book publisher, when I wrote my short story in 2013 about being sectioned under Maggie Thatcher's1983 mental health act when I was 17 in 2003.

Basically it got the job done. It didn't really cost anything. I didn't make anything, but then I wasn't looking to in the first place. I was just trying to tell the story. Plenty of friends past and present read and enjoyed it, and that was my hope.

Let us know how you get on.
 
Yes and it helped others in similar situations. I've been an advocate for people who have experienced mental health problems for many years. Trying to tell the story from the point of view of losing your liberty and freedom, while actually trying to get yourself well enough to be released.

You are right about it being harrowing. When you are unwell enough to be sectioned like I was, then you're in the deep end, often with a lot older people, who may have been in there for decades. It's daunting for sure. There were some humorous stories in there aswell. All based on what actually happend.

I've been told I'm a success story. A survivor. I'll settle for that.

Anyway, enough about me.

Please put a link when you put your tale online. I'd love to read it.
 
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This might be helpful. It appears to be quite old but shows a last-updated date of 2022. It's Forbes so you can probably trust it to have been updated accurately...

www.forbes.com

How To Self-Publish Your Book Through Amazon

No more writing book proposals and dealing with literary agents. Amazon’s suite of services for authors makes it possible to bypass traditional publishing companies -- and prosper.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
 
chaumi said:
This might be helpful. It appears to be quite old but shows a last-updated date of 2022. It's Forbes so you can probably trust it to have been updated accurately...

www.forbes.com

How To Self-Publish Your Book Through Amazon

No more writing book proposals and dealing with literary agents. Amazon’s suite of services for authors makes it possible to bypass traditional publishing companies -- and prosper.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
Click to expand...
Thank you so much, Chaumi.

I’ve read a couple of bits like this, but nothing like the detail of this article. It’s basically pointing the way to making money, by marketing the book as far and wide as possible, using Amazon’s services.

And the more I’ve read about self-publishing, if you are prepared to work as hard at marketing as you are on writing the book, you will make a bit of money.

Obviously, people have got to want to read the bloody book in the first place! But still…
 
I’m more than happy to share a chapter or two with you guys, if you’d like a read.

These are my football heroes. I love these blokes, so you may find the prose a bit “hagiographic”; but I’ve also tried to find a different edge to them ie, they did something during the career that moved the game in a different direction.
 
Len Madeiros said:
Obviously, people have got to want to read the bloody book in the first place! But still…
Click to expand...
You possibly want to be looking at football-related forums when the time comes, Len. They're likely the places you'll find true fans who would appreciate this sort of angle.

ofc there's a line between highlighting useful/interesting stuff on forums and being seen as selling stuff, but from the sound of it this would be relevant to the membership and hopefully be seen as such. There will be some 'clever' ways to approach it with a bit of thought.
 
chaumi said:
Yeah, I'd live to see some of it.

And yours, too, Marb (if it's still accessible somehow)
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Can you private message me your email address, Chaum.

I can send you the manuscript on Microsoft Word.

As it's not available in book format anymore.
 
chaumi said:
You possibly want to be looking at football-related forums when the time comes, Len. They're likely the places you'll find true fans who would appreciate this sort of angle.

ofc there's a line between highlighting useful/interesting stuff on forums and being seen as selling stuff, but from the sound of it this would be relevant to the membership and hopefully be seen as such. There will be some 'clever' ways to approach it with a bit of thought.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm an active member of a Facebook group of 27,000 members that celebrates this very era. I also have good media contacts too.

Let's see if I can share my "Jackie Charlton"...
 
chaumi said:
Is the link to some sort of Sharepoint site? It won't allow me access.
Click to expand...
Yeah, slight cock up on the IT front here. I’ll sort it out, unless anyone can tell me how I add a word doc via my phone? I’ve saved the doc to “files”, but that doc is not accessible when I try to insert it.
 
Magic stuff, Len. Assuming the other players covered are similar historic-type figures, you can easily see how it would appeal to die-hard football fans. But also to many older people who don't necessarily follow the game deeply now but still fondly remember those big names from when they were kicking a ball around in a park or on the street outside.
 
Many thanks, Chaumi.

Yeah, I’ve included all the greats from the era, all of whom would have played in the English First Division. I have one or two left-field inclusions; basically, because I thought they were great for my own personal reasons.

Because you’ve been so nice about Jackie Charlton, I’ll share a Geoff Hurst too!
 
When I was looking into it for my mother, Amazon self publishing seemed to be the way to go, but didn't leave much of a margin for the writer, depending on where your price point was.
 
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