Perceptions of Self-Publishing, Part 2

In opening orientation for the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference, the speaker asked the first time conferees to verbalize our conference goals. I turned to the lady next to me and said, “I want to learn if agents and editors consider self-published books and how they view self-publishing in general.”

Last time, we talked about an agent’s take on self-publishing. Today, let’s talk about what some editors had to say.

Of the four editors who met with me, only one said that her publishing house would not pick up self-published books. The fun side-note to this story is that she liked my books well enough to ask her editor-in-chief if they could make an exception by repackaging my books. Turns out, the answer was no, but in any event, the experience provided a booster shot to my confidence level.

The other three editors didn’t care if my books were self-published. Their interest seemed to lie in the following areas:

·       My pitch: Was it well-crafted? Did it meet their genre and audience needs?

·       My presentation: Was I prepared and had I done my homework on their publishing house? How did I “market” myself?

Meeting with editors and agents is like interviewing. Yes, they are interested in your qualifications and experience. But beyond that, they are interested in you as a person and if you are a good fit for their team.

If you’re a self-published author wondering if a publishing house might be interested in your book, the answer is maybe. Some publishers see self-publishing as competition and will not acquire self-published books.

Others will consider self-published works if what you have to offer matches what they need.