Many aspiring authors want to know, what is the best self-publishing company? Like many industries, there isn’t always one clear leader. One reason for this is that the better question might be: What is the best self-publishing company for me? The professional team at Izzard Ink has some tips for you about what to look for in a self-publishing company.
Integrity
Some industries are just more fraught than others with dishonest or sketchy characters, and self-publishing is one of them. Part of the reason for this is that self-publishing is heavily tied to the author’s dreams of becoming successful, famous and seeing their book in print. Therefore, the process is emotional, and bringing emotion into a business deal is rarely a good idea — for the party who is doing the purchasing anyway.
All self-publishing companies rely on payment from the author to publish their book — it’s a necessary part of the deal. But how much you pay and what you get in exchange for the fee can vary wildly. Further, some self-publishing companies are not completely clear on what you get for your money, which makes it harder to complain after the fact. Your best bet is to research your favorite companies carefully and read the consumer reviews to properly judge their integrity. If you get a bad feeling, walk away.
Experience
A self-publishing company could have all the integrity in the world and your best interest at heart, but without sufficient experience in the field, they will be unable to help you succeed.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you’re looking at a newer company, find out what brought them to self-publishing. Are they a former editor at Random House looking to publish independent authors whose ideas are not predictably mainstream? Or are they relatively unknown authors themselves, with little knowledge of publishing?
The answers to these questions can make a big difference.
An important part of experience is knowing what you don’t know. That means hiring experts to fill the roles you’re not capable of carrying out yourself. Here at Izzard Ink, where we have been in self-publishing for eight years, we keep a staff of editors, graphic artists, illustrators, marketers and distributors — all to help you get what you expect from self-publishing.
Proven Quality
Quality goes hand in hand with experience. You can have one without the other, but it’s uncommon. No matter how good you are at what you do, practice and experience makes you better. But for some, better might still not be good enough.
Self-publishing companies that offer the types of services that Izzard Ink does, such as marketing and distribution, should be able to demonstrate successes in this area. While our editing, illustrating, designing and graphic arts services are also top-notch, some of these services can be left open to interpretation. For instance, one person might think the cover art on a book is amazing, while another may not like it. With marketing and distribution, however, we have hard data to back up our claims.
Being good at marketing and distribution by no means guarantees success, the same way that being good at acting or singing doesn’t necessarily get you work. Other factors are involved. No one can bat 1.000 when their job is appealing to the general public, because of differing tastes.
However, a self-publishing company that offers marketing services should be able to demonstrate some solid successes. Marketing can be somewhat unpredictable, but it isn’t wizardry — skill and experience are involved.
You can see on the marketing section of our website that we carefully spell out the steps we take in the process. We have no secrets — just hard-working professionals.
Reputation
Like in many industries, some self-publishing companies have a reputation for high-pressure marketing techniques, pressing you to sign a contract right away without running it by your lawyer, or trying to dissuade you from meeting with other self-publishing companies. This is a red flag. Anyone who is confident their services are of good quality does not feel the need to pressure people into buying them.
When you research a self-publishing company, make sure you read reviews written by their customers. No one has 100% perfect reviews, but if you keep reading the same complaints over and over, they may be valid.
For instance, if many of a self-publishing company’s customers complain they delivered the book late, that it differed from the agreed-upon product or that there were hidden fees, you may want to avoid that company.
Also check the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against them.
Best Self-Publishing Company
Here at Izzard Ink, we like to think of ourselves as the best self-publishing company. If we didn’t believe in ourselves, our customers wouldn’t trust us.
What sets us apart is our level of service. Many self-publishing companies simply print books — there is no editing, designing, etc. Some of these companies are legit. Some authors do not want help with editing or designing, or they may have their own editors or designers. However, we work with many new and nascent authors who benefit greatly from our guidance and services.
Some authors choose self-publishing because they want to maintain greater control over their book than would be possible at a major publishing house. The bottom line is, when authors need services that will make their book better, more marketable and more successful, they can get these services from Izzard Ink. And if they choose not to take advantage of these services, that’s their option.
At Izzard Ink, we don’t pressure our clients to do things our way. We give our advice, based on our years of experience, and allow the clients to make the final choice.
Are you writing a book? Are you looking for the best self-publishing company for you? Talk to the team at Izzard Ink today. We offer free consultations.
