Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should [Paperback]

Let's Get Digital is a book of three parts. The first part explores the 'digital revolution', why now is a great time to be a writer, and lessons the publishing industry should learn from the music industry. With sections such as "Could Piracy Be Good For Authors?" and "E-book Dominance Is Inevitable" this section is the definitive statement on the state of digital publishing at the moment.

The third section is a series of success stories. 33 different writers, some well known and some not so much, talk about how they got into digital publishing and the kind of ride they've had since. Some of these stories are a bit on the short side, but all of them are interesting and inspiring. You really get a feel for how digital self-publishing is empowering so many different writers, and could do the same for you.

The second part of the book is what I like to think of as the meat in the sandwich. Or the burrito maybe. I never did like sandwiches all that much. But then burritos have a really thin wrap, which is a little unfair to sections one and three, so maybe sandwich is a better metaphor after all...

Anyway, the second part of the book is meaty, telling you exactly what you need to do to self-publish. From writing to formatting to promoting, taking in cover design and editing along the way. There are other books which go into more detail about specific aspects, but 'Let's Get Digital' gives a really good overview of the whole process, with pointers to where you can get more information if you need it. It also goes a little more into the 'why's than many books do, with two parts of the section on promoting your book titled "Don't Be A D*ck" and "Do Unto Others." The advice to stay on the ethical side of the line has to be good for anybody seeking longevity in their writing career.

All in all, this is a must-read for anybody who is thinking of self-publishing. Whether you're a traditionally published author thinking of moving their back catalogue onto Kindle, a new writer who's frustrated with how long it takes to get an agent, or just someone who has a couple of poetry collections they'd like to share with the world, you'll definitely get something out of this. For the price, it's a bargain.

Any potential reader's first question about a how-to book should be, does the author know what he is talking about? In David Gaughran's case, it might be reasonable to wonder. He's published a few short stories and this book. While that might not seem like much in the way of experience, it also proves one of his contentions, that self-publishing is something that anyone is capable of doing.

Gaughran had been writing for years, attempting to follow the traditional route to publication. While he'd had agents that were interested, he had not yet broken through. Then he heard some stories about authors who had found success through self-publishing and others, previously traditionally published, who decided to spurn traditional-publishing to go it on their own. He began researching self-publishing, and shortly after starting blogging about what he had found. His blog quickly became one of the go-to sites on the subject. Many of his popular blog posts were reworked for inclusion in "Let's Get Digital."

The book has three parts. The first and the last are of potential interest to any reader, even one who knows they'll never want to publish anything.

Part I makes the case for self-publishing -the "why you should" portion of the subtitle. It gives an even-handed view of where the publishing industry is today, where it is going, and makes the case for self-publishing. While acknowledging that everyone has different goals in their writing, Gaughran makes a solid case with ample facts, figures, and research as support for his contentions.

Part II covers the details of self-publishing. Along with appendices, this section tells you what you need to know to produce your book. Among other subjects, he explains those things many self-publishers skip, almost guaranteeing failure. Why the cover matters and the reasons you need an editor along with formatting and promotion are among the subjects covered.

Part III are a series of short success stories from thirty-three different authors who are happy with their self-publishing experience and tell about their route to success. These serve as inspiration and, if you pay attention to what they say, validation of all the things Gaughran has said previously. I imagine this section could also serve as a great starting point for readers to find new authors that interest them.

Lately several books on the subject of self-publishing have hit the virtual bookshelves. While many of them have good ideas, "Let's Get Digital" is the first I've seen, that I felt was both credible and comprehensive. I'd recommend it to any writer who is considering self-publishing or anyone interested in the current state of publishing.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

While about to dip my toe in the self-publishing waters I realised I needed a bit of hand-holding, and this seems to be the perfect accompaniment. It covers why you want to make the jump (although, for most people the obvious answer is 'agent/publishers aren't interested'), how to go about it, from formatting your book etc. to other things you need to know, like tax issues.
I found it a little strange though that a European author would write so much from a generally American perspective. While this is undoubtedly to get the bigger audience, the message wouldn't have been diluted by addressing it as a European.

A couple of things that I didn't like though were the pointless 33 interviews with authors. This was just padding. Half a dozen would've been acceptable as these are generally gloat pieces. They explain that an author did well but their variables mightn't match yours.
Also, this non-fiction book doesn't assume that you would be writing non-fiction either. A few pointers on writing anything other than short stories and novels would be appreciated as they can be a harder sell. There's no Amanda Hocking of non-fiction yet after all.

That aside, it's very cheap and gave me most of what I wanted to know.