The Naked Author - a Guide to Self-Publishing [Paperback]

I must admit that I skim-read this entire book in 2-hours - only really reading the chapters that appealed to me, and skimming quickly over the text of the other pages. However, over these two hours I got the general thrust of the book.

Alison Baverstock appears to be very experienced in the publishing industry, especially self-publishing, the latter is what this book is about.

It certainly packs in a lot of information. However, when I finished the book I was a little disappointed that I didn't learn a single thing from it. But, that is not to say that you won't. When I first self-published my first novel, I did tons of research and left no stone unturned. Most of my research was done on the net, or reading writing magazines, snippets in other books, self-publishing companies brochures, speaking to other authors, self-published and traditionally etc. What I'm saying is, all the information in this book is out there and free, if you can be bothered to do the leg-work like I did. Otherwise, most of it, is in this book - but not all.

I would have liked to have seen some recommendations for self-publishing companies, printing companies, graphic designers, photographers, proof readers, copy-editors etc. But there are none.

At £14.95 (I bought from high street book store) I felt it was very expensive for what it is - a paperback!

There are also some vital bits of information missing from this book, one such bit of information is the fact that a lot of so-called self-publishing companies are not really that at all - why? because they offer to do the ISBN number for you (usually for £10 or so), saving you the hassle of dealign with the ISBN people yourself and paying £120 for a block of 10 numbers. But, if you let the so-called self-publishing company fill out the ISBN form, they will put their own name under "published by" on the form, meaning, THEY are the publisher, and THEY own the rights to it (in most instances) and if THEY (which THEY will) get contacted by a Hollywood production company wanting to buy the rights for a film, then THEY will get all the money and you won't get anything.

The definition of Self-Publishing means just that, so, if YOU don't register the ISBN yourself and put YOUR name on the form, then you are NOT self-published - period. There are other pieces of info also missing, such as avoiding the extra USA tax if you are are in Britain. Most people uploading a Kindle book to Amazon do not know that they are paying USA tax, as well as English tax and are throwing all that money down the toilet, when all they have to do is fill out the relevant form and send it to Amazon in the USA and they will then not charge you USA tax before paying you your monthly royalties. I wish the author had plugged little holes like this in this book. For me, the book is not really definitive because of the gaps.

Conclusion, you will learn a lot from this book if you are totally new to self-publishing, but don't use it as the be-all-and-end-all, because there is still more 'vital' information that you will need to learn. But, certainly a pretty good starting point that will get you 65% of the way there.

This book is an impressive guide to self-publishing. Alison Baverstock has produced a fine overview of the subject, with support from other experts, with whom parts of the book have been co-written. Baverstock provides a step-by-step outline of how an author can arrange editing, design, printing, distribution, publicity, and marketing for their book. One of the best features of this book is the large number of case studies, in which authors share their experiences of self-publishing.

There is a lot of up-to-date information about the links between self-publishing and the digital publishing revolution (ebooks are described by one commentator as the biggest thing in publishing since Gutenburg invented printing). Baverstock's book shows signs of hurried publication, with many typographical errors, and quite a bit of repetition. I would say that both the editing and design do not meet the highest standards advocated by Baverstock - the case studies are presented in unattractive shading.

I think this book would be more credible if it was self-published. Baverstock makes the claim that her book is the first major title on self-publishing by a leading publisher. At the start of my writing career, the Bible for the process of independent publishing was Peter Finch's How to Publish Yourself, issued by Allison and Busby in 1987, fully 24 years before The Naked Author streaked across the stage. While focussing on self publishing as a commercial venture, Baverstock also writes in a very positive way about the scope for enthusiastic authors to find satisfaction in small-scale publishing. Having had books published by a couple of mainstream publishers, while self-publishing other works, I strongly recommend Alison Baverstock's book to anybody setting out on self-publishing.

Alison Baverstock's excellent new book is both a thoughtful exploration of self-publishing and an informative `how-to' handbook.

As Alison herself says, `Self-publishing has had a bad reputation'. Badly edited, poorly designed and amateurish books have been produced by writers who were disinclined to re-appraise or improve their work. However, modern technology is changing the publishing landscape - and fast. Serious writers are now able to buy professional services that allow them to produce a high quality product and offer it straight to their audience, promoting it across a wealth of online media. Self-publishing is gaining a new respectability; writers are actively choosing it as a way to connect with their readers, and Alison's book celebrates this with exuberance.

Her comprehensive guide begins in a philosophical way, with a thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of why writers may wish to publish their own work. These writers may range from the family wishing to produce a single copy of a This is Your Life history for an elderly relative, to the `household name' author with an established fan base who turns away from traditional publishing. This book is no gentle philosophical tome, however, because Alison efficiently turns to the competencies and assets needed to make a success of publishing. The economics of book production is explored, legal issues covered, and practicalities such as book formats, paper types, proofreading, typesetting, eBooks and ISBNs are covered in detail with useful advice from industry experts. Numerous case histories throughout the book offer illuminating thoughts on writing, self-publishing and self-expression.

This book, the first of its kind from a UK traditional publishing house (A&C Black), is an inspiring must-read for anyone contemplating publishing their own work, whether on a small scale for personal use or with the intention of reaching out to readers on a global scale. 'The Naked Author' is an in-depth guide that every serious self-publisher should have to hand as they embark on their publishing journey.