Against the Grain

Volume 25 | Issue 3 Article 12

June 2013 Comments on Self-Publishing from a Small-Press Publisher Rory Litwin Litwin Books, LLC

Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/atg Part of the Library and Information Science Commons

Recommended Citation Litwin, Rory (2013) "Comments on Self-Publishing from a Small-Press Publisher," Against the Grain: Vol. 25: Iss. 3, Article 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7771/2380-176X.6519

This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. The conflict of interest policy, while As for me, I’m anxiously waiting to see Conflicts of Interest: Collecting ... well-intentioned, creates a frustrating barrier how many students check out my novel. If from page 26 to collecting self-published work — not least even one student reads and enjoys it, then because, when collecting zines, I must email our decision to collect it will have been the adult novel when I joined the staff and had dozens upon dozens of writers to ask whether right one. been invited to hold a reading and Q&A that they, any of their family members, or any would be led by one of the editors of the student of their students are employed by UC. If it arts journal. Because it’s only natural that we happens that a self-publishing writer has, say, should collect the works of authors we invite a brother on work study at UC Davis, then Endnotes to read at Powell, Stasse’s novel was included I’m faced with the choice of asking them to 1. Zines are commonly defined as low in the Recent Fiction Collection. donate their work, not collecting the work at budget booklets or chapbooks, often pho- Once I had settled into my job, Kelly, all, or making the case to Campus Purchasing. tocopied and stapled by their authors. Zines having set a precedent for staff readings with However, if that same writer is represented have their origins in science fiction, punk, Lisa Stasse, asked if I wanted to hold a reading by a large publisher or distributor, I can order and Riot Grrrl subcultures and are a major for Other Life Forms. Relieved and excited, I their work with a few mouse clicks. Libraries outlet for feminist, radical, and other margin- alized perspectives. Barnard College and sat down with her to discuss logistics. Was it simply cannot treat self-publishers like large the University of Iowa are among the other reasonable for the library to obtain a copy of distributors or publishing houses if they want institutions whose libraries collect zines. the book? Of course. What about the conflict to have any sort of equitable collection devel- 2. This is not to say that academic research, of interest? We decided that, even though I opment policy. Many librarians before me have expert opinions, and critically acclaimed collect recent fiction, I shouldn’t be the one to said the same, and it’s wearying that we must literature do not occupy a vital space in place the order; so we’re currently exploring continue to repeat it. libraries. A problem arises, however, when other, more ethical ways to add the book to Still, my peculiar position as both a librarians fail to interrogate the power the collection. We haven’t dealt with UCLA’s self-publishing writer and a librarian has given structures that decide which voices are official conflict of interest policy yet; but the amplified and which are suppressed in me insight into the questions and problems that the American publishing landscape. For fact that the decision fits within existing policy, arise when large libraries attempt to collect a deeper exploration of this issue, see my is based on a clear precedent, and comes from self-published work. One must work around 2012 InterActions article, “Stop Speaking the head of the library rather than me personally imperfect policies and ask uncomfortable For Us: Women-Of-Color Bloggers, White puts us in a much stronger position to obtain an questions. But examining library policies and Appropriation, and What Librarians Can exception. And if the exception isn’t granted, bringing colleagues and supervisors into the Do About It.” then I’ll buy a copy myself and donate it. conversation can help mitigate the confusion.

Comments on Self-Publishing from a Small-Press Publisher by Rory Litwin (President, Litwin Books, LLC) http://litwinbooks.com/

s a small-press publisher in the library that book is or how seriously I take its author of articles that encourage self-publishing do field, whose first batch of published as a writer worth reading. If the book is good not trouble me because the more people are Abooks included two that I compiled or and I think its author is making a significant encouraged to self-publish their works, the authored myself, I have a unique perspective on contribution, I feel a sense of unease at the more bad books will be self-published. This self-publishing and librarianship. I often work implicit threat that my work as a publisher may factor helps establish small-press publishers with authors who might consider self-pub- be unnecessary. I comfort myself by consid- like ourselves as a place for books that deserve lishing as an option. I also occasionally miss ering what we could have offered this author to be taken seriously. an opportunity to work with an author who that he lacks as long as he is “out there on his Not all serious writers feel a need to prove chooses to self-publish a work that I respect. own,” but the uncomfortable (for us) fact is that their work is good enough to pass through More often, however, I work with authors who that self-publishing is a viable alternative for a gatekeeper. For example, Crawford is a submit book proposals to us as a part of an a serious author. Self-publishing is attractive self-published writer whose personal reputa- effort to “get published” or authors whom we for the author who keenly values absolute inde- tion makes it unnecessary to seek a publisher’s seek out as capable writers to take on projects pendence and is only interested in reaching an imprint to establish legitimacy. So with Craw- that we initiate as a publisher. I have acquired audience that is already aware of him. On the ford in mind, along with other authors who some insights into why authors choose one other hand, if a book is so bad that we would might be in his position soon, I will make an route over the other and can say a few things not have published it or if the self-published argument for the role of publishers in terms of about our contributions as a publisher that book has serious flaws that we would have cor- the contributions we make that are not falling writers should consider when weighing the rected, I am pleased to see it because it makes away as a result of technologies that facilitate option to self-publish. an argument by example for the self-publishing. Authors who are considering First, I would like relevance of pub- self-publishing may want to think about the to say something lishers and induces role of publishers in these terms. candid about how I authors to submit To begin, librarians know that their own feel about self-pub- manuscripts to pub- institutions often regard self-published books lished books in the lishers by contrib- less seriously from a collection development library field. My uting to the poor perspective. But aside from serving as a gate- attitude toward a image of self-pub- keeper to the “realm of legitimately published given self-pub- lished books. Con- books,” we also serve, to a certain degree, as lished book de- sequently, the rise a gatekeeper to the structures of bibliographic pends strongly on of self-publishing control and official recognition. Although and the profusion how good I think continued on page 30

28 Against the Grain / June 2013 are often willing to take risks and make choices lisher than they can do publishing their work on Comments on Self-Publishing ... that are not intended to maximize revenues. their own, then publishing houses offer more from page 28 Even the most well-established publishing economic support for their creative work. In houses take care to maintain their prestige by some cases, this economic support can come ISBNs are now available to self-published publishing books that they do not expect to sell in advance of the writing itself and enables the authors, participation in the Library of Con- well initially. Taking such a risk does not, how- author to write full-time. This is not the case gress’ Cataloging in Publication program is ever, mean that we publish a book unedited. in the library field or in academia in general not. Participation in the CIP program means Authors are not usually the best judges of their because expected sales are relatively low. But that a cataloging record is produced by LC and own work. This is why the editing function is even in this sector, authors can generally expect distributed through WorldCat. These records part of the gatekeeping function. higher sales with a publishing house than as a also assure that Books in Print, and other bib- A third role of publishers is in the design self-publisher and can probably expect higher liographic resources list the book. It affords and physical production of books. This is income for themselves even after the publishers a degree of official recognition. Participation an area where self-publishing has gone far take their cut, owing to the efficiencies that in the CIP program contributes to publishers’ toward bridging a former gap. The options come from operating at a larger scale coupled ability to work with vendors so that their books that self-publishers have today are not terrible. with higher sales. Unfortunately, these higher are included in approval plans for library acqui- The books produced by Lulu and iUniverse are earnings are never a certainty. sition. In this way, publishers use established recognizably books and can stand alongside I will conclude with the role of publishers sales channels that self-publishers are not able other books without at first glance being notice- that is the least well-understood, and, coinci- to access (although Amazon has changed this ably bad (although the cover designs are often dentally, the role that I enjoy playing the most to a degree). Periodicals that produce book terrible). However, publishing houses are still as a publisher — a creative role in terms of reviews that buyers rely on usually ignore likely to produce a book that looks and feels initiating and nurturing projects. Many of the self-published books. Thus, the gatekeeping better in terms of its design and production books that we have published and are currently function relates not only to the image that values because of their ability to bring expertise working on began with our own ideas. Through a book may have as being “legitimate” but and resources to bear. our network of creative librarians, academics, also to the structures of the industry in terms Marketing is another function of the pub- and others, we seek and find capable writers of bibliographic control, sales, and publicity. lishing industry. This area is easy to misun- and researchers to take on projects that we In addition to this gatekeeping function, derstand as something external to publishing envision. Furthermore, we often develop ideas publishers make a contribution through their rather than integral to it. Publishers recognize in collaboration with writers. We are far from role as editors — both in terms of copy editing that marketing is a necessary fiscal expense, unique in taking this role as a publishing house. and developmental editing. While it is true that where self-publishers are likely to market their It is generally the rule rather than the exception a self-published author can hire a copy editor books using only their personal communication for publishing houses to take a creative role to help prepare his work for publication, most channels. Publishers are able to market books in envisioning projects, getting them started, people prefer that the publisher bear this cost. more efficiently owing to the fact that an in- and guiding them through their development Perhaps the crux of decision on whether to dividual book is part of a list — the universe in cooperation with writers. It is not entirely work with a publisher or to do it on one’s own of the publisher’s other publications. The list, correct to think of publishers as profiting from depends upon the question of developmental in this sense, may be the totality of the other the creativity of writers, who would do what editing. Many authors who choose to self-pub- titles published by the company, the new titles they do with or without their backing. Often lish their works go that route primarily because in the current year, the titles in a series, or even the creative source of a given work is a pub- they want full creative control and do not want a grouping of books advertised together. Thus, lisher; often writers and publishers are creative a publisher’s market-influenced judgments to the marketing role of publishers is also an or- collaborators. This is not exactly an argument distort their work. In these cases, they may ganizing role that provides a way of thinking against self-publishing because it does not say even acknowledge that their sales will be about a collection of books and of placing that without publishers there would be no cre- lower if they self-publish but would rather have individual books in relation to other books. ativity. I would simply point out that, without fewer sales with integrity than higher sales that These actions enhance a book’s and an author’s publishers, many of the works that inspire us require a deep personal compromise. I think findability. It takes money to do this well, but or influence us or that we rely on would not that this is often a valid sentiment. However, the fact that a publishing house is marketing only not have been published and marketed as a publisher, I can also say that maximizing a collection of books at the same time makes but would not have been conceived. sales is not necessarily our only concern when for a more efficient expenditure. I conclude my remarks as a little “dino- editing a work (or evaluating a book proposal). The topic of money raises another benefit saur.” Clearly the landscape is changing, but We are, to greater and lesser degrees depending for authors — the publisher’s financial role in I foresee that economic organizations (today on our desired position within the publishing rewarding and sometimes financially support- called “publishers”) will continue to be the community, interested in the integrity and ing their authors. If authors can make more most natural way for most of these publishing originality of the books that we publish. We money publishing through an established pub- functions to be contributed to society.

Google?” The editorial is about two Google Was talking to the terrificJoyce Dixon-Fyle Rumors seminars dealing with Google Search and the other day. Poor from page 24 Google Earth and Google’s future and how it thing! Her grandson had a terrible fall and might impact libraries. Colorado State Uni- had to have plastic surgery because he cut a Chair of the PASCAL Consortial Purchasing versity has apparently archived the seminar in gash in his upper lip towards his lower cheek Committee for at least the past seven years! its libguide for Google Search. bone! OUCH! Of course he had to be hos- Talk about hard work and dedication! Hooray http://guides.library.colostate-pueblo.edu/ pitalized. Joyce’s father-in-law (a surgeon) for Diane who also directs the annual LIBRIS googlesearch Worth more than a visit! says that plastic surgery on children usually meeting every year. (This year’s meeting was www.charlestonco.com leaves practically no scars. Meanwhile, Joyce hosted in May by Central Carolina Technical Moving right along, I got distracted. I had commencement ceremonies to attend to College in Sumter, South Carolina.) was going to say that Anurag Achura the as well. Good luck, Joyce, and godspeed to http://www.sclibris.org/contactinfo.htm lead engineer of Google Scholar who visited your grandson! http://pascalsc.org/ us at the Charleston Conference last year is Heard that the energetic Mark Kendall And I forgot! I was reading Dennis Brun- returning as a speaker this year as well! www. (Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations ning’s editorial in the April TCA, “Whither katina.info/conference continued on page 37

30 Against the Grain / June 2013