Over Thinking Self-Publishing?

Is there such a thing as over-thinking?  Or, in this case, is there such a thing as over-thinking self-publishing?


A writer could argue that they write about a subject, and when they do, they don't think about the process of publishing, or self-publishing, and it is usually made up the direction that they want to go.  Most of the time, if they are writing in a niche market, such as Transylvania, most will say there is only one route to go when publishing a book.

They are right in this regard. If the focus market is about Transylvania and the Saxons, most of the people who read this subject have background knowledge. They have likely read many other books about the Saxons, a group who has self-published in the area of "Saxon history" for many years.  It is not uncommon for writers who choose to write on a narrow subject to simply decide to self-publish.

That's not over thinking; it's a more a realistic mindset.  Which one of the traditional publishers would go and sign an agreement to a new author knowing that the best case scenario is to see a few hundred books sold outside of the niche market.


How about adding Hungary or Romania to the mix?  In this case, is a writer over thinking self-publishing?  Would it be possible to have consistent sales on Amazon or elsewhere with a self-published book on Transylvania?  It depends on the subject.


Almost any writer who has a blog on Transylvania will notice that diving into the political aspect of Romania and Hungary generally means that there will be some irate comments left on their blog.  The same is true for a self-published book on Transylvania that has a more political tone to it.  Some people will find it good, and others will argue, rightly and wrongly, that it is bad — all because the book doesn't support their own opinion.

This isn't a reason not to publish a book, but, as with all things about Transylvania, there are pros and cons to each decision.  It gives an author a reason to think about what should and should not be published, especially in the area of politics and Transylvania.  This is not to say it can't be done, but if you self-publish, and you make mistakes or quote sources that aren't viewed as legitimate, you can receive some bad reviews on your book on Amazon, which will in turn affect your chances of future sales.

If you self-publish and have a strong platform, and you have thought about what sort of reaction people could have towards your book, you have a chance to sway some of the harsh elements of readers who may often have a different point of view.

Over thinking self-publishing and a niche market happens when you spend hours trying to figure out when and where and who you need to have your book published with — for example CreateSpace or AuthorHouse or any number of other companies.  It happens when you focus on every possible argument people might have about the past or present of Transylvania.  A good example of a subject would be the history of Transylvania as it relates to Hungary.  Most people have a point of view, and if you focus on how the interior of a book might look or what people will think of the cover instead of on your content, you can face problems when facts are not correct.

Over thinking self-publishing in a niche market happens, too, when you worry about how many people may or may not buy your book based on your title, and then not worrying as much about the writing and editing.  When you deal with readers who are passionate about information and know the subject matter, the only thing that you should worry about is how much of your information is correct based on facts and figures from several different authors and sources.

What is over thinking, and can it hurt? It can hurt you when it stops you from writing a book and sharing with readers your own point of view, researched and well written, to the public.  


Comments

Amy said…
Just general over thinking anything can harm your chances as well.
Amy, so very true, I have to admit I can be guilty of this as well.
Johann said…
Will you self-publish another book anytime soon?
yes, both Sabrina and I are currently working on a book.