Self Publishing Authors Need to Be Artists and Entrepreneurs

There'a nice article on entrepreneurship and self-publishing in Nigeria's Business Day. (What, doesn't everybody read Nigeria's Business Day in Eastern KY?) Here are a few snips:

As more people turn to self-publishing to launch their creative works into the market, there is now the realisation that sound business principles are needed to achieve success. Joy Isi Bewaji, self-publishing author of ‘Eko Dialogue’ discusses the principles needed for success in self publishing business recently in a chat with Business Day.

[…]

Self-publishing is becoming a very difficult terrain, where the artiste also becomes the entrepreneur pursuing goals that are not art-related all in a bid to make known the product. Artistry and business management are two divergent tasks but it could be a good learning experience for all writers who intend to become or are already ‘self-publishers’.

[…]

Apart from raising funds for publishing a book, as a self-published writer, one needs to set aside funds for publicity, advertisement and be able to create regular forums where the book can be discussed. All of these cost a lot of money. However, self-publishing gives the owner a level of control over the intellectual property.

The most essential thing for a self-publishing author is funds and ability to take advantage of every available opportunity. Money is needed to run the ideas and sponsorship is usually difficult in this line of business. So, the writer may need to take up a job on full-time or part-time basis or engage in a business at the initial stages to jump-start the self-publishing business. But care must be taken to ensure the job or business does not stifle time for creativity.

[…]

To know if there is a market for the book, research has to be done. Since funds are limiting, simply explore ways to find out if people normally buy books in that category. If there are already similar books to the one you want published, find out if they are being patronised.

As a self-publisher, the author must make a firm resolve not to publish any work that would not be interesting to the target market. This can be done by asking some knowledge people to assess the manuscript before publication.Always remember that it is not what you write but how you write and sell it that matters. So do not simply write and publish what you want but what buyers want to buy.

Even though self-publishing is challenging, if one is ready to apply the entrepreneurial principles needed for its success and be persistent, it could become very lucrative.

A footnote: Aren't there paralells here for those of us who work in rural areas where heritage products/services (tourist sites, crafts, artistic works, stories, music, etc.) offer a way to build the local economy?