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Books Panel

For support with a book-size project, Atik suggests you begin with "Melange on Monday," a free writing session led by David Massengill of the Seattle Weekly. It's a great way to share your work and hook up with potential writing-group buddies.

Mid-project, get a critique from a writer-in-residence, who can't read long material but can give concrete directional advice. Hugo House is also setting up a "manuscript mentor" program.

When you finish your manuscript, look up places to publish at the Hugo House library, or attend the "You've Written the Manuscript, Now What?" class taught by Alice B. Acheson.

A dramatist by training, Gregory Kauffman faced a double learning curve when he approached writing Manuela. "Not only did I have to learn how to write a novel, then I had to learn how to publish one."

Kauffman looked into using iUniverse to publish his manuscript, but found that under their terms, Manuela would've been two volumes at $27. Kauffman decided to start a media company and publish the book himself.

Two years ago, print-on-demand was ahead of the game. The book cost $9 to produce, and Kauffman assigned a $19 cover price. Kauffman loses money when he sells his books through distributors, so he tries to move as many books as possible through his Web site.

Kauffman is optimistic about print-on-demand, with a few reservations. "We have two or three distributors controlling all of our culture," says Kauffman. "Print-on-demand is going to save us, but we have to get different forms of distribution. I wanted to get on board but the problem is that novels don't sell. Nonfiction sells better."

"Self publishing can be done, but it's a labor of love and you've got to have a mission," says Lily Casura, author of Gentle Medicine.

A journalist her whole life, she started writing articles on chronic fatigue syndrome and natural medicine when she recovered from the disease (which most people don't do). When the articles grew into a book, New York publishers told her that she'd have to guarantee 30,000 readers. She decided to publish it herself.

Says Casura, "You can do any job in the world if you break it down to enough steps." Casura's father self-published books in the 1970s, and Casura also knew a woman who self-published a book on food dehydration—Dry-It, You'll Like It—that has sold more than a quarter million.

Casura makes 90 cents per book through Amazon.com. Like Kauffman, she makes a better profit from selling it through her own Web site. Casura doesn't sell her book in bookstores because she doesn't want the returns.

Casura found that as a self-publisher she doesn't have the money to defend herself against things like copyright infringement.

Casura believes that self-publishing will eventually revolutionize the publishing industry; however, "You might be dead [by then]. Picture this as a long haul."

Gordon Kirkland is the author of Justice Is Blind—And Her Dog Just Peed in My Cornflakes. Unlike Kauffman and Casura, he published his book through Harper Publishing.

"Whether you're self-published or published by anyone up to a mid-sized publisher," says Kirkland, "your job doesn't end after you finish writing. Too many writers forget about publicity."

For his book, Kirkland booked a tour of 69 cities—including stops at major chain bookstores. "Writers love independent booksellers," he says. "But Barnes and Noble, and Borders, etc., move lots of books. If you want sales, you need to work with them." Kirkland's publisher gave him some money for the travel, but he paid for the rest himself. "It was hard, not something you'd want to do," he says, "but it sold a lot of books."

"And if you do your work properly," says Kirkland, "you get reorders instead of returns."

Kirkland has another book coming out in October called Never Stand Behind a Loaded Horse.

From writing your first draft to collaborating with friends to promoting yourself at big chain bookstores or tiny radio stations, creativity is needed as much after your book has been written as before. After pounding the keyboard, you're going to have to pound the pavement.

"I don't see any reason why creativity should stop at the end of writing a book," says Atik. "It goes through the entire process."

E-mail gkauffman@gkauffman.com for help with publishing and marketing.

Visit Lily Casura's Web site for a list of books on self-publishing.

Check out the National Writers Union for quasi-legal help and other copyright and authorship-related aid.

Don't forget these publicity options:

• Libraries (The Tacoma Public Library will bring you in and sell your books for you.).
• Newspapers (Try to contact the features editor or the books reviewer.).
• Radio stations (The BRS radio directory lists every talk radio station.).
• TV stations.

Stephanie A. Shenk's writing is inspired by leather, ponytails, and the romantic bohemia of a cold daylight basement in the CD.