Trying to decide on the best avenue for publishing can often be agonizing for authors. With the many options available, how does a person know the publishing choice best for their message? Rebecca Ingram Powell, author of Baby Boot Camp (WinePress 2000), offers authors her insights as both a self-published and a traditionally published author, who will soon be returning to WinePress to publish a print-on-demand book through Pleasant Word.

Rebecca printed 5,000 copies of Baby Boot Camp in September, 2000. Her first piece of advice to authors is, “You must have a web site. An author who doesn’t have a web site is like an author who is still using a manual typewriter.” After her books arrived, Rebecca immediately realized she needed an avenue to tell others about her book on an on-going basis, so she started a weekly e-mail devotional. She sent it to everyone she knew and had a place on her website for new people to sign up. She placed the name of her book and ordering information on every newsletter.

Through a well-known women’s ministry, Rebecca developed a speaking ministry. She made herself available to do retreats, Bible studies…whatever doors opened up. She also began freelance writing with articles on her topic. When writing freelance an author normally gets a small bio at the end of the article in which she placed her credentials and the name of her book.

Rebecca was also fortunate to establish a monthly column with ParentLife magazine, which kept her book in the public’s eye. She heard that ParentLife had just hired a new editor and knew this would be a prime time to approach the new editor with her book and writing samples, adding that “because I had printed with WinePress my book did not look self published.” After purchasing an article from Rebecca, the editor later looked to Rebecca to fill a columnist slot that had opened up. Now Rebecca has been a monthly columnist for ParentLife for three years.

As Baby Boot Camp began selling, and she had moved over 2,500 books, she realized she could now approach a publisher since she had demonstrated a market for her book. She counsels authors to research the market and find the right publisher for their topic. Just blindly peddling proposals to publishers is a waste of both your time and theirs. She began praying that God would lead her to the right publisher. One day she picked up a Bible study book and noticed the publisher, New Hope. God clearly spoke to her and told her to contact them. It “so happened” that she had an upcoming speaking engagement in the town where New Hope was located and an editor agreed to meet with her about her book. They offered her a contract and her book has been in print for about a year now!

So how does her experience with both self-publishing and traditional publishing compare? Rebecca says, “One thing that does not change is that you still have to promote your book. If people aren’t willing to promote their books then they shouldn’t publish at all. You must believe in your message and believe other people can use it. No one will be as passionate about your message as you will be.”

Having experienced both sides of publishing, Rebecca has decided to return to self-publishing with an upcoming project she’s working on. She emphasized the quality of WinePress products and that our toll-free ordering number gave her credibility when doing media interviews. She says, “The self-publishing experience taught me so much. I learned how to lean on the Lord in a totally new way and I experienced God in a new way as I went out on a limb. WinePress made it easy because the people were so easy to work with and helpful. When I filled out the online form and I got a personal call, it was so reassuring. There’s a trust factor at WinePress.”