MY STORY: Wolf DeVoon

1) Why did you choose to self-publish and what were your expectations?

It was a last straw, last ditch effort to archive my work. Too many web domains were robots.txt-blocked or expired or banned by ODP and Google. And it bugged me for two decades that everyone else had paper and ink, except me. Twenty years is a long time to be anguished.

2) Why did you select your specific publisher?

Lulu was cheap, and I couldn't justify throwing big money at a small target. My expectation of sales in bookstores is precisely zero.

3) How is it going so far? Are you achieving your goals?

I published three books to see what the POD process was like. I discovered that it is basically impossible for me to do anything without help. And it took two disasters to find a really excellent text formatting service. I sent a few hardcover copies to people I respect. I'm still mulling what to do with my sci-fi novel. Perhaps burn it. Or print one copy for -- who? Me? My kid? William Morris?

4) What advice would you give a person who has completed their manuscript and is considering self-publishing?

I'm all for it. I encouraged a friend to self-publish recently, despite the fact that he's not very creative and I particularly disliked his book project. I suggested that he send review copies to area celebs, magazines, newspapers, etc, and visit bookstores to set up book signings. I did this with a traditionally published book ten years ago, and it works. Authors have to fight for recognition. Plug it everywhere you can. I'm not even sure it matters what your book is about. You need to sell yourself.

Wolf DeVoon

author of "First Feature" (clothbound, 189 pp., Lulu 2007)

Compelling, candidly realistic story of ambition and harrowing odds of failure. Born to be a filmmaker, young Robert Whitney fights his way to the coveted, sordid prize of success in Hollywood. Adult sexual situations, graphic language. http://stores.lulu.com/wolfdevoon