Excerpted from
Self-Publishers, Covering Costs

By Andrea Rouda
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, July 15, 2003; Page C09

Somebody to Lean On

There are plenty of on-demand publishers eager to take your money and make your dream a reality. Most are impersonal; all you have to do is sign their contract, enter your credit card number, e-mail your manuscript, and presto, a few weeks later you've got a book. Good or bad, they'll never tell; they'll print it, mistakes and all. But if you're someone who needs a little hand-holding, and maybe some help getting the bugs out of your manuscript, consider Word Association Publishers, a Pennsylvania company located a few hours' drive from Washington. Owner Tom Costello, former literature teacher and bookstore owner, will act as part-time mentor and full-time partner in your self-publishing experience. In 1997, after printing the occasional book per a customer's request, Costello put up a Web site (http://www.wordassociation.com/) offering that service and was shocked by the response. "It was like a flood, an explosion. Manuscripts came from all over the world. We got hundreds of inquiries every week."

Despite the number of people clamoring for his services, Word Association remains selective. "We review and evaluate the work," says Costello. "We want to make your book as good as it can be." To that end, he and his staff offer in-depth critiques, and offer detailed suggestions for improvement. Despite none of his authors turning into bestsellers as of yet, Costello is confident that a few will. "People who are experts at something can make money at this. Several of our writers have gone into reprint because their books sell steadily. Self-help, cookbooks, sports, and nonfiction essays do well. But those who really make money at it are out there selling, doing signings, sending out marketing materials, speaking at service clubs, linking to appropriate Web sites, and more."

Adding her wisdom is his wife and business partner, Francine, who says candidly, "Most people are fulfilling a dream. They start out thinking they'll end up on 'Oprah.' We try to bring them down to earth as early as possible. We're always very upfront about what they'll get out of this financially, which is usually not much."

Her advice to aspiring authors: Narrow your scope, think nonfiction, and forget poetry; it never sells.

A SELF-PUBLISHING PRIMER

If you're ready to get your book out of the closet and into readers' hands, here's how to get started:
• Write the book. Mainstream publishers may give you an advance on a promising proposal, but self-publishing requires a completed manuscript from the get-go.
• Work on a computer to avoid unnecessary mailing and printing costs, as well as a fee of about $4 per page to have someone input your manuscript.
• Carefully proofread your manuscript before submission. You'll pay extra to correct errors later -- one company charges $50 per typo correction.