by J Seph | Twitter: @jsephwrites
For nearly every writer I’ve ever spoken to on the topic of self-publishing their work, usually there is a bit of doubt that creeps into the conversation. Most writers seek the safety, though not guaranteed success, of the established publishers. To be clear and transparent, self-publishing does require some hustle and grind that is to be expected with any independent venture. The important thing is that it can be done, and it can be done successfully.
There are lots of tools and resources on Direct2Author.com to steer your self-publishing endeavors in the right direction. In addition to tools and resources, writers also need inspiration. Let’s take a look at some successfully self-published works and authors that can act as a blueprint and motivation for your personal self-publishing journey.
Dr. Thomishia Booker is a self-publisher of the Hey Carter! book series. This widely popular book series promotes the positive self-imagery of young children. As reported by Forbes, Dr. Booker was the only self-published author to negotiate a deal with Netflix for their original series, Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices.
Robert Kiyosaki attempted to publish his book the traditional way, but after repeated rejections by those establishments, he decided to self-publish his New York Times bestseller Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He went on to sell over 40 million copies.
Daughters of Twilight by Collette Jackson-Finkwas initially a manuscript she entered into a screenplay competition. After converting her work into a novel, she suffered numerous rejections before deciding to self-publish.
Derrick Slack, a high school teacher, self-published his children’s book Orange to critical acclaim for tackling issues of diversity, bullying, inclusion, and mental health.
Fifty Shades of Grey was self-published by EL James and sold 100 million copies to date. One of the fastest-selling paperbacks in history, this self-published work got its start as Twilight fan fiction.
Rob Dircksself-published Where the Hell is Tesla? after being rejected by traditional publishers. He went on to sell 10,000 copies in the first year and released more self-published works as a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.
The Martian written by Andy Weir is a self-published Amazon bestseller, selling over 3 million copies. This self-published title went on to have a widely known film adaptation that did well at the box office.