*Caryn Green’s latest book, Better Angel, published by Manitou & Cedar Press.*

Author-publisher Caryn Green took a completely different route to get her writing published — she set up her own imprint: Manitou & Cedar Press. Her background in marketing, media, and publishing helped drive her choice to go this route. It’s not for the faint of heart, though it can be immensely rewarding. My thanks to Caryn for sharing her story. Her latest book is Better Angel, featuring the return of Abraham Lincoln to modern America.

The Interview

Could you tell me what the impetus was that finally helped you choose this route? Did you debate about it or have doubts that you could make this work and that this was the best path for you? How did you overcome those doubts?

CG: Like most writers with works in progress, I allowed myself to daydream about a Big 5 book contract. But I knew only agents could get those deals. I pitched 4 agents at a writer’s conference and got one nibble that never came to fruition. Satisfied I had at least tried to go the trad route, I started investigating what it would take to form my own imprint—a solution that appealed to me because I already had a lot of the necessary skill set from my day jobs in media and business-to-business publishing. Once I decided I preferred controlling my own publishing destiny and convinced myself I had the wherewithal to make it a reality, I was all in.

What did you learn in the process? What surprised you about the process?

CG: I had to immerse myself in all things publishing—the mechanics of establishing a business, getting a Tax ID, creating a website, marketing, production, wrangling with Amazon—which controls 70% of the book market—while at the same time devoting myself to writing the book. I spent years perfecting the craft of writing while learning the business of publishing. There was always something new to read up on, some new talent to master. What surprised me was how much fun it ended up being to learn all these new skills, how many new friends, contacts, and organizations I would become involved with in the process.

How would you advise other writers or aspiring writers trying to decide on which publishing path to choose? What should they consider?

CG: Writers interested in becoming published authors need to frankly evaluate their possibilities and how much time and effort they’re willing to expend to find an agent, or small boutique publisher that accepts direct submissions. For the rest of us, the best chance of bringing a book to market is to self-publish. In that case, they should consider how much of an investment they’re willing to make that they might never recoup, in dollars.

From a reader’s perspective, how should they view books coming from a new imprint for a self-published author versus what they perceive as “traditional” publishers?

I would hope such a distinction would be invisible to the reader, if it’s apparent we indie publishers aren’t doing our job! Ideally, readers would judge the book on its own merits.

What else would you want readers and writers to know about starting an imprint and self-publishing?

CG: There are endless resources to get started, no barrier to entry, and not much likelihood of success—if you define success in financial terms. But there is every likelihood you’ll find the experience personally, professionally, and socially rewarding. The first step is finding your writing tribe. Online and in-person communities abound: start here with ours! Off Campus Writers Workshop

Interview | Author-Publisher, Caryn Green