How to Pick the Best Self-Publishing Services for Your Graphic Novel
December 5, 2021
Creating eye-catching art and writing an attention-demanding story is only part of the process of getting your graphic novel published. For centuries publishing companies have been the only avenue to publishing your books. Now independent creators are publishing their own works as an alternative to the traditional publishing services.
Self-publishing transfers the marketing, printing, selling, and editing responsibilities from publishing companies to the independent creator. If you hope to self-publish your graphic novel, find publishing services that can assist with marketing, printing, and selling your book.
Marketing Services
One of the primary services that traditional publishing companies provide for contracted authors is marketing. With the advent of social media and internet forums, however, indie creators can reach large audiences with their own marketing campaigns.
In-person marketing with personalized marketing products at conventions like comic con is another way indie authors can market their comic books and graphic novels.
Digital marketing through social media
Social media popularity is a great way to drum up interest in your graphic novel or comic book. Create a social media presence by consistently interacting on multiple platforms. Post photos of your book’s cover design on Instagram. Interact with communities of comic fans on Twitter. Post more in-depth comic blogs on Facebook.
The key is to be consistent if you want to sell your books to a large audience. Invest in social media monitoring and analysis tools to keep track of your posts’ engagement. Social media monitoring tools also help you stay in the know about the current topical trends to make relevant posts that connect your work with the popular topics of the day.
Digital marketing will only drive sales for your printed books if you direct social media followers engaging with content about your comics to a personal website or store. It is vital to join a marketplace, like the comic book-specific marketplace at Comix Well Spring, or build a website where you can publish and sell your stories.
In-person marketing
Enjoying comics is a social activity for many people, and comic conventions are hosted every year in every state. This presents a marketing opportunity for an independent author in the self-publishing process. Attend local comic cons and advertise with products unique to your upcoming release.
Custom stickers, trading cards, and bookmarks are a few unique and collectible items that are perfect for getting comic fans interested in your work. At Comix Well Spring, we offer personalized marketing materials along with our high-quality printing.
Printing Services
Printing services are vital for all published books, but they are vital for comic books and graphic novels because of their artistic element. A good relationship with a printer takes the stress of inconsistent print runs out of the publishing process.
You should expect your printer to accommodate your book needs, whether it is a black and white short story or a magazine-sized artistic showcase. Some printing options to look for are binding styles and sizes, various page and cover options, and low minimum order requirements.
Multiple binding styles and sizes
Make sure the printing service you choose offers square binding for graphic novels and saddle stitch binding for comic books in various sizes. This protects your freedom to create anything you want with the assurance it will be printed in the correct format.
Page and cover options
A printing service needs to have the materials that best complement your work to support your creative freedom. Various page options, like glossy UV-coating, durable 80 pound stock paper, and traditional 60 pound uncoated stock, can accommodate price points and artistic necessities.
The cover design of your graphic novel or comic book grabs potential customers’ attention, so it is important to get it right. Comix Well Spring offers glossy and matte covers in lightweight and extra heavy stock. We supply indie creators with the materials to bring their creations to life.
Low minimum orders and bulk discounts
Aside from the creative considerations associated with a printing service, you should find one that is cost-effective. Low order minimums, like Comix Well Spring’s 25 order minimum, allow first-time publishers to get their product to market without investing a large amount of money.
Bulk discounts are a great way to save money with a printer while supplying large quantities of books to your customers. At Comix Well Spring, we offer a 5% bulk discount on 250 graphic novel copies and increase the discount up to 20% for 1,000 or more graphic novel orders.
Comix Well Spring saves your files for up to two years if you need to print more of a previous release. This print-on-demand feature is essential for self-publishers who handle their own order fulfillment and need to get orders out quickly.
Marketplace Services
Traditional publishing companies are responsible for selling an author’s book, which results in authors losing out on a lot of profit. Most authors only earn around 7% royalties from their own paperback book when using a publishing service.
Self-publishing authors need to find their own marketplaces, but they make significantly more royalties per unit sold.
Many self-published authors have taken to large marketplaces to sell their books. You can sell your book on Amazon, Apple Books, and ebook services like Kindle Direct Publishing. These services connect large markets with self-published books, but they are extremely competitive and have confusing rules for sellers. The pros and cons of these services must be weighed against marketplaces that only sell comics.
Comic specific marketplace
Comic book and graphic novel marketplaces only sell sequential art and stories. Customers have access to sellers’ work without the hassle of navigating a marketplace that sells other products.
The Comix Well Spring Bookstore allows indie authors to upload unlimited titles as long as they have 25 copies inventoried with CWS. The simple sale process and CWS order fulfillment make it a stress-free self-publishing option.
Trust Comix Well Spring for Your Self-Publishing Services
Self-publishing a graphic novel or comic book is a massive accomplishment with many complicated steps. Comix Well Spring understands the self-publishing process, and we want to help you get your book into customers’ hands as soon as possible. Comix Well Spring is here for you, from marketing to printing services and marketplace sales.
Contact us today to learn more about our self-publishing services, and check out our blog for more informational content on comic books.