To reprint, or not to reprint? That is the question!

I recently removed the purchase option for my book, The Ghillie Girls: Irish Dance Pals. Not because I no longer wanted to make this book available, but because I'd almost run out of printed copies, and wasn't sure if I wanted to print more. Why? It's kind of a long story.

The Ghillie Girls was a personal experiment in self-publishing. I've always wanted to write books, and when I finally had my first finished product, I did a lot of reading about publishing options, and it seemed like my book was a good fit for self-publishing. It had a niche audience and my graphic design training gave me the various skills necessary to pull the book together, from writing to illustrating to layout to cover design. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process, and am thankful for my husband's support as I poured a lot of time into completing the endless details (there was always just one more thing to do!).

I learned a lot through The Ghillie Girls--including a lot about the joys and difficulties of self-publishing. Putting together a good book is only the beginning. Even once you've found a good printer -- and I had a great experience with InstantPublisher.com, who I highly recommend; they are affordable and great to work with -- you've only just begun the arduous process. Then you have to find people to buy your book! And that wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. You have to be willing to put a LOT of time and effort into marketing your book and seeking distributors. Quite honestly I ran out of steam after several months of failed (expensive) marketing attempts, and then as life just kept getting busier with the addition of a child, etc., I found I didn't have the time needed to adequately promote the book.

That isn't to say that The Ghillie Girls hasn't been successful -- it has sold almost 600 copies, which, while far less than I'd dreamed of, is actually a pretty decent showing for a niche self-published children's book. But I measure its success not in the number of copies sold, but in the emails I receive from parents and teachers and grandparents telling me the impact that the book has had on the little Irish dancers in their lives. Knowing that my book has touched a young life is such an amazing feeling!

Unfortunately, I can't find a place to input "feelings" in the spreadsheet I use to track income versus expenses for this little experiment of mine that is now almost five years old. Which is why I was seriously considering letting The Ghillie Girls die a natural death when I ran out of printed copies.

However, I've received a few emails encouraging me to keep the book in print, and some orders to financially justify the investment. So I am happy to report that I will be placing another print order with InstantPublisher.com and will soon be returning the purchase option for The Ghillie Girls!

I suppose that the lesson I've learned with this book is very similar to the message of the book -- it's not about selling tons of copies (winning lots of medals) but about the lives touched (relationships/memories formed) -- that's what makes it worth doing!

The Ghillie Girls: Irish Dance Pals

I'm sure most children dream of becoming writers, and I was no exception. I've had many ideas for books over the years, and so far I have made one a reality! The Ghillie Girls began as a Christmas present for my Irish dance friends and ended as a self-published children's book. 

I learned a lot from this project--especially that self-publishing is a lot of work and isn't very lucrative! But I don't regret the adventure one bit. I'm very proud of my book, and the difference it has made in the lives of a few young dancers. Hearing their stories makes it all worth it. 

I do have ideas for more Ghillie Girls books (I had many adventures with my Irish dance friends!) and who knows; maybe one day in between diaper changes and projects at work, I'll actually write another book!

In the meantime, you can still buy copies of The Ghillie Girls: Irish Dance Pals, and I'd love to hear what you think.

About Me and My Blog

I'm a work-at-home mom with an adorable son named Drew. My life is a bit...busy and messy, like this photo. I'm definitely not a model homemaker--there are so many things I would rather do than cook or clean, and thankfully I have a very laid-back husband who doesn't mind having Totinos for dinner multiple times a week!

In addition to working and taking care of Drew, I have some hobbies--or, at least, memories and dreams of hobbies that I hope to keep alive through this blog!

I looooooooove reading, though these days I usually only have time to listen to audio books while driving or doing dishes. (I am so grateful for the Greater Phoenix Digital Library and my iPod!)

Before Drewbie came along, I was very involved with the Phoenix Irish community, first as a fiddle student, then as an Irish dancer. After becoming the 2005 Arizona Colleen and winning a trip to Ireland, I spent four years on the Colleen committee, and also taught Irish dance at the Irish Cultural Center. My adventures as an Irish dancer inspired my self-published book The Ghillie Girls: Irish Dance Pals. And I still enjoy going to an occasional ceili at the Irish Cultural Center!