“Where is the joy and the play?” Erkka Mykkänen got tired of the squirrel wheel and self-published his book

Self-publishing is of interest to professionals. Mykkänen self-published his book, although he has previously worked under the auspices of publishing houses.

The difficult start on the previous novel led to partial disappointment and took away the joy and inspiration essential to creative work.

– This is not how art should be made, Mykkänen says he thought.

The book had built up a lot of expectations and the reviews were more nuanced than before. This time, he set out to write the book with no expectations of how it would be received.

This is how a neat short -prose work was born, the newly appeared *men I think at night. *

In addition to the actual writing, he has folded, edited, designed the cover and competed for the printing houses himself.

New impetus from new ways of doing things

Mykkänen has already established himself, formerly a factor in the protection of a large publisher like Gummerus. Why did he take a self -publishing?

An important catalyst was the desire to jump out of the book market treadmill for a moment.

– I was to the idea that I should write a new novel again. Then I realized that I didn’t have to write one. My comfort zone is small, short texts.

Mykkänen’s first work * three ends of the world * was released in February 2015. In a way, the latest release could be thought of as a kind of return home, as the debut also had a neat short -prose.

The texts were easily created based on the ideas accumulated over the years, in just three weeks.

– I don’t remember that for a long time I would have been just as inspired and excited about anything about writing.

The first weight of the two hundred pieces has only been ordered from the author himself.

Not just for amateurs

Although Mykkänen’s work is a professional release, many self -publishing works are marked by a lack of appreciation in Finland.

Mykkänen recognizes the phenomenon. He has not always been interested in works he has heard from someone other than the publisher. Afterwards, it only feels stupid.

– After all, there are self -publishing people who have become very valued, despite the fact that they are self -publishing and that the author has never published anything before.

The publishers focused on self -made work came prominently to the Finnish literary field about twenty years ago when the international Books on Demand and the Finnish book began to work at a time.

Over the years, making underground-inspired work has begun to become interested in more and more professional factors.

– Certainly the self -publisher always has to face the question of being really interested in anyone, Mykkänen admits.

At the same time, however, he says that your own publishing can provide reading experiences that you can’t get anywhere else. And not all writers even seek appreciation.

The many starting points for action

The package includes the Overall, layout, cover design, e-book and print-ready book materials, bidding for printing houses and marketing images.

For many, especially hobbyists, it comes as a surprise to what you need to do before your own text ends up between the covers.

Usually, according to Kurttila, the motive for publishing a self -publishing is something other than success or earning.

– Some writers want to record their own or their family’s memoirs, some want to highlight the poems they have written for decades, Kurttila says via email.

There are also factors who, for one reason or another, have not been able to get through their works or even want to offer their text to publishers.

Focus on joy and play

Mykkänen also calls for his colleagues to think about his work from a non -economic or reputation perspective.

– Good qualified, a lot of novels appear, but where is the joy and play in the official field of literature?

However, Mykkänen will continue to want to work under the shelter of publishers.

There are many reasons: for example, the cost of a publisher in larger projects and easier access to the scholarship system. Especially for full -time writers, external funding is often the only way to maintain even a somewhat human standard of living.

Could publishing companies learn something about the cost of cost?

Mykkänen thinks for a moment. He does not feel he can advise anyone, because from the inside, things always look different.

One wish, though, would have:

– I would like to read more small, exciting and surprising books. It would be cool if the publishers could allow for such a pretty low cost.