Still on vacation, so another quick one today.
I see a lot of tips for how to make your self-published book look more official/legitimate, things like having a complicated copyright page or getting an ISBN through your own “press,” not under your own name (or generically through CreateSpace or similar).
Beyond making sure your production quality is flawless, do you think a self-publisher should try to look like an “official” publishing house, or is it fine to openly acknowledge that you’re one person putting out your own books? Writers, what are your thoughts and experiences? Readers, do you get turned off from a high-quality book when you find out it’s self-published?
I use Fox Collie Publishing as my publisher, but I did this because I chose to buy my own ISBN numbers and needed a name. I could have used my own name, but I decided to go with Fox Collie Publishing instead. Usually, I’m pretty open that I am a self-published author. I figured if I ever wrote under a pseudonym, I would still publish it under my publisher. I also thought it looked slightly more professional or pretty than saying my publisher was Createspace. Having my own ISBN numbers also means that I can move my work to new printers or distributors without needing to change ISBN numbers.