Inside the Author Journey with Dr Rob Bell

The path to self-publishing is not always straightforward. For some, it involves having your traditional publisher cease work, with rights reverting back to you … leaving you to wonder what the next chapter is for your books.

In this edition of Inside the Author Journey, we speak with author Dr Rob Bell about his experience of becoming a published author and working with Dettori Publishing’s Independent Ink.

Rob came to us with a middle-grade readers’ science series previously published under the name The F.A.R.T. Files. Two of his books had already been published, but his publisher and illustrator have both now ceased publishing. Together we’ve worked with Rob to rebrand his science mystery series as The Science Sleuths – a story about an unlikely group of friends who use forensic science, clever experiments and tech skills to uncover unusual mysteries.

Dr Rob is best known as the host of the kids’ science TV show Scope, where his enthusiasm for science was infectious. Best of all, Rob knows how to relate science in a way that interests kids – something he definitely manages to do with his writing.

1. What experience of self-publishing did you have before working with us? Why did you choose to self-publish?

I had no prior experience with self-publishing, as my first two books were with a publisher, and the next two in the series were due to be also. But an implosion that involved Booktopia saw my publisher, Brio, go under after many years of "wait and see". On the upside, all rights reverted to me, so I was free to seek another publisher. But that is hard when you already have two published in a series.

I spoke to a science colleague who had self-published very successfully and that set me on the current path to getting the next two books in the series (that were already written, but were nothing more than a Word doc) edited, laid out, illustrated and out in the world.

2. What was the initial experience like when you talked with Ann?

It was great to get an overview of how the whole process worked, what was needed, and how long it would take. Ann was upfront about costs and any potential challenges, so it was reassuring to know the path.

3. How did you find the editing and design experience? Was it daunting or reassuring?

The editing and design part of it all was very smooth sailing. Some good feedback in terms of the writing, and a big part of the design phase was the illustrations. There were around 100 in each of the previous books (simple cartoon-style drawings), so to have the next book fit in with them, it would want to look familiar. And thankfully that was no problem. Jemaja has skills in this area, and after a trial run of samples, the decision was easy, and she did the rest really nicely.

4. Did you get the support you needed to complete the book?

We've run into a few hurdles along the way, mostly with regard to the previous books in the series and getting the ones out of print taken down so we can republish, but we've always made progress.

Aside from that, everything has gone really well.

5. What was your proudest moment when you became a published author?

Seeing the book in my hands was great, but hearing from people who had kids who loved it, or even just saw it in bookstores, was the best.

6. What did you learn about who you are and your expertise during the process?

I learnt I should've done this a while ago. I am perhaps not persistent enough and just wait and see a little too often. But with help, the train has left the station and is heading off, full steam ahead.

Rob’s publishing journey has been a little different to our other authors, but it shows that there is no one set way to publish a book. Every book is different and it’s important to choose the path that is right for you and your goals.

It also highlights that your publishing path can change direction along the way – and that’s okay. The important thing is to keep moving forward rather than sitting on an idea or waiting for the perfect time. After all, nothing new is discovered without a little exploration.

If you’ve been thinking about writing your own book or finally publishing your story, you don’t have to do it alone.

At Dettori Publishing, we help take the stress and confusion out of the unknown and make sure your published book is something you can be truly proud of. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to check out Rob’s Science Sleuths Series releasing soon!