David Fox Publishing was established in 2024 to bring my first book, Supporting Arsenal 101 (Row 25), to market. Having just completed the book, I was amazed at the opportunity that self publishing presents any aspiring author.
There are many obstacles to overcome with self publishing and it hasn’t always been easy, but removing the need to find a literary agent or publisher prepared to take on your work was a welcome relief. Of course self publishing requires much more time and personal effort. There are plenty who have trodden the path before you and who are inclined to share their experience on websites and in YouTube videos, but how do you know who you can trust?
After lots of research, and with a small investment, I decided to jump in and take my chances. I was in the very fortunate position that I wasn’t relying on the commercial success of the book. It was written to be a keepsake for my son, Michael. Making money was, and remains, a lower priority. Testament to this is the fact that I donate a portion of all royalties/profits to the Arsenal Foundation – a charitable arm of Arsenal Football Club that run amazing community projects in Islington and across the world.
Looking back, I think the key for me was having a clear objective in mind, both in terms of the book content and how I wanted the cover design to look. This helped keep my focus and drove me on when, inevitably, problems arose.
I drew on professional help with the cover design and, most importantly, the illustrations for the cover. The wonderful artist Ruth Beck (ruthbeckart.com) produced a stunning painting for the front cover, and her existing work, depicting the Block 101 entrance at the Emirates Stadium, was an absolute must for the back cover.
It was a very proud day when I finally published the book, despite one or two last minute problems with the publishing platform. Then the real hard work began – publicising the book! I have never been a social media advocate but, as a tool to promote your work, it is invaluable. I got some amazing help from some well known Arsenal fans on X, they kindly shared my posts to much wider audiences than I could have ever reached on my own. The book has sold more copies than I ever dreamed it would, thanks in no small part to those who helped spread the word.
I really enjoyed writing and publishing the book and decided to write a follow up. Using the template from the first book and, once again, drawing on the same professional help with the cover design made it a much simpler experience second time around. Ruth Beck provided another brilliant painting for the front cover and I used a photo of Block 101 that I took for the back, my own personal salute to the upper concourse.
As I said previously, making money has never been the driving force behind my writing so I am donating all of the money I make from Forever Arsenal 101 (Row 25) to charity. The Ben Kinsella Trust and Gooners v Cancer both do outstanding work and will each receive 50% of all profits.
So, would I recommend self publishing? Yes and no! It’s not going to be for everyone, it’s hard work and demands a lot of time, but if that isn’t an obstacle then it may be for you. If you fancy giving it a go, email me and I’ll happily share some hard earned experience.