Books are my business: Orla Kelly Publishing founder

Orla's route into self-publishing started with creating bedtimes stories for her children

Orla Kelly: 'I found that creative and expressive part of me again through my kids, because I had to learn how to think on my feet and make things up.'

Orla Kelly, from Rochestown, Cork, is founder of Orla Kelly Publishing, which offers professional services to self-publishing authors.

How did you get into publishing?

I come from a totally different background, I studied environmental analytical chemistry and biochemistry and I previously worked in environmental consultancy, climbing up chimneys doing air pollution testing.

Then I had kids and I went from all that technical analysis to telling stories. 

I found that creative and expressive part of me again through my kids, because I had to learn how to think on my feet and make things up. 

Then, about 10 years ago, my son — who was nine at the time — started to write a little story for his younger sister about her stuffed toy Owly.

When it was time for bed, he asked me to finish it. I just sat down and stepped into this other universe where all these images started to come to my mind of how I would add to the story. 

I read it to them the next night, and they asked me to do more. And so every night, when they went to bed, I would sit down and write a bit more.

Eventually my daughter asked me to print it out and I said I would do one better — I would teach myself how to publish it. 

I had no clue. I taught myself how to design it into a book format, get it printed, and get it published on Amazon. I told nobody because I was terrified. 

This was something very personal I did for my kids but they told everybody and people started asking for copies. 

I was a stay-at-home mum and I went to a networking event, just to dip my toe back in the water again. 

I told my story to someone there who worked in public relations who said people would pay me to show them how to publish their books. 

I ended up getting accepted on to an entrepreneur programme that was closing its applications the next day, and I got six months training to turn it into a business idea.

What does your role involve?

I have a diverse range of clients that I work with, which is brilliant — it could be a financial consultant, a nutritional therapist or a parenting coach, a fiction or a children’s author. 

I tailor my approach to each person and every day is different.

I oversee the process from start to finish, from the content, structure, layout, and design, to printing, distribution, and marketing. It’s a bit like air traffic control.

What do you like most about it?

The authors I work with, they are amazing. I love when I get to see the books for the first time, or when my clients show me a picture of them holding their book.

It can be a very emotional experience, especially for some people who have had it on their bucket list for years.

It’s a massive accomplishment which gives them a sense of achievement and fulfilment.

I love that they’re sharing it with me, and often I’m the first person they get to show their work to. I’m in a very privileged position.

What do you like least about it?

It can be stressful, because you have to make sure everything is done right and that you have caught everything. It keeps me on my toes.

Three desert island books

I’m a big self-help junkie. I’m in a reading group every morning from 7am to 7.30am and we read a whole range of inspirational books.

My all-time favourite is Lead the Field by Earl Nightingale. There are 12 stories in it and each one teaches a life lesson.

The next one is The Spindle Tree by one of my clients, Danny Dunne. It is such a beautiful book about growing up in Ireland in the 1950s.

Then The Power of Awareness by Neville Goddard, which is about how, when we are aware of things, we can express ourselves more fully, and we also know that it is in our control to make our situation far better.

• orlakellypublishing.com