I thought I’d take a moment to share with you what I’ve learned about authors who choose to self publish instead of going with a traditional or small press publisher. I think there are pro’s and cons to both sides, and I would love to have your thoughts on this topic, so please weigh in.
The advantages to self-publishing are:
- You maintain control of all rights
- You choose where your book is sold and at what price
- You remain in control of your story and how you want it to be viewed by your audience
- You can put your book up for sale when you are ready and not have to wait many months for the sometimes painful editing process with a traditional publisher
The disadvantages to self-publishing are:
- It can be expensive
- MUST pay for professional editing on your own – this is critical if you want credibility as an author
- Must do all the promotion on your own – can be time consuming but fun if you enjoy doing it
- It can be difficult to make a profit in a short period of time (which is true of both avenues)
- Must hire someone or be able to design your own book covers
- Must hire someone or be able to format your document to meet all the requirements of the different sites where you put your book up for sale
I have done both and have a great deal of experience in the publishing industry. I’m fortunate in that I own a company that does formatting, covers, and promotional materials. I don’t have those expenses, but when I do self-publish, I pay for high quality editing.
If you are running tight on funds and have a great deal of patience then you may choose to submit to an agent or a small press. If not, and you want to dip your toe in the water of self-control, I applaud you. Just make sure you book looks professional. The last thing you want to do is jump in the vast sea of all these self-published authors and not have your book be able to stand out, or draw bad reviews for sloppy editing.
It’s a personal choice, but one that deserves a great deal of thought.
Comments?
Books by Kelly Abell Cover Designs, Interior Design by Select-O-Grafix
Copyright 2015 by Kelly Abell
Author Kelly Abell 