6 Reasons Self Publishing Might Be Right For You
Self publishing, or independently publishing, can be a great outlet for new, and seasoned, authors to get into the industry. There are many reasons why this method of publishing might be right for you, but here are a few that sparked my interest as I was looking into options for my own novels (though it is important to note that checking out each and every publishing option is best to figure out which is fitting for you personally is highly recommended. There is no one “right” way to publish).
Complete creative control. If you are someone like me, a headstrong, “wants her way”, type of gal, you might also be highly swayed by this aspect. As a self published author, you will have full, complete, 100% (can I say it any other way?) control of your project. Whether it is who you hire as an editor or cover designer, where you choose to distribute your novel, or how you format the inside pages—the choice is yours. While I do say choice, I say it lightly. Creative control is entirely yours in what you choose to do with your novel, but I would highly recommend hiring professionals to aid you in these steps of your publishing process.
Sense of entrepreneurial spirit. In a way, this aspect is very similar to the above point (creative control). But one of the things that initially drew me most to the self publishing path was the fact that I would be able to establish my own brand centered around me as an author and my books. You are your own publisher, and publishing is not an easy feat, but that challenge is appealing to some, including me, and the idea of creating a brand, a company, and developing it over the years is something quite fascinating. You are your own boss, the CEO of your very own publishing company (whether or not you choose to establish it is entirely your decision as well). You do the hiring, you do the bookkeeping, you do the marketing, you do the writing (that should be a given), you do everything! It truly is a great opportunity to embrace that entrepreneurial spirit inside you.
Control of rights. Shall I say more? You want you own your book, right? You took the time to write it, to slave over those pages, pour all your blood, sweat, and tears into it (well, maybe not blood, but who knows), so why not keep control of your rights? Well, there really isn’t any need to look any further. Self publishing allows you to keep complete control of your book baby.
Follow your own timeline. While this may be daunting for some (including me), having complete control of when you launch your novel is a huge benefit. While I have never traditionally published, I have known some who have, and the stress of an editing deadline hanging over your shoulder can be quite terrifying. As a self published author, you are responsible to set these deadlines and move them accordingly should you choose. Pressure to follow them is yours and yours only—note that this does require a sizable amount of self motivation, which is not impossible, but must be continuously trained. You want to publish a book in a month? Awesome, you can totally do it! You want to publish a book in a year? Totally feasible.
Greater distribution. Unfortunately, brick-and-mortar bookstores are failing (huge sigh for that, cause I sure do love me a good Barnes and Noble visit). Traditionally speaking (and by this I mean in the “old days”) brick-and-mortar bookstores were really the end all be all for authors, and to get your novel onto one of those coveted shelves, you would need to be traditionally published, which means you would need to find yourself an agent who would pitch your novel for you. Now a days, Amazon has eaten up over 41% of all paperback sales (aside from their almost 70% share of ebook sales internationally) which is HUGE for self published authors as Amazon does not require their authors to leap over any hurdles or bypass any gatekeepers to sell their novels on their site (and not to mention it is completely free too). Distribution online is as vast as you wish it to be, and having the option to sell on the largest market as a new author is absolutely fantastic.
Higher royalties. There’s really no mad scientific explanation behind this one. Self published authors make more money. Why? It’s just you on your team (aside from whatever freelancers you choose to hire, but they do not take a share out of your profit—at least in most cases. I suppose that would depend on what type of contract you agree upon, though). You are the author and the publisher. Self published authors (on average) make about 70% per sale, whereas a traditionally published author might make anywhere from 10-15% per sale. Self published authors also do not have to pay back any advances that a traditionally published author may (it is not uncommon for new traditionally published authors to be offered an advance—a seemingly large sum of money paid to the author which they must make back before they earn anymore profit from their sales), self published authors receive sales directly when a sale is completed—you sell a book, you see immediate profit.
So, there you have it! My six biggest reasons why self publishing might be right for you. Again, though I am obviously pro-self publishing (I have publishing a short story via this route and will be releasing a full length novel this summer via the same route—both of which you can learn about by subscribing to my newsletter), I will stand by the statement that there is no “right” way to publish. Figuring out which method works for you comes with a lot (and I mean a lot) of research. There are pros and cons to every method, but finding out which offers the most benefits to you is crucial to get the most out of your publishing experience. For more on self publishing, there is a great site, which I will link here, that you can read up on the entire process. They also have a very helpful, and quick to skim over if you’re strapped for time, graphic at the top of the page! I highly recommend checking it out to get your journey started. Best of luck!
“Entrepreneurship isn’t just a label — it’s a lifestyle. ”