Significance of Self-Publishing

Last updated on June 13, 2014

Writing a book is a huge ordeal. Everything that goes into it includes revising, editing, and rearranging. Congratulations on finishing your piece. The next step is allowing people to read your work, your masterpiece, your baby. The good news is that you can publish your work on your own. You may think, “I would feel more comfortable having a publishing company do it”. To be honest with you, self-publishing has more advantages than drawbacks. By the end of the article, you should be converted to self-publishing and printing your book on your own.

Benefits and advantages to self-publishing:

Money: Less overhead will mean more money in your pocket. If you want to be compensated to the max, publish on your own. You will have to pay less people. After all, you should be compensated the most. Sometimes authors make less than they should, all in the name of doing things the “traditional way”. Look after yourself first. This may seem like a selfish mentality, but in the end you need to be the one to stand up for your work. You know it best.

Maintain your independence as a writer: Sometimes writers lose themselves when they do not self publish. You will most likely find yourself conforming to what the publisher wants instead of remaining true to your work. Do not risk this. It gets messy trying to break away from publishers that have the reigns pulled too tight. Agents are not free. Using major publishing houses will give your work a better chance of landing on shelves.

You may end up paying an agent who may not deliver the results you need. Once you and your book are where they need to be, then you can invest in an agent. You need to be good at selling yourself. You do not need to rely on someone to do that for you.

Fewer hoops to jump through: You believe in your work don’t you? Why spend unnecessary time trying to convince others who may not have your vision? The saying, “If you want something done, do it yourself”, rings true for writers. It may seem daunting, but you can be the director of your destiny.

Self-Publishing 101:

Know your audience: Knowing your audience will allow you to make the biggest impact. Once your work is ready for distribution, target the people who will pay attention. Contact the companies that carry books of your genre. Do your research.

What you need to get started:

Use reputable and affordable printing companies: Using reputable and affordable printing companies will save you time and money in the end. Alphagraphics knows printing. They specialize in affordable binding, proofreading, illustrating, and have plenty of paper and printing options. Put your prized possession in the hands of professionals.

Contemplate these points. We hope that with time to think and plan, you can find the courage to self-publish. We think in the end you will not regret it. There is nothing wrong with asking questions to align yourself correctly. You will want to know if you are on the right track. Believe in yourself. We certainly do. Best of luck to you.