Sunday, April 8, 2012

Self Publishing - Is It The Best Way To Publish Your Book?

By Nicholas Lancaster


To publish your book, the best way might be self publishing. There are several advantages to self publishing that you might not have considered.

The most important thing to remember is that self publishing will firmly place you in control of your book. Many decisions can be made when someone else is paying you to publish your book and such decisions include the title as well as the marketing that can impact not only how well your book will sell but also how it will be received by the reading public, the cover, and the editing of the manuscript.

Self publishing is also faster than traditional publishing. It could take years before you can find a publisher who is interested in buying your work and before you can settle on a contract, it would take more time. All in all, it's a long time to wait.

Self publishing also allows you to retain all the profits from your endeavor. While you may have to put some money up front (depending on the method you use to self publish your book) you will not have to wait for months or years to see income as a result. Most publishers only pay royalties once or twice a year and then those royalties are only a small percentage of the book price. Once you have covered any publication costs, then everything you earn is pure profit when you self publish your book.

Finally, it cannot be overlooked that self publishing offers you an opportunity to break into print that might not be otherwise available. Although traditional publishing is considered to be highly competitive and that a lot of worthwhile manuscripts and authors can't find a publishing home, for that book it's likely that there may be an eager and receptive audience.

You need to realize that self publishing may not suit everyone's needs. If your manuscript still requires some polishing or if you are still struggling with your voice and writing, then you should ask for the assistance of a critique group or professional editor and continue working on your book. If you self publish a book that is not yet ready for publication, then that would be a costly mistake. But if your manuscript is well received by several critical readers and has been polished, then you should at least consider self publishing your book.

Besides offering you the advantages of complete control, faster publication, and higher profits, self publishing is also easier and less expensive than it has ever been before and it's all thanks to modern technology. Self publishing could be your big break as a writer.




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