As more and more writers are hitting the streets with their manuscripts, it is becoming harder and harder to get noticed by book publishers. This is why self-publishing is often a good choice for new writers.
In today’s information age, the traditional book publisher isn’t so traditional anymore. And even when a publisher becomes interested in your work, the terms often aren’t very traditional either. Many people passing for book agents are tying up the hard work of many writers and then only promoting the one with the most promise.
Self-publishing is becoming the strongest option
For many good writers out there – especially new writers – self-publishing is fast becoming the strongest option. Yes, it can be hard work, but there are also some great benefits to going this route.
Let us examine the four best reasons to self-publish your own book:
You have total control over the book publishing project
This is a great reason. You get the last word on what goes into your book. No publishers, editors, agents, or anyone can dictate how you create your content. This is what traditional publishers always do to book writers.
And marketing your book is your project’s total focus, unlike traditional publishers and agents where they are selling your book along with dozens of others. In this scenario, your book is the only priority.
Competition for traditional publishers is more intense than ever
Several books are getting published every year, and many of them are placed in retail and online book stores. In the end, just a fraction of those books ever become best sellers and go on to earn a decent profit for the publisher and the author.
As a self-publisher, you have many marketing methods at your disposal that big publishers won’t use. You see, your most significant advantage is not having huge costs and overhead invested in your operation. This means that you could market your book online through small ads, sell them at flea markets – whatever it takes.
Getting noticed by a major publishing house is damn near impossible
Today, you could have the best book agent around, use the best copywriters to craft a great proposal, and your chances are still slim. It is friggin’ hard to even get your foot in the door.
So the chances are that several future bestsellers are getting passed over by these publishers. They know this, but they are just playing the numbers. Their expenses are so high that they have to select manuscripts offering the best chances of success – based on their experience.
You establish your own schedule and deadlines
When you can set your deadlines and schedule, your life is very flexible. You can aside time for critical personal things, and then you can plan time to work on your book publishing project.
This includes what you want to write, when you need to edit, when you are ready to publish, and how you will market your book.
Best circumstances for publishing your own book
Let’s face the facts; self-publishing is not for everyone. The question is whether or now this method of book publishing is suitable for you.
Listed below are some circumstances that would be ideal for self-published authors:
First-time author. You’ve written your first book and are eager to get the ball rolling. You are ready to get your work published and marketed but have not been able to get noticed by a major publisher.
Business professional or subject matter expert. You’ve become an expert in your chosen field and would like to publish a book to help promote your personal brand and enhance your reputation.
Established author. You’re an author who has already published books but is fed up with the hassle of dealing with a publisher. You are looking for total creative control over future book projects. And you’d like to earn more per copy sold than you have with traditional publishers.
Offer specific information in a book form. Certain information is valuable to you (and those around you), such as family genealogy or the working diary of someone significant.
Fundraising item. You represent a charitable group or organization and need something to fundraise with – like a cookbook or a yearbook.
Out-of-print books. Perhaps you currently own the rights to republish a few out-of-print books, and you believe they are still marketable.
As you might imagine, there are an infinite number of reasons for self-publishing your own book. Just put your creativity to work.
