Self-publishing no longer has the same stigma attached to it as it used to. In fact, it’s now one of the most popular ways for aspiring authors to get their work read. While traditional means of publishing are still as popular as ever, authors now know it’s not the only way. Here are three benefits of self-publishing.
Control
When you sign a contract with a publisher, there are a lot of things that suddenly get taken out of your hands. You might not always get the final say on certain aspects of your completed book. However, as a self-publisher, you get to publish your book exactly the way you want it. From final edits, to the book cover design, to the blurb… it’s all you. Yes, it’s a lot of extra work, but it’s absolutely worth it to see your hard work come to life the way you intended.
Speed
All aspects of publishing, traditional or otherwise, require some waiting around. When you go down the traditional route, you could be waiting a year or more to see your book finally hit the shelves. When you self-publish, you set the goalposts. I’m impatient, so this was one of the biggest pulls for me. When my book was ready, I didn’t want to wait any longer. You can decide how long you will need to get your book publish-ready, and you only have to wait to release your novel if you really want to.
Royalty payments
Not gonna lie, there are absolutely no guarantees that your book royalties will be good. Or even average. It’s a struggle. However, when you self-publish, the majority of your earnings are yours alone. You don’t have to split a percentage of it with anyone else, and that is a huge bonus. Keep in mind, you will have to promote like crazy – something a publishing house would help with if you had a contract – however, it only takes some reading and learning to find the best ways for you to market your book, and you’re halfway there already.
Self-publishing is hard. It’s pretty much a full-time job when you factor in everything you need to consider, from writing the book to formatting, edits, researching, cover design and so much more. But you’ll also find that it is a labor of love. You will be happy to work hard to get the best for your novel. For me, the positives of self-publishing far outweigh the negatives.