Here is Why You Should Opt for Self-Publishing Your Book
by Mian Azhar
A writer’s journey is nothing less than a roller coaster ride – plenty of highs and lows, including the jolts of serious self-doubt juxtaposed with high levels of euphoria and a sense of fulfillment.
With self-publication, the dream of becoming an author has become easier than before. In the past, writers used to edit, re-write, and tout their manuscripts with uncertainty and nervousness. Now, they can become successful self-published authors.
As an aspiring author, you will have to work relentlessly on your dream of becoming an author. After you have completed your manuscript and have it professionally edited and proofread, you will want to join the ranks of self published authors.
The route of self-publication is essentially independent, which means that you are in full control of the unraveling of the different stages that are part of the journey of book publication.
It is important to mention here that there will always be highs and lows in publishing your book, but compared to traditional publishing, the road of self-publication is faster and more convenient and also comes with loads of benefits – especially for aspiring authors.
What Happens When You Opt for Traditional Publishing?
Traditional publishing is about crafting and processing your manuscript with a publishing company that purchases the right to publish your book. The publisher is in charge of the following publication stages of your book:
- Editing
- Proofreading
- Designing the cover
- Printing the book
- Book packaging
- Book Marketing
Since the traditional publication firm bears all your costs – you – the writer – will get a small percentage of the book sakes as a part of your royalties. Also, it can take years to get your book published and in front of your target readers with traditional publishing.
What Happens When You Opt for Self-Publishing?
When you opt for self-publishing, you won’t have to wait for years until the book reaches the bookshelves. Nonetheless, as a potential self-published author, you will bear most expenses, including hiring a professional editor, proofreader, and your marketing team to bring the book out.
With self-publication, your book will be uploaded on a self-publishing platform like Amazon. Afterward, you will still be responsible for more marketing and promotion of your book.
So, as an aspiring author, you might have completed your manuscript, and now you are on the verge of deciding whether you want to publish your book the traditional way or whether you would like to become a self-published author.
It is always best to understand the potential benefits of both aspects before making the final decision.
Let us have a look at the potential benefits of becoming a self-published author.
The Potential Advantages of Self-Publication
Time Saving Process
As mentioned before, if you opt for the traditional route of book publication, you can expect to wait several years before the status of your book changes from “manuscript accepted” to “published.” Also, if you had given yourself a deadline and the content of your book is sort of time-sensitive, your best option would be to opt for self-publishing.
With traditional publishing, choosing an agent who will pique your book to a traditional publishing house will take some time. Finding a suitable traditional publisher for your book will also take time.
With that said, if your priorities include saving time, you will want to opt for self-publication as an essentially quick way to transform your manuscript into a published book. Put simply – with self-publication, you will be getting your book into the hands of your target readers in the fastest way possible.
You Are in Control
With self-publication, you are in full control of all decisions you will make in connection to the book you want to publish. Self-publication allows authors to be the sole decision-makers of the different aspects of the book, including the cover design, formatting, and marketing.
Everything that happens to the book ad with the book – everything is your choice. You will have the final say in everything, including the professional editor and proofreader you want to hire to do the needful.
You can be as innovative as possible – take your time to research, look out for expert suggestions, and get your book to the reader according to your plan.
Remember – in traditional publishing; the author cannot control anything as the publisher will be making all the decisions – including the fact that they could potentially change the title.
Anticipate More Royalties
With self-publication, you can anticipate higher royalties from your book sales. With traditional publishing, most authors reap a lower percentage of royalties from their sales – however, when it comes to self-publication, authors can anticipate more royalties.
As a self-published author, you can earn up to 90% of your book sales as a royalty. Self-publishing authors usually encourage writers to write their stories and even become professional writers – compared to traditional publishing houses.
Believe us – with self-publishing, you can save at least 50% of your royalties and use it to publish your upcoming books and run promotions on social media. If you think about it – this is a very effective strategy for new authors to make money as newbie authors.
You Can Set Your Own Price
As a self-published author, you can set the price of your book according to what suits you the best. As a self-published author, you will already be responsible for the financial aspects of your book, which is why you will have the right to adjust the price of your book to cover your publication costs.
However, instead of randomly deciding on a price, you will want to thoroughly comprehend the pricing models, as the last thing that you will want to do is to overprice or underprice your book. If you fail to set up the best price for your book, you will be responsible for disrupting your potential sales.
With that said, as a newbie author, you will want to seek the professional expertise and opinion of someone who is already familiar with the self-publication process to prevent potential mistakes that newbie authors tend to make.
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