Why Should You Self Publish Your Book

If we are to debate on the future of self-publishing, it should end with one word: optimistic! Yes, that is what it is. The year 2014 witnessed a successful year for this branch of the publishing business. Millions of titles were published across different platforms and authors like Jen Ms Laughlin and Deborah Bladon made it to the New York Times bestseller lists.

Previously self-publishing a book carried with it a negative stigma, which is now shifting towards a positive outlook. It no longer remains a last resort for desperate authors, but  has become a strong platform yet to be used to its full potential, giving rise to good authors who have a story to tell. Let’s find out why YOU should self publish your book:

Control of Your Book

No matter what kind of book it is, big publishing houses only want to invest their money in books that have material, which sells. This  means you may lose control over your work to give in to the pressure of “what’s in demand,” as opposed to what you are passionate about putting in the book. Publishing your book on your own gives you control over the content, number of pages, design and other aspects of book publishing.

Less Time-To-Market Period

It’s not before six to nine months that a printed book gets to the market. But what if you want to introduce an eBook version as well? That would mean yet another long period of waiting. Big publishing houses don’t even launch the eBook before the printed version. However, when you are your own boss, it takes less time than that to bring it in front of your target audience, once it is copyedited. Hence, self-publishing saves a lot of time and allows you to market it to your audience adequately.

Book Longevity

Once you decide to publish your own book, you can keep it in print for as long as you want. You can market it for as long as it takes readers to discover it. On the other hand, traditional publishers don’t work like that. They will stop marketing your book once its sales decline, giving you yet another reason to start exploring your self-publishing options.

Higher Royalty

Being your own boss when it comes to publishing yourbook,  can get you a higher royalty depending on the channel you decide to put it on. For instance, Amazon pays a 35 to 70 percent royalty to self-publishers on their eBooks.

Price Control

This one is obvious, but is the one that actually matters. Self-publishing gives you control over the price of your book. However, new authors need to be careful about how they price their books. A lower or minimum price may sell more copies, while a higher price may communicate quality. As an author, you wouldn’t want your readers to think your book is useless or not make any sales, so make a wise pricing decision.

Along with these, there are numerous other reasons that you should self publish your book. Whether you are a veteran in your field or have a knack for storytelling, self-publishers need determination to become successful on this road of publishing.