Is Self-Publishing a Good Idea?

By Christina M. Schumacher

Is self-publishing a good idea? This is a question you will hopefully be able to answer by the end of this article.

There are a number of ways to publish a book, but the two we will discuss here are the most practical. They are:

1) Traditional Publishing

2) Self-Publishing

The process for publishing with a traditional publisher can be a long one. Most traditional publishers take anywhere from three months to one year to determine if they wish to publish your book.

If they do accept it, it will normally be another year to two years before it's actually out on the market.

The advantage to traditional publishing is that you don't pay to have your book published, but you do still have to help market it. However, chances of getting your book into most bookstores is a much higher percentage than with self-publishing.

So, if you don't mind the long wait and think you have a shot of competing with hundreds of other submitted manuscripts, then traditional publishing might be for you.

Self-publishing is a shorter process, but it does cost money and you don't always have a lot of say if things don't turn out with your book the way you planned. That is, of course, unless you have money to spare. Pre-planning and good editing before submitting your manuscript for self-publishing can alleviate many of the problems that could arise.

With self-publishing, the process is usually only about three months from submission until publication. It really is quite an awesome process and allows anyone who has ever wanted to be a published author the opportunity to realize their dreams. I have never heard of anyone's manuscript being turned away, though this could happen, I imagine, if the subject matter is considered questionable (pornographic in nature).

The cost for the basic package is very reasonable, but remember that each company does vary in their fees. Extras can add up pretty fast, but you are free to pick and choose for yourself if these extras are needed.

Keep in mind when you self-publish, royalties are not huge from your books and if you really want to make money, you must purchase copies of your books and sell them yourself. So, having a bit of money set aside to work with is a good idea.

Marketing is pretty much up to you as well. Companies do have marketing packages, but my advice is that you look into these marketing packages thoroughly before spending the money. Ask yourself:

Is it a long term marketing opportunity or a one time thing?

Chances are, if it's a one time thing, you can probably do it yourself with a bit of time and a lot less money.

From a personal standpoint, self-publishing is a wonderful way to get your work out there. After dealing on a number of occasions with traditional publishers, I much prefer the freedom that self-publishing allows.