| Self-publishing has become common practice for | | | | area. Literary agents and book agents may also deny |
| many writers who want accolades of having a book | | | | publication because the book addresses an obscure |
| published, no matter who publishes it. Writers choose | | | | topic in which few people are interested. Writers of |
| self-publishing for various reasons. Many writers desire | | | | controversial works may also choose to self-publish, |
| the freedom and business aspects of publishing work | | | | as many traditional publishers refuse to work with |
| independently. A self-published writer is one who is in | | | | controversial writings. Some authors choose |
| control of every aspect of their published work. The | | | | self-publishing because they want a larger royalty from |
| publishing industry defines self-publishing as authors | | | | retail sales. |
| publishing their own books or other media, instead of | | | | IS SELF-PUBLISHING A SHORTCUT TO SUCCESS? |
| with a third-party publisher. Today's technology has | | | | Self-publishing is not a shortcut to having a printed |
| increased the pool of self-publishers, but it still | | | | book. Depending on what your goals are, it may or |
| represents only a small percentage of the publishing | | | | may not be a direction you would like to take. In the |
| industry in terms of sales. The proliferation of media | | | | hard copy world, self-publishing is costly. Getting a |
| channels, such as blogging, video, and audio content, | | | | book into print costs more money than many writers |
| has contributed to the increase in self-publishers. | | | | want to spend. This is why the Internet is a blessing -- |
| THE BUSINESS OF SELF-PUBLISHING | | | | it's free. You can either start up a free website of |
| The business of self-publishing books and other media | | | | your own and post your novel, or pay a small monthly |
| is different from any other business. The absence of a | | | | sum and sell your writing online. If you can write well |
| traditional publisher makes self-publishing unique. The | | | | enough to catch someone's attention, your readers |
| author of the content takes on the role of the | | | | may be willing to pay for a download of your book. By |
| traditional publisher. The author controls the editorial | | | | self-publishing online, you avoid the normal book |
| content, arranges for printing, markets the material, and | | | | publishing costs and still get exposure. Who knows, |
| distributes the material to consumers and retailers. | | | | you may be lucky and grab the attention of a |
| Self-publishers publish their books in printed form, or | | | | publishing guru who thinks you could make a lot of |
| choose print-on-demand with no inventory. Many | | | | money from your self-published book. |
| self-published authors decide to subsidize their work | | | | Whatever your reason is for self-publishing, you should |
| rather than making money from it. Digital printing | | | | know that self-publishing requires extensive work. |
| technology has evolved self-publishing into digital photo | | | | Self-publishing involves a long list of tasks, which include |
| book printing. Self-publishers are able to get individually | | | | prepublication and publication. Prepublication includes |
| printed photo books from firms like Apple's iPhoto, | | | | editing or obtaining editing for the manuscript, |
| FotoInsight, Snapfish, and Printing-1. | | | | proofreading, establishing yourself as a legal retail |
| THE MOTIVES OF SELF-PUBLISHING | | | | business, and obtaining an ISBN "Cataloging in |
| Many writers have varied motives to self-publish. One | | | | Publication" number. |
| common reason is the writer's work is not of interest | | | | The publication process involves formatting the |
| to the commercial publisher, and otherwise not | | | | manuscript, providing front matter and back matter, |
| marketable. Another common reason is the writer | | | | and providing cover art for the front and back covers |
| prefers to retain complete editorial control over | | | | and the spine of the book. Self-publishers must also |
| content. Many writers are unwilling to compromise | | | | obtain printing quotes, determine how to deliver the |
| editing of their work, and some writers prefer to have | | | | manuscript to the printer, and pay for printing and |
| their work presented "as is." Literary agents and book | | | | delivery of finished books. |
| agents may deny publishing a book because the | | | | Publishing a book online is easier than publishing in the |
| author is unknown and does not have a substantial | | | | world of hard copy. The result is not as glorified, but it |
| resume. Self-publishing may also be an alternative for | | | | is a step towards success in the published realm. The |
| writers who have written material on a popular topic | | | | more experience you can get writing, the better writer |
| but the topic is only interesting in a small geographic | | | | you will be. |