3 Killer Advantages of Self-Publishing
Have you ever heard people share a negative opinion when you talk about self-publishing?
Sadly, lot of people have outdated or inaccurate information about the independent publishing path that makes them misinformed. They mistakenly see self-publishing as an inferior route to the traditional pathway.
In actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Self-publishing has a number of significant advantages for you as an author.
In case you’re not sure of how to defend your decision to self-publish, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover the three killer advantages to publishing independently.
You retain creative control
One of the biggest downsides to the traditional approach to publishing is the inevitable loss of creative control that comes from working with a big publisher.
When you sign a publishing contract you invariably give up some of your freedoms. You won’t necessarily get to work with the editor that you would have chosen on your own. You also might lose the freedom to have the final say on your book cover.
In addition to the production of the book itself you lose control over the way it is marketed and promoted. You might have to make appearances and do readings that would not have been the ones you would have preferred.
Overall, when you opt to work with a publisher instead of staying independent, you lose a lot of the ability to make your own decisions, about your actual book as well as your author platform and promotional approach.
When you choose to self-publish, you make none of those compromises.
You can have whichever book cover you prefer. You can also promote your book as little or as often as you wish. You won’t have to do anything you don’t want to and no one else has a say in your book or author life other than yourself.
You set your own pace
Choosing to traditionally publish involves a loss of more than just creative freedom. You also give up the power to dictate the pace at which your book is written, edited, launched, and marketed.
One drawback of traditional publishing that a lot of people are unaware of is just how slow the process takes. You have to wait a long time after submitting your manuscript to even hear back from the publishing company. There is then an incredibly long wait for your book to be edited before it is ready for launch. You are also tied into the slow pace of mainstream book promotion.
When you publish your book on your own, you can publish as quickly as you like. There is nothing stopping you working on a sequel or series instalment while your current book is launching. Because you will hire editors and other collaborators yourself you are able to specify the pace at which they work.
Being an indie author doesn’t just give you total creative control, it also allows you to set the pace you work at. This is invaluable for indie authors with busy schedules and lots of demands on their time.
You don’t have to do it all alone
Perhaps the biggest misconception of all about self-publishing is the notion that you as the indie author will have to carry out all the tasks by yourself.
This image perhaps comes from some of the earliest indie books that have cheap and ugly covers and which don’t appear to have been edited at all.
Thankfully, times have changed!
You are now able to hire the best creative collaborators that your budget allows, from book cover design wizards to elite editors and skillful proofreaders. You can assemble your dream team to help make your book the best it can be.
Many of the top talent from the world of traditional publishing now work independently and are available to work with indie authors just like you.
The bottom line is self-publishing doesn’t mean doing it by yourself. Although it can if you want!
Typically, new indie authors will find the best return on investment by carrying out a careful self-edit initially using Grammarly or ProWritingAid before then sending their work to a human editor.
Book covers are another area where you shouldn’t do it alone. Unless you happen to be a graphic artist! Otherwise invest wisely in an artist with experience designing similar covers to the one you want.
What’s holding you back?
Hopefully you now see that most of the negative viewpoints of self-publishing are based on outdated or outright wrong information.
It isn’t a second-class option in any way, shape, or form. In fact, if you’re brave enough to strike out on your own, away from the world of mainstream publishing, you get a number of benefits that your traditional counterparts will not have.
That’s not to say self-publishing is perfect. Nothing is! It still requires a serious amount of work and willingness to put in the time and effort to learn and improve.
However, if you’re willing to do that, you will experience a level of freedom and control that a lot of old-school authors would kill for!
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