by Jay Donnelly
For years, finding a publisher was the main thing holding back a lot of talented writers. You’d spent years crafting the perfect story, you had amazing characters, but it just didn’t fit what all the big publishers were after. As a result, your dream died before it truly began.
However, in this modern age of technology and instant gratification, do you need to find a publisher anymore?
Technically speaking, you don’t. The idea of self-publishing has become increasingly popular as authors realize they don’t need someone to release their books for them. Does this mean publishing companies will go bust? Nope, there are still some benefits to the traditional route, but having the option to self-publish is massive for small writers.
How do you self publish?
There are many ways you can publish a book yourself. The easiest of which is to head to one of the many sites that let you publish a book online almost instantly. The beauty of modern-day technology is that most people read eBooks these days. So, you can get your book in a digital format on one of the big online retail websites – like Amazon. It’s relatively easy to do, and the only thing to worry about is what format you put your book in. On Amazon, then use a specific format for their Kindle devices, with every other digital bookstore you’re looking at the epub format. It can be confusing, but this guidance from Jericho can help you figure out which format you’ll need for your book. Now, you can get it published across whatever platforms you like, and start making money.
Why self publish?
What are the benefits of going at it alone? The first is that you’re in control of everything. You have the complete creative freedom to make this book however you like without a publisher breathing down your neck and suggesting edits. You choose the book cover, you decide on how you market the book – it all comes down to you.
Also, you have the freedom to take your own time. If you’re publishing the book, then you can do it whenever you like. This is better than having a publisher set time constraints that put extra pressure on you. Similarly, looking for a publisher can take time, so self-publishing lets you get your book out there as soon as you’re ready.
What are the downsides of self-publishing?
However, there are some downsides. Mainly, when launching an eBook or any type of book, a publisher can help you gain more exposure. They know books, they know what people want, and this can help you sell more copies. It’s also a lot less work for you to contend with, letting you focus on writing more books.
In the end, it’s a toss-up between wanting creative freedom and getting as much exposure as possible. You can definitely self-publish a book and sell hundreds of thousands of copies. It’s just easier to do this with a publisher backing you. Ultimately, the main thing to take from this is that you can publish a book by yourself. So, if you’re struggling to find publishers and want to get a book out to the world, then you can do it!
Find more writing and publishing tips at Nothing Any Good.
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