Many authors today are opting for self-publishing to avoid using a traditional book publisher. Days are gone when self-publishing was seen as a way of new and unsuccessful authors get into the mainstream. Nowadays, even the successful authors are choosing to self-publish their new titles. However, there are still some negatives and challenges associated with it. This article takes you through the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing when compared to the more traditional publishing method. This outline review will enable you to make the best decision for your financial future.
Advantages
One of the pros of self-publishing is faster exposure. Your book gets to the market faster as compared to traditional methods of having a publisher. The traditional method of publishing takes a minimum of six months. Publishing on the internet is faster. Self-publishing translates to speedier payment and exposure. Another significant benefit of self-publishing is more extended shelf life. Traditional publishing with a large company will most likely offer a two-month shelf life in the bookstore as they replace the old inventories with newly published books. Self-publishing gives your audience more time to find your book on the shelves. Furthermore, the author has greater creative control over the appearance and content of the book. One can publish the manuscript in any desired format and craft the material with little supervision. Additionally, better royalties are assured in self-publishing when compared with the shared profits in traditional publishing.
Disadvantages
The major drawback of Self-publishing is less editorial support. The editorial team is vital in ensuring that the book is professional and error free. Traditional publishing provides proofreaders and editors that produce a mistake-free product. The second disadvantage of self-publishing is less marketing support. You have to market and distribute your published book individually. It is hence difficult to reach your target audience. Conversely, publishing companies can make endorsements, initiate media coverage, and secure reviews. Lastly, there is high upfront cost and less acclaim for self-publishing. Many readers will prefer to read works originating from bigwigs companies and often refuse to take seriously self-published work. Self-publishing hence cannot capture the most extensive readership possible.
In conclusion, self-publishing has its challenges, and all books cannot be bestsellers. However, aspiring writers should have their confidence for self-publishing boosted with the recent trend of many authors earning big money through self-published books. The appealing higher royalty rates and creative control may be overpowered by the high expenses and difficult business to control, making many authors prefer traditional publishing over self-publishing.