Self-publishing is a growing trend in the publishing industry and is becoming increasingly popular among talented authors (like you!). But is self-publishing right for you? These are just some of the benefits of self-publishing your book.
1. Creative control
One of the main reasons authors choose to self-publish their stories is so that they can retain creative control over their work. When you self-publish, your book remains your own, and you get to be in charge of how you present it to the world.
As a self-publishing author, you’re free to make choices that align with your vision and publishing goals. You can choose your own title, work with an editor you trust, select an illustrator whose artwork you love, select a self-publishing provider that meets your needs, and set your own price and publication date.
Self-publishing allows authors to play an active role in each stage of the publishing process and to be the boss of what the final product becomes.
2. Faster timelines
Publishing great books takes time, but self-publishing processes are often much quicker than traditional publishing ones.
Forgetting the long wait times that come with querying, navigating acquisitions, and working through traditional publishing processes, self-publishers can take faster steps toward seeing their books in print.
If you choose to self-publish, you can write your book, revise it, and then send it off to your editor. Before long, you’ll be organizing illustrations, design, and formatting ahead of publication day!
What are the other benefits of the faster process? More books! Self-publishing authors are often able to release much more quickly, which means that they can share more stories with readers—sometimes even several a year!
3. Making money
Money, money, money! It’s important to talk about the costs and earnings associated with self-publishing. Yes, self-publishing does involve higher initial outgoings, but it can also provide great income opportunities.
For practicality, most services used by self-publishing authors operate on a flat-fee or work-for-hire basis. This means that you’re responsible for a one-time price for editing, illustration, book design, proofreading, and so on instead of being part of an arrangement that requires long-term sharing of royalties.
Because self-published authors are responsible for more of their own processes, they’re also entitled to a greater percentage of sales income, which means that you earn more from each book you sell. If your book is a mega success, you’ll be the one raking in the writing riches.
4. Community
In recent years, the self-publishing community has grown substantially. Today, there are lots of authors who regularly release new self-published works. This means that the self-publishing community has become bigger and better, and if you self-publish your book, you get to be a part of it.
All self-published authors know the good and the bad of self-publishing, and they often work together to make the process easier for one another. Many creators run joint promotions and events or share the lessons they’ve learned with self-publishing newcomers.
Online self-publishing communities are great places to meet people who understand your goals, dreams, hopes, and challenges. You’ll find plenty of other passionate, hardworking self-publishers on just about any social networking platform. Who doesn’t love making new friends?
5. Success
Gone are the days when only traditionally published books could achieve incredible successes. With digital technologies, global marketplaces, and social networking, it’s now possible for self-published authors to connect with readers from all around the world.
Many authors have made it BIG with self-published books. Do Andy Weir’s The Martian or Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit ring a bell? They were both initially self-published! What’s to say your self-published book can’t be the next big thing?
Now that you know more of the benefits of self-publishing, will you consider self-publishing your book?
At Wildflower Books, we offer a range of editing and proofreading services. We specialize in children’s fiction, from picture books and YA novels, and have helped many authors create fantastic books. If you’d like to learn more about your editing options, we’d love to hear from you. Send us an email today!