The Pros and Cons of Self – Publishing

The Pros and Cons of Self – PublishingBy Nicky Blewittthebookmarketer.proWe all have one book in us. Don’t we?Or so the saying goes. At the Book Marketer, however, we believe we all have many more books in us! It’s just a matter of finding and turning on that allusive creative tap. What are the barriers that prevent us from sitting down and writing? One reason to hire a good book coach is to identify and break through these barriers. A good book coach can help identify issues like ‘imposter syndrome’ thinking and other forms of self-sabotage. This can release all of those ideas flying around your head onto the blank page in front of you!Self-publishing on Amazon has opened up publishing for thousands of writers that would previously never been given access to a wider market. The cost of self-publishing does not need to be prohibitive and you can even get your books into your local book stores using distribution channels like Ingram Spark.If you want your book to be engaging for both readers and critics alike, you must provide value that increases interest and engagement within the prose itself as well as across different platforms (e.g., online, print, etc.). This means finding new ways for readers to learn about your story or connect with your characters on an emotional level. A good author support service is there to help you create and tune your best writing.The advantages and disadvantages of self-publishingWriting and self-publishing on Kindle can be satisfying for a variety of reasons. In fact, many self-published authors have chosen this path because of its autonomy and much higher royalty payments. However, there are several disadvantages to self-publishing a book, which we will discuss in this section. When deciding whether to self-publish, it’s critical to consider the potential benefits and drawbacks.The advantages of self-publishing:There are no gatekeepers. There is no one in your way! You have complete control and freedom on how to self-publish a book. Whether you self-publish with Amazon or ‘go wide’ with Barnes and Noble and Google Books etc. To many indie authors, this is worth its weight in gold.You can create your own timetable. Authors who self-publish can bring their books to the market much faster than those who use traditional publishing methods. Or if they so desire, ignore the deadlines they set themselves.Total creative freedom. You have complete control over how your book is edited, formatted, and designed.Possibility of increased earning potential. Royalty rates on publishing platforms like Amazon are much higher than they are in traditional publishing. Up to 70% with self-publishing compared to around 5% with Traditional publishing. The more you learn the self-publishing secrets to promoting your books the more you will appreciate that 70% royalty.Some disadvantages of self-publishing:Self-publishing can have its drawbacks for some authors. When weighing the pros and negatives, keep in mind your individual strengths and weaknesses.There is less support. It’s completely in your hands, which some authors find terrifying. Without a supportive group, it can also be lonely until you learn the ropes.You are not being pushed. It’s up to you to set your own deadlines, create realistic writing objectives, and get your book published.There are higher up-front costs. Professional publishing services, such as editing and design, are hired by the self-published authors themselves.There can be stigma. Self-published authors are sometimes seen as the underdogs because traditional publishing has been the standard for so long. However, the tide is turning. We’re witnessing a surge of traditionally published authors, including Michael Hyatt, Ruth Souk up, and others, transition to self-publishing. They’re discovering that by investing in professional book services to generate high-quality books and leveraging their own platforms to sell more books at a better royalty rate, they can increase their profits.The Book Marketer is an author support service for new writers helping them to write, structure and edit marketable books that they can self-publish with confidence. They are a collective of freelance writers, book marketers, copy editors, designers, and social media specialists that have banded together to help emerging writers. They support authors in organising their book launches and marketing plans, as well as building their author platforms. Their freelancers offer marketing training and online book coaching sessions.

The book marketer is a network of established authors, who have come together to support new authors. We offer a self-publishing support service.