Is Self-Publishing A Beneficial Option?

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Most people who have thought of writing a book have wondered at some point whether self-publishing is a good route to go, regardless of whether their book is fiction, non-fiction, for business, or just for fun. The question of whether self-publishing is a good idea actually has two separate answers: A resounding Yes, and a resounding No. The important part, of course, is knowing which of these two is the right answer for you.

It is important for you to realize that you will not be a "published author" if you have written a novel and have decided to publish it yourself. This means that self-publishing will not make it any easier for you to get an agent or a real publishing deal down the road, and it may actually hurt. There are two main problems you will run into when you self-publish your novel: 1) Fewer people will take your book seriously if it is self-published; 2) You will have much smaller distribution. It is usually worth the wait and the effort for fiction writers to get their book published by a traditional publisher.

Whether or not self-publishing is right for you if you have written a non-fiction book depends on a variety of factors. For instance, you may be writing a purely academic book for purely academic purposes, in which case you would not need wide distribution, and self-publishing would be a fine option. But you may want to wait and go with a traditional publisher if you have written something for which you desire wide distribution.

The people and groups that benefit the most from self-publishing are businessmen and businesses; such people and companies can easily distribute books on their own. If you are a business, you can feature your book at a trade show; if you are a businessman, you can sell your book after you speak at a conference; whatever the case, it can be easy to get your book out there if you are involved in business. Furthermore, you will have complete control over the project, and will be able to get it out there quickly.

Although there is nothing wrong with self-publishing, it can be better to take the time and effort to go the traditional route, depending on the sort of book you have written and the sort of distribution it needs in order to be successful.