Quick summary of “Self-Publishing” Pros & Cons before we wrap this series up with Vanity Publishing (what people generally mean when they say “self-published”) tomorrow.

PROS

• You’re the master/mistress of your own destiny
• Keep all the rights to your story, characters, merchandising, film/TV, etc
• Don’t have to wait years to see your book in print or to have readers enjoying your work
• Don’t have to worry about someone preying on your dreams and taking advantage of you
• If you do your job of publishing and marketing the book(s) well, then you might gain the attention of a NY Big Boy. If they want to acquire your book, but now it’s on your terms. You have some negotiating power. (Examples of this happening: Eragon series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and countless others)
• Take it on the road, and you can make a modest living doing just that (more in the upcoming book marketing series)
• You meet your fans as you build readership one by one.

CONS

• Don’t have the industry/media connections you would with a Big Boy
• You have to do *everything* yourself or pay to have it subcontracted
• It’s the most expensive way to get your book published
• It is an unbelievable amount of work, and it becomes your life
• It’s a constant struggle to be seen among the millions of other authors/books out there
• It’s an *extremely* slow process
• One….by….one….

As I said at the beginning of this series, it all depends upon what you want and what you’re willing to risk and/or sacrifice. That’s what it really comes down to.

< — (Last Post) Getting into Bookstores

(Next Post) Vanity Publishing — >

ONLY FIVE MORE DAYS!!