When I was a young(er), ignorant writer I held firm to my belief that self-publishing was simply the “quitter’s path.” Part of my daily fantasizing as a new writer was the idea of my book one day sitting on the shelf in bookstores everywhere, and I believed that self-published novels were…not good, to put it nicely.
That was back in 2010. Now, in 2017 my thoughts on self-publishing have changed drastically–I’m heavily considering it for my own work, and for a variety of reasons. Before I get into those I want to debunk the “myth” that self-publishing (or indie publishing, as it is now more commonly known as) is the quitter’s path: it’s not. It’s simply an alternative to traditional publishing, a different way of getting one’s work out to the world. There are numerous authors who have started out self-published who have gone on to become bestsellers, and there are plenty who have been picked up by publishing houses because of that success.
But I digress. Here are my reasons for considering self-publishing:
- Creative Control: I have always been a pretty independent person. When it comes to the way my work is presented I have a very specific vision, and having complete control over the outcome is something that has appealed to me for sometime. I have experience enough in graphic design to be able to create the cover I want, one that I feel best portrays the heart of my story.
- Self-Validation: For years I thought that being traditionally published would validate me as an author. Now, I realize how incredibly wrong that was. I have been an author since I wrote my first story, since I fully committed to this path. I have grown as a writer through the years and I know I have plenty of stories tell, stories I believe people will enjoy. So why keep them tucked away?
- Education: Besides empowering, the process of self-publishing has been extremely educational. I’m independent as I’ve said, and with this endeavor it’s no different. While I’ve always been pretty adept at graphic design, the more I learned about how books are put together, the more interested I’ve become with interior design. It’s a pretty fascinating, if not meticulous process, but it’s one that I’ve come to enjoy immensely.
Self-publishing is not for everyone, but it is a great path if approached properly. Please do let me know your thoughts and feel free to share your experiences!