Is self-publishing is a better approach than having your book released by one of the major New York publishers? Surprisingly, the answer is often yes. Part II of this two part series looks at the pros and cons of custom (self) publishing.
Custom Publishing – Pros
- You’re the one who decides that your book will be published – you don’t have to write a proposal and hope to interest a publisher.
- You don’t have to have a big “media platform” at the outset in order to interest a publisher – instead, you can use your book to develop one.
- You can move quickly, going from the initial idea to the published book in just a few months.
- You have full control over your book’s content and design.
- You stand to make a lot of money per book sold – two, three, even five times what a publisher will typically pay.
- You can promote yourself, company and/or products in your book.
- You can keep your book in print as long as it suits you.
- You can reprint the book as fast as you can sell copies – and even put out a new edition should your business plans or products/services change.
Custom Publishing – Cons
- You pay the production costs.
- You are responsible for all of the marketing.
- You are in charge of distributing the book – whether on your own, through a distribution service, via Amazon.com, etc.
- You are entering into a new business arena, which can seem intimidating.
There are not all of the pros and cons, but they should give you some idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches.
Which method is best for you?
It all depends on how you intend to use your book: in other words, what you would like your book to do for you. Read my article titled “Why Are You Writing a Book?” for more on that topic.
