Why Self-publish?

Success in traditional publishing requires tenacity.
Success in self-publishing also requires tenacity.

Success in traditional publishing requires taking risks.
Success in self-publishing also requires taking risks.

Authors who use traditional publishers can make a lot of money.
Authors who self-publish can also make a lot of money.

There are reasons to do one over the other, but it's a very personal choice.

Full disclosure: I've never attempted to publish anything through a traditional publisher. I've only self-published, so I can't provide an objective point of view. But I can tell you what I've heard from other authors who have traveled both roads:

• The margins in traditional publishing are thin. Most authors never earn enough royalties to cover the advance they receive at contract signing. Self-published authors can make reasonable profits on print books, and even better profits on electronic books.
• Traditional publishers require you to give up your rights to print your book. As long as the publisher is making money, they'll keep your book in print. Once sales slow down, it will go out of print and you can't do a thing about it.
• Traditional publishers still rely on author marketing. Just because you have a publisher doesn't mean you can just sit back and collect royalty checks. And if you're going to be doing your own marketing anyway, why not self-publish and keep more of the profits?

One key advantage traditional publishing offers over self-publishing is uncompromising product quality. You'll generally have great cover & interior designers, editors and advisers. But with the right partners you can create a comparable product yourself, and you get to be in control from start to finish.

It's taken me several years to understand the ins and outs of self-publishing, but I've always dreamed of being an entrepreneur and self-publishing has given me that opportunity. Until recently, my focus has been on product creation. Now I'm investing the bulk of my time and effort in marketing.

The opportunities for self-publishers are greater than they've ever been before, and the risks are minimal. The question, "Why self-publish?" is best answered with another question: "Why not?"