Amazon introduced Kindle, self-publishing has become a popular way for aspiring authors to publish their books for their target readers. Yet – there are countless myths about self-publishing, which has also given rise to the debate of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing.
With that said, if you have been thinking seriously about becoming a self-published author, you might want to seek inspiration from this list of famous self published authors.
Also, read on to debunk some myths and clear your mind about the miscellaneous misconceptions related to self-publishing.
After debunking the myths, you will certainly get a clearer picture of what you get with self-publishing, which will also help you calm your nerves.
Read on to learn more!
Myth #1 – Self-Publishing Has No Value
There is a stubborn belief that a real and essentially accomplished author is one who has opted for the route of traditional publishing to make their books appear on the shelves in libraries and book stress.
And before self-publication was ever a thing, traditional publishing was indeed the only way to get recognized by the world. However, today the marker of traditional publishing has turned old-school. Amazon and other self-publishing platforms have indeed transformed the entire book-publishing industry for the better.
Today, self-published authors are just as accomplished as traditionally-published authors. In fact, most authors choose self-publishing because they want their books to reach their ideal readers in no time – we all know that traditional publishing can take years.
Nonetheless – today – self-publishing is as legitimate and valuable an option as traditional publishing.
Myth #2 – Self-Publishing is Vanity Press
Another myth that needs to be debunked about self-publication is that self-publishing is vanity publishing. Before the rise of self-publication, the authors who found it challenging to secure a contract with traditional publishers – they would sometimes be left with the only choice to resort to a vanity press.
In case you aren’t familiar with what vanity press is about, you should know that vanity publishers produce a low quantity of books for an author while charging them relatively high – simultaneously – leaving the authors to sell their books on their own,
However, this isn’t quite the case with self-publication. Of course, self-published authors will need to bear certain expenses, such as hiring editors, proofreaders, and cover designers, and bearing the expenses for marketing – yet – they don’t have to sell their books out of their garden sheds.
Today, self-publication has upgraded to the point of self-publishing with print-on-demand, which means that self-publishing authors don’t need to buy and store their books themselves.
Myth #3 – Self-Publishing Authors Cannot Write Well
When it comes to self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, many people carry the wrong impression that self-published authors are those who have been essentially rejected by traditional publishers, and hence they have been left with no other choice but to resort to self-publication.
Also, some people even go to the extent of claiming that all self-published authors aren’t worth reading because their writing is terrible. None of these two claims are true.
If you are familiar with how traditional publishing works, you might already know that traditional publishing houses are in the industry to generate as much money as possible. Also, the literary agents are hard to access and also hard to impress.
If your query letter actually makes it through – the literary agent will only take your manuscript if they see a long-term picture with you. Also, the editors are always looking out for books that will fill the gaps in the niches that they (editors) have already worked hard to create in the market.
A traditionally-published author is often one who has an easier time fitting their book in a popular niche. You might have written an exceptional book – but – if the reader base is small, the traditional publishers are more likely to pass.
On the other hand, you won’t have to worry about any of such things with self-publishing. And since you get to keep all your royalties – most of the time – as a self-published author, you can also surpass the profits of a traditionally-published author.
Referring to the profits, an important thing to mention here is that as a self-published author, you won’t be spending thousands of dollars on editors, proofreaders, and book covers. Ideally, you will want to ruthlessly self-edit your manuscript before hiring a professional editor to do the needful.
You can also benefit from a beta reader who can help point out the loopholes in your plot. For marketing, you can leverage social media to spread the word about your book for free.
The Potential Costs of Self-Publishing a Book
Since you will be overseeing all aspects of the publishing process as a self-publishing author, the potential cost for self-publishing will vary.
For instance, you can self-publish your book for as little as you can afford – but – depending on your chosen professional services, you can expect the average cost to be somewhere between $1500 to $5000.
Nonetheless, many self-publishing platforms allow potential authors to publish their books for free. But the writers will also have to bear the expenses for editing, book cover design, marketing, illustrating, and proofreading.
Several factors come to play when determining the potential costs of self-publication. And in the end, it comes down to the needs and preferences of the self-publishing author.
With that said, if you are planning on self-publishing your book, you will want to determine your budget. However, to maintain the quality of your book, you will want to avoid cutting too many corners. For free self-publication, you can use the platform KDP (Kindle Direct publishing).
However, for the bare minimum, you will need to hire a professional editor and, of course, a book cover designer. Remember – your book cover is the first point of touch for your readers, so you will want to make a good first impression to impress and draw them to the book.
Depending on your manuscript’s word count, the costs of a professional editor can stand somewhere between $500 and $5000. The cover design might cost you up to $1000. You will also be working on marketing and promoting your book.
