Self-Publishing – Understanding The Downsides
We have all heard how great self-publishing is, how it can give you control of your book and at the same time increase your profits. But can something really be this good? Are there any downsides or disadvantages of going into self-publishing? The answer is yes, everything has its pros and cons.
Everything is in Your Hands
If you have decided to go for self-publishing, then you should be ready to multitask. Compared with traditional publishing, they have editors, printers, layout artists, cover artists who are available and ready to work for them anytime. But in self-publishing you have to handle all of this. If you cannot do it all, you have the option to get or hire somebody who can. It will cost you more, of course. But even if you outsource, you will still need to oversee it and make sure that it meets your standards.
Time can be a major problem for some self-published authors. There are some writers who have part time day jobs and will need to fit self-publishing schedule to their time. Even marketing and promotion falls into your hands.
Costs
In traditional publishing, the writer can get as much as 5 to 10 % of the sales. But in self-publishing, you can increase the profit to as much as 50 %. The downside is that you have to subsidize everything beforehand. It is a risk. You can spend about $5,000 for self-publishing, but you cannot guarantee that you will recoup any of your investment.
Most of the times, you will need to get a distributor since book sellers are not really that willing to buy books directly from the author. The author will then have to give discounts to the distributor and the bookseller, and this will diminish your expected 50 % profit. Another problem that needs to be taken into account in the planning process, is what happens if the books don’t sell that much. Aside from less profit, some bookstores will return the book and ask for a refund. Many self-publishers would be advised to draft a contract that would not allow returns and refund, especially if retailed at a special or discounted price.
Competition can be tough. Readers may not flock to buy your book. You will need to give them a reason to buy your book over buying other books dealing with the same topic. Here is where marketing and publicity become crucial. And you will have to spend on that, too.
The Reputation
Another problem that self-publishers encounter is the reputation and credibility of being self-published. There are some readers who do not regard self-published books highly. Sad to say, some people are extremely biased against self-published authors, thinking that just because major publishing houses have refused the author, it means the book is not good enough.
The Writer
They say that a book is like a writer’s own child. It would be difficult to criticize and disparage your own kid, right? Because authors have to do everything, including editing, it can be difficult to be objective all the time. They can protect parts that are not really important or aesthetically weak. They can have difficulties letting go of some parts which are totally insignificant. That is why we have editors. But if an author decides to be his own editor, then there can be biases.
Self-publishing is a risk, you can spend a lot of money but the returns could be low. But, come to think of it, everything is a risk. And risk is part of success.
So, if you believe you have something worthwhile to share with others and that self-publishing may be the best option for getting your creation out into the world, then best of luck and go for it!
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