Last week we asked our community on Facebook to answer this question: For those who’ve self-published your books, what have been some of the pros and cons?
Here’s what they had to say:
Joel D Canfield: The pros are the reason I do it: complete control. My editor and I make the final call on the text. I’m a graphic designer, so I make the final call on my covers. I control price, distribution, formats.
The cons: the extra work and expense. I spend money for editing and print layout.
I’m delighted with the tradeoff. I’m monumentally fussy about my art being presented precisely as I envision it. No one else will make it mine the way I can.
Joel D Canfield
http://JoelDCanfield.com/
Anne Janzer: I love the control self-publishing gives me over how to publish a book, and the creativity that it allows me in marketing that book. I don’t have to play by someone else’s rules about how to reach my idea readers. However, there has been a steep learning curve! The biggest pro: you are in complete control. The biggest con: You are in complete control – and therefore must make all of the decisions! https://annejanzer.com/
Tony Agnesi: I am about to self-publish my second book and I like to complete control over the creative. I am involved in marketing for a living and feel I can do a much better job promoting my books than a publisher where I am just one of many they are promoting. The one negative I regret with my first book was giving away too many copies to family and friends who should have been my first sales. Many didn’t read the book and most never even offered a thank you. I’m going to be less generous with the next book. https://tonyagnesi.com/
Cameron Yorke: Having self published four books and had one published traditionally, I prefer the self publishing route because, as everyone else has said, you retain control, however, in self publishing, unless you have a huge budget to outsource, you need to wear many hats – writer, graphic designer, formatter, editor (at least for first edit) and then the biggest job of all, PR and social media guru! Then there’s also public speaker, socialite, public figure… the list goes on! The writing is the easy part!
We want to hear from you! Share your own answer in the comments below.
