Writing a book can be a rewarding experience, but the decision to self-publish is not one that should be taken lightly. There are many important questions you need to consider before deciding if self-publishing is right for you. Here are some of the most important questions you should ask yourself before making this big decision.
What Platform Will You Use?
Your choice of platform will depend on your book’s content and your budget. If you’re writing fiction, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is a popular option because it allows authors to retain up to 70% of the royalties from sales.
If you’re writing nonfiction or educational material, platforms like Createspace, IngramSpark, and Lulu offer more options for formatting and printing. Make sure that whatever platform you choose fits your needs and budget.
There are also self publishing companies like Blurb, that are out there to help the hobbyists. But it is always better to read through most of the Blurb reviews to get a final picture of what to decide.
Do You Have a Budget?
Self-publishing requires an investment; everything from editing to cover design costs money. Before you jump in, make sure you have a realistic budget in mind—and a plan for how to finance it. Consider whether crowdsourcing or preselling could help with upfront costs, as well as what services (editing, design work) might be necessary to produce a quality product.
How Much Time Are You Willing To Invest?
Self-publishing takes time away from other aspects of your life—so make sure that this is something you really want to do before committing too much time or energy into the project.
Consider scheduling in specific blocks of time devoted just to writing and publishing so that other areas of your life don’t suffer because of it. It also helps to research common mistakes made by new authors so that they can avoid them when putting together their own book projects.
Conclusion
Self-publishing can be an incredibly rewarding experience if done correctly; however, it does require quite a bit of planning and preparation beforehand in order for it all come together properly in the end.
Before deciding if self-publishing is right for you, consider these important questions and make sure that your answers fit with what you expect from the process as well as what resources (time, money) are available for investment in the project.
With careful consideration and research beforehand, any author can create an engaging book worthy of publication!
