Many writers today opt for the self publishing route, many a time because they do not want to go through the hassle of approaching many traditional book publishing companies, dealing with rejection letters or may be simply because they think this is the easier route to choose. If you want to publish your book with a print on demand publisher and self publish, it is not as cut and dry as simply getting the book printed and watching it fly off the shelves. There are so many more aspects to consider, which many writers are unaware of or choose to ignore, when the lure of seeing your book in print seems stronger than thinking things through thoroughly.
Firstly, many a time, the option of self publishing has led to way too many mediocre books out there. In most cases a print on demand publisher is exactly what the name suggests; they print the books for you in quantities you desire. There is no quality check, no real or useful editing, no additional care when it comes to layout, cover design or production quality and your work may suffer at the hands of that. In the crowded literary scene you do not want to be one of those writers that get bombarded with criticism for stupid content mistakes or a badly produced book that could have easily been fixed with a professional eye, do you?
Secondly, unless you are already a known or established author, it is extremely difficult to get any interested generated in your book or even get it into the hands of the right retailers, unless the publisher or you have a strong and comprehensive distribution network in place. How would your book receive any appreciation and subsequent commercial success, if it is not in the bookshelves at the right place? There is also the matter of marketing the book like offering samples in digital form and the like. Most people buy new books especially for authors they havent read before based on buzz created around the book as well as when you find it on the shelves of your favourite book stores, online stores and the like. You will need that visibility, which print on most demand publishing companies cannot provide for you.
You have to realize that while the
self publishing path may seem like an easier way to publish your book and watch your manuscript transform into an actual book, it is way more complicated than that. There are a lot of elements to consider and the ones listed above are just a few aspects. Self publishing may or may not be the right choice for you, but do weigh all the pros and cons about both self and traditional publishing, research your options and read up on expert opinions, before making an informed decision.
