About Self Publishing
Self Publishing Online
Do you want to learn more about self publishing books? There are various options including traditional self publishing or print on demand self publishing online. Find out which is right for you.
I have to be honest. I am very thankful for self publishing...and I'm thankful for the continued advancements in how books are bought and read. Years ago you had to go into an independent bookstore to buy the book you wanted. Now you can buy books online from Amazon.com, Borders.com, Walmart.com and the list goes on.
Not only that, but you can now buy books electronically as eBooks and Kindle formatted books. I even have the Kindle app on my phone that
allows me to buy books and begin reading them in seconds. Talk about instant gratification! We can all see that times are changing, and rapidly.
As the way we read and buy books changes, so does the publishing.
- No longer is it necessary to submit your book to a long list of publishers and endure rejection after rejection.
- No longer is it necessary to spend thousands of dollars in self published books that will sit in boxes in your garage for years.
- No longer is it necessary to pay a publisher money to publish your book as a "vanity press."
Gone are those days. Say hello to print on demand publishing...
My Choice: Print on Demand Self Publishing Online
I am basing the information on the chart below on my experience with self publishing online with Createspace, a print on demand self publishing company owned by Amazon.com. I did all the formatting and editing of my book and uploaded the files myself, which kept the costs low and the profits higher. I also signed up for a Pro Plan which is just $39 the first year and $5 each year after that which significantly increases my royalties. Each POD company varies, so do your research!
Chart Comparision About Self Publishing
| Print on Demand (POD) | Self Publishing | Vanity Press | Traditional Publishing | |
| Definition | Self publish your book through a print on demand publisher, which means they print copies of your book one at a time as they are ordered. | Self publish your book through your own publishing company. You purchase your own ISBN number, decide on what printer to use, and are responsible for every part of the publishinig process. | Publishes your book at your cost. | Published by a commercial publisher who takes care of the entire process from start to finish. |
| Quality | Good | Good to High | Good | Best |
| Author's Risk | Low | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| Time to Print | Few Weeks | Weeks to Months | Usually Months | Usually 18 months or longer |
| Author's Cost | Low: Able to publish with no upfront costs. | High | High | Varies |
| Royalties | 10-65% | 20-80% | Varies | 5-15% |
| Potential for income | Good | Best (if successful) | Low | Good |
| Control | Majority | Total | Moderate | Low |
| Fulfills book orders? | POD publisher | Author | Author | Publisher |
| Responsible for Marketing? | Author | Author | Author | Publisher |
Get started with Print on Demand self publishing by signing up for your free Createspace account today.
Self publish your book with no upfront costs!
