Eight Benefits of Choosing Self-Publishing Over the Traditional Ways

There is no count for the new writers joining the field daily. Thanks to the facility of self-publishing, anyone with the talent and passion for writing can get out there and engage the right readers. Gone are the days when everyone had to hope for the best with the traditional publishing process.

While many writers love the idea of self publishing, many are still skeptical. After all, self publishing also has some cons, like everything else in life. However, the important thing to consider is whether these cons are negligible compared to the pros.

Accomplished self publishing writers can go on to create a lengthy list of why self publishing is better than any other way to let your work see the light of day. As a novice writer, you can also explore the realm of self-publishing and your options.

Here are some benefits of self publishing no novice writer must overlook.

1. Experience Full Control

Traditional ways of publishing can be very challenging, especially for novice writers. Of course, every writer goes through a painstaking process to develop a manuscript. Watching your publishers take control of your creation in the traditional process can be very painful.

However, you can experience full control with self publishingyour work. You can protect your vision for your book and ensure that its core remains intact. Self publishing allows you to hire your editors, book cover designers, and marketers without restrictions.

2. Expedite the Process

If you have ever worked with a traditional publisher, you can understand what waiting months to see your book reach the public is like. One must be patient, calm, and collected to work with a traditional publisher and follow their timeline.

There is no promise that a self-published book can be out in a week. However, self-publishing is faster than other means, without a doubt. Once your work is edited and the design is ready, you can be expected to see your book for sale quite soon.

3. Forget the Approvals

Working with traditional publishers can be relatively hard to think outside the box. As the name suggests, traditional publishers often like sticking to a set of rules that is the most effective in their experience. They may require you to change your book beyond recognition.

Experienced self publishing writers can agree that it allows you to work outside the parameters. You do not have to wait for anyone’s unwanted opinion of your work. Instead, you can freely speak your mind and ensure the integrity of your work remains intact.

4. Retain Your Rights

Most times, working with a traditional publisher works by signing a contract. Under this contract, there can be a lot of things you may not feel comfortable with, such as their right to tweak your work or mark your work as their property.

It can be hard to see your hard work being separated by the dotted line where you must sign to let your work see the light of day. However, you do not have to worry about your right to your work while self publishing.

Authors that self publish have all the rights to their intellectual property in any form. Hence, you can have all the rights to your book even if it is later turned into an eBook, or audiobook, or gets translated into a different language.

In addition, self publishing your work also helps you retain the rights to any adaptations of your work, such as films, anime, TV shows, or comic books. Hence, it would not be an exaggeration to say that there is an endless world of opportunity for self publishing writers.

5. Set a Price Tag

Not every writer aims to publish a book for money, but all can agree that it’s a big motive. Whether you are a full-time writer or just write for fun, a steady source of income has never looked like a bad idea to anyone.

Fortunately, all the financial decisions and responsibilities are on your end as a self publishing writer. Hence, it also gives you a chance to set a retail price for your book. However, novice writers must always keep their costs balanced so that they do not interrupt your sales.

6. Face Better Royalties

Money is one of the biggest motivations for writers to join the field. After all, you can make a lot of it if your work takes off. However, many writers later realize that they cannot make a lot of profit while working with traditional publishers.

In many cases, writers only receive 10-15 percent of the price for each book sold. So, a writer selling a book at the retail price of £10 will only make £1 to £2 on every sale working with a traditional publishing house.

However, self publishers can save themselves from such struggles. As a self-publisher, many platforms can allow you to keep up to 70 percent of the profits. This huge difference can matter a lot, especially for a novice writer.

7. Gain More Knowledge

Working with a traditional publisher as a novice writer can take away a lot of opportunities of learning from you. They are running a business selling books, and your exposure in the field does not matter to them at all.

On the contrary, a self publishing writer experiences everything firsthand. They are the ones making a call for the editors, book cover designers, proofreaders, and the list goes on. Hence, they have a greater experience and make a lot of beneficial relationships along the way.

8. Make it Last

As mentioned earlier, traditional publishers are running a business. They do not have time to give all their potential to your work. It will not take them long to replace your book on the bookshelf with the latest publication for their new client.

On the contrary, you do not have to worry about these problems as a self-publishing author. You can keep your book on the shelf for an indefinite amount of time by keeping your book promotion and marketing strategy alive.

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