Back in May last year, I decided that I would self publish my work. This is a decision that I made a long time ago and I wanted to take some time to chat about why I’ve chosen to do it myself. There are a number of reasons that I took into consideration and I believe that going the self-published route will be the best choice for me. So, here are the reasons I have for deciding to self publish.
#1. Everything I self publish will be mine.
As much as I respect publishers and massively appreciate the work they do, I also recognise how much control they can have over somebody’s work. Going through the traditional route means that publishers could get a hold of my work and claim it as their own through terms & conditions. Being a self-published author means that I own everything and nobody can interfere with it.
#2. Traditional publishers won’t accept me.
I have tried to approach publishers before with my work and have been turned down several times. Knowing that JK Rowling got rejected many, many times before a publisher took her on was heart-warming, but ultimately, I am a very impatient person. And if I know that I can go ahead and just do everything myself to achieve my goal, then I will! The ability to self publish lets me do that.
#3. I want to challenge myself.
Self-publishing a book has not been a easy ride. There’s a lot that I’ve had to do besides writing the book, such as cover design, editing, ISBN’s, admin, marketing, and lots of niggly bits that go into writing a book. However, I like the challenge of being able to do it myself and so far, it’s been a interesting experience.
#4. I can work at my own pace.
One of the pros with no publisher behind me is that I’m not restricted to any deadlines as such. I don’t have to finish my first draft by any particular time, meaning I can work at my own pace. Even if it takes me a million years to write my novel (which it definitely won’t), I won’t be stressing out because I was meant to do my first draft two months ago. I can also pick and choose when I officially release the book and it can fit around my busy schedule.
#5. I’m very serious about my writing.
Out of all the things I’m passionate about in my life, writing has been a constant. No matter what career path I wanted, I always came back to being a writer. I want my self-publishing journey to show that I am serious and determined to bring my work to the world, and it means that I can make my lifelong dream of being a published author a reality.
As well as writing this book, I also run a lifestyle blog in my spare time and lately there has been a lot of criticism of big name bloggers & YouTubers releasing books to get a quick buck. Even though they all say the same thing “writing is my dream! i’ve wanted to do this since i was so young!”, it’s all bullshit to me. And I don’t want to be swept under the same generalisations when my other hobbies are considered. Doing everything myself I hope will deter people from thinking that of me.
I’m not a blogger who happens to writes books for a quick penny. I’m a self-published author who also runs a blog. There’s a very clear, distinct difference.
