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The Business of Self-Publishing
Self-publishing has become a common practice for many writers. Writers’ reasons for self-publishing are varied, but
it is commonly known that many writers want the accolades of having published work, no matter who publishes it. The
freedom and business aspects of publishing work independently are desirable to many writers. A self-published
writer is one who is in control of every aspect of their published work.
The term self-publishing is defined as the publishing of books and other media by the authors
of those works, instead of being established by third-party publishers. The advancement of technology has
caused an increase in the self-publishers world, but it still only represents a small percentage of the
publishing industry in terms of sales. The proliferation of media channels and web logging has contributed to
the increase in self-publishers.
The business of publishing books and other media independently is one that is unique and different from any other
business. The most distinguishing characteristic of self-publishing is the absence of a traditional publisher. The
author of the content takes on the role of the traditional publisher. The author is given editorial control of the
content, arranging for printing, marketing the material, and distributing the material to consumers and
retailers.
The published books may be printed on demand with no inventory, which places a large
amount of financial risk for the venue on the author’s shoulders. Many self-published authors end up
subsidizing their work rather than making money from it. Digital printing technology has made it possible for
the self-publishing concept to become mainstream in digital photo book printing. Self-publishers are able to
get individually printed photo books from firms like Apple’s iPhoto, FotoInsight, Snapfish, and
Printing-1.
The motives for publishing work independently are varied, and there are numerous reasons for choosing to
self-publish. One common reason is that the work of the author is not of interest to the commercial publisher, and
otherwise not marketable. Some other common reasons for self publishing include an author’s preference to retain
complete editorial control over content. Many writers are unwilling to compromise when it comes to the editing of
their work, and some prefer to have their work presented “as is.” Writers may also be denied publication because
they are unknown and don’t have a substantial resume. Self-publishing may also be an alternative for writers who
have written material on a popular topic but that is only of interest in a small geographic area. Topics that
address an obscure topic in which few people are interested may also be denied publication by commercial
publishers.
Writers of controversial works may also choose to self-publish, as many traditional publishers refuse to work with
controversial writings. There are also some authors choose self-publishing because they want a larger percentage
return from retail sales. Whatever the reason for self-publishing, authors should know that there is extensive work
required in publishing a book alone. Publishing alone involves a long list of tasks, which include prepublication
and publication. Prepublication includes editing or obtaining editing for the manuscript, proofreading,
establishing yourself as a legal retail business, and obtaining an ISBN “Cataloging in Publication” number.
The publication process involves formatting the manuscript, providing front matter and back matter, and providing
cover art for the front and back covers and the spine of the book. Self-publishers must also obtain printing
quotes, determine how the manuscript will be delivered to the printer, and pay for printing and delivery of
finished books. Self-publishing is a business that many writers prefer to avoid, but for others it may be the only
way to have the work printed and available to the public.
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