Reality

Yeah – everyone and their mother keeps writing these silly articles telling everyone they're going to tell them some great reality of being a self-published author. Something that everyone else is afraid to tell them.  Then they lament about how authors have to write a good book, put out an awesome product, and market the book themselves! Oh heavens!  For me none of that is a huge secret. Of course I can see where people new to the whole publishing game might think self-publishing is easy...