7 questions to ask yourself when considering independent publishing
The popularity of independent publishing is growing and it is now where many authors’ thoughts turn when they are deciding which route to go down when looking to publish their next novel. Still, it is a big decision to make and will have a radical impact on your writing career, so it’s something to think about carefully.
Here are seven questions to ask yourself when considering independent publishing.
Why is it the right option for you?
First of all, why do you want to do it in the first place? There are quite a few other options for writers: traditional publishing, publishing for free on the internet, sharing work among family and friends only, or saving it only for yourself. Why are you drawn to self-publishing more than any of the other options?
What do you want to achieve through it?
This is another important issue to think about – what is your goal with independent publishing? Going for self-publishing so you can share your work with people you know is different to doing it because you want to have a career as a writer, so it’s worth thinking about how you’d actually make it work for what you want to achieve.
Are you committed to the hard work involved?
An important one, this: are you up for the work? There is no getting away from the fact that self-publishing is hard work. There is a lot to learn and it can take some time to get it right. If you’re not committed to doing it properly, it might not be the best option for you.
Do you want to do it all yourself?
Independent publishing implies that you have to do everything yourself – and indeed, many independent publishers do just that. However, you might like to consider where you might like other people to support you, such as in editing or design roles, or marketing support.
Are you aware of the responsibilities?
Self-publishing is, in many ways, a business like any other. It might not be the fun bit, but it’s important to know about things such as self-employment, accounts and other vital stuff of a financial and administrative nature.
How will you manage your time?
Ah, yes. Time. Independent publishing takes up quite a bit of it, and you’ve got the whole business of writing to fit in on top of that. And possibly another job on top of that. And that whole ‘life’ thing. It can require you to make some changes to fit it all in, so it’s not something to jump into lightly.
Do you enjoy the writing life?
It might sound obvious, but if you don’t enjoy writing and everything that goes with it, you might struggle with self-publishing. If you don’t find it fun, it will be a chore, and you won’t do it as well as you could. A passion for writing is probably the most important tool you’ll need when it comes to achieving success in independent publishing.
