Never self-publish your book too soon

There is no denying that self-publishing – when done properly – is hard work. It is also, however, easier than it used to be, largely thanks to developments in technology that have enabled more authors to take advantage of the opportunities it offers.

In the early days of writing, it can be tempting to want to take advantage of these opportunities too soon; it’s only natural to want to get your work out there ASAP, but there is a strong argument against self-publishing your book too soon. Having a backlist can help you as an author, but if that backlist includes early efforts that aren’t quite up to scratch, it is unlikely to bring you the benefits you’re hoping for.

One of the big reasons for holding off on self-publishing for a while is that period before you publish for the first time is precious. As keen as you might be to get on with things, you can never get that time back – that time when you have the luxury of being able to make mistakes in private and learn about writing in your own time.

It’s worth taking the time to develop your skills as a writer, learn the kind of things you like to write about, and develop your own voice. Hardly anyone produces amazing work right from the start, so that period where you essentially learn how to produce good, publishable work that people want to read is vital.

Your books will be much better for it, and you’ll be much more confident when the time does come to self-publish. So as tempting as it might be to hit that publish button as soon as you write the final full-stop of your first novel, don’t be too hasty. Taking that extra little bit of time could have fantastic benefits in the long run.