In the past if an author with the dream of getting their book published was turned down by the traditional publishing houses they had only one other option to try to make that dream a reality. Vanity publishing would be used by the the ambitious author, but they tended to be very expensive, especially when you were required to buy a couple thousand of your printed books and then try to sell them.
Today’s digital technology has created a seemingly limitless environment for the aspiring author. If a writer is turned down by a traditional publishing house, or if they just want to be in complete control of how their book is produced and marketed, they can self-publish their book online.
See Also: Selling Your Book Online
There are a lot of self-publishing companies that will print on demand, which is only printing books to replace the ones sold. Many of the self-publishing companies offer assisted publishing. They have a wide variety of services from editing to cover design. Depending on how much assistance you feel you need, you can now call virtually all the shots on how your book is produced from its very beginning to it’s final sale.
Another major benefit to publishing your own book online is the share of the profits you will keep. In days gone by, you would expect to keep 10% of the profits for the book you write, now there are self-publishing companies that will only take 10% to publish your book.
Digital publishing online and print on demand have greatly reduced the cost that is involved in publishing a book. The invention of the e-reader, like the Kindle and the Nook have launched the market for ebooks into the stratosphere. An author can create and market an ebook for little or no cost and sell it online. Some self-publishing businesses even have stores on their website that will sell your book.
There are several stories about the large publishing houses picking up a self-published book and marketing it. The runaway bestseller “Fifty Shades of Grey” started its life as a self-published book that was picked up by a traditional publishing house.
Of course just like with any business venture, you need to do your homework. Good research of the production and marketing of your book will go a long way in making sure your book gets the treatment it deserves and you get the outcome you envision.
There are a world of possibilities available to today’s authors that the authors of yesterday couldn’t even imagine. People’s thoughts, knowledge and experiences are being shared with the public at a rate never before seen and its a great advantage to the world.
