Publishing your book independently by handling (or hiring out) editing, design, formatting, distribution, and marketing yourself.
Self-publishing means you are the publisher. You write the book, but you also make every decision about editing, cover design, formatting, pricing, distribution, and marketing. You can hire freelancers for each of these tasks, but you're the project manager. The upside is significant: you keep most of the revenue (typically 35-70% of the sale price depending on the platform), you control your timeline, and you own all your rights. The downside is that nobody is going to do any of it for you unless you pay them.
Self-publishing has gone from a last resort to a legitimate, often lucrative path. Some of the highest-earning authors in the world are self-published. But it demands that you think like both a writer and a small business owner. Understanding what self-publishing actually requires prevents you from releasing a book that isn't ready and helps you invest your time and money where it matters most.
Originally self-published as a serial on Weir's website, then as a $0.99 Kindle ebook. Reader demand caught a publisher's attention, leading to a traditional deal and a Ridley Scott film.
Started as a self-published short story on Amazon, then expanded into a series. Howey famously negotiated a print-only deal with Simon & Schuster, keeping his ebook rights.
The first Gamache novel was published by a tiny press after traditional rejection. Penny built her audience book by book, eventually becoming one of the bestselling mystery authors in the world.
Began as self-published fan fiction, gained a massive following, and was picked up by Vintage Books. Love it or hate it, it demonstrated that self-publishing can be a launchpad to mainstream success.
Readers can tell. Budget for at least a developmental edit and a copy edit. Your friend who 'reads a lot' is not a substitute for a professional editor.
Unless you're a professional book cover designer, hire one. Covers are the single biggest factor in whether a reader clicks on your book. A bad cover signals an amateur book, even if the writing is excellent.
Self-publishing rewards volume. Readers who enjoy your first book want a second one soon. Plan to write and release consistently rather than betting everything on a single title.
Browse the top 20 bestsellers in your genre on Amazon. Note the price points, cover styles, page counts, and how many reviews each has. Then find three self-published titles among them (check the publisher field). Compare their presentation to the traditionally published books. What do the successful self-published titles have in common?