The Pros & Cons of Self-Publishing

Self-publishing has become a common way that authors put their work out into the world. And I LOVE it. I love that we have this creative outlet at our fingertips. I love that so many people are now able to put their pride and joy out into the world in this way. But it isn’t without its downsides. I figured I’d go over both the pros and cons of being a self-published author in today’s blog post.

Pro: Everything is on your timeline!

                This means no deadlines unless they’re self-imposed. No one bothering you to get something done. You can put it down and come back to it when you are good and ready. No waiting around for people to get back to you, either!

Con: Everything is on your timeline…

                Self-publishing can be a challenge for those of us who aren’t great at self-discipline. Sure, I can set a deadline for myself. But who is going to know if I push that deadline back, or miss it entirely? Absolutely no one. Being your own boss means being your own boss, and that isn’t always easy.

Pro: You have control over everything!

                The cover! The layout! The title! It’s all up to you! There’s no one to tell you no. You have complete creative control over everything. It’s so fun to bring your writing to life with things like marketing and design.

Con: You have control over everything…

                There’s no delegating. There’s no passing off that annoying task to someone else. You’re in charge of researching everything from word processing programs to cover design copyrights to price points for different genres. Sometimes having control over absolutely everything can lead to some serious decision fatigue.

Pro: You are sharing your work with the world!

                There is something so special about sharing the little world you’ve created with the big world around you. Bringing people in, introducing them to these characters who have become your friends and showing them around the town that has become your imaginary second home… it’s priceless. It is incredibly fulfilling.

Con: You’re sharing your work with the world…

                One word: reviews.

                They can be good, but they can also be bad. And when you’ve poured your heart and soul into something and spent years of your life crafting it, one anonymous person’s lousy 2 star rating can be a tough thing to overcome.

While self-publishing isn’t always easy, in my opinion, it is definitely worth it!