3 Reasons Not to Shy Away From Self-Publishing

I hesitated to self-publish at first. I worried how I would go about it and if it would work of course. But I also worried about the wisdom of choosing self-publishing over traditional publishing for my first book. After thinking it all over, I finally settled on trying self-publishing, much in part to the following reasons.

1. Self-publishing is not a permanent decision. Just because you self-publish today does not mean you can't publish traditionally tomorrow. If you self-publish once and decide it's not for you, you don't have to do it again. Initially, I was looking at the decision as a written-in-stone commitment. But I gained perspective and chose to go for it just once. Now, I'm planning to self-publish at least my next two novels.

2. The publishing industry is changing. Even traditional publishing is moving in different directions these days. And self-publishing is too. It's not as limited as it used to be. If you go the DIY route, it's not as expensive either. With the Internet, you have a lot of marketing options and opportunities to reach your audience and gain a solid readership.

3. You can build your readership. Whatever your long-term goals, publishing on your own will help you gain a loyal following. This was one of the biggest factors in my decision to self-publish. With ebooks, you can even publish shorter works to attract interest and eventually lead your fans to your book.

Self-publishing can be a stepping stone to greater things. Or, it may be enough all on its own. However you look at it, you don't need to be afraid to take the leap.

If you've self-published, what concerns did you have and what made you choose to self-publish anyway? If you're thinking about self-publishing, what worries you most?