What is self-publishing?

Self-publishing means that you, rather than a traditional publishing house, are responsible for bringing your book to market. You decide how it is produced, who works on it, when it is published and where it is sold.

That does not mean doing every job yourself. A self-published author might hire an editor, cover designer, formatter or a company to manage much of the publishing process. What makes it self-publishing is that the author remains at the center of the decisions and chooses which parts to handle personally and which to hand to specialists.

For some authors, that is exactly the right model. They may have a specialist subject, an existing audience, strong contacts in a particular field or simply a clear idea of how they want the book to reach its readers. For others, traditional publishing will make more sense. They are different routes, and there are good reasons for choosing either.

Self-publishing can make particular sense when you already know your readers

Traditional publishers have to be selective about the books they take on. They are building a list for particular markets, at particular times, and a book can be excellent without fitting what a publisher is looking for.

Self-publishing removes that selection stage. The author decides that the book will be published and then chooses the best way to make it happen.

That can be especially useful for books with a clearly defined audience. A consultant writing for people in their industry, an expert with an established following, somebody with strong professional contacts, a local historian or an organization publishing for a particular community may already know exactly where their readers are.

In those cases, self-publishing is not a second choice after another route failed. It may simply be the publishing model that makes the most sense from the beginning.

Print on demand made self-publishing much easier

Self-publishing is not new, but the practicalities have changed enormously.

In the past, publishing independently often meant paying for hundreds or thousands of copies upfront and then finding somewhere to store them. Print on demand changed that. A book can now be printed when somebody orders it, so an author no longer needs a garage full of boxes before the first copy has been sold.

Online retail and global distribution have changed things too. Independently published books can now be listed through major online retailers and made available through wider book trade networks without the author having to manage physical stock.

Print on demand is not the definition of self-publishing, and traditional publishers use it too. It is simply one of the technologies that has made publishing independently much more practical.

A self-published book should still look professionally published

When almost anybody can upload a book for sale, the quality naturally varies.

A printer or publishing platform is mainly checking whether the files meet its technical requirements. It is not deciding whether the typography is comfortable to read, whether the margins suit the binding, whether the cover works for the market or whether the book feels professionally made.

That is why self-publishing picked up an old reputation for looking amateur. But there is no reason it should.

Independent authors now have access to professional editors, designers, software, print technology and distribution. We work directly with self-publishing authors and also produce books for established publishing companies. The design and production work does not become different simply because the person commissioning it is the author rather than a publishing house.

A reader should not be able to pick up a well made book and know which publishing route brought it there.

Self-publishing puts you in charge, not in charge of every job

Some authors want to manage everything. They obtain their own ISBNs, arrange editing and design, create publishing accounts, upload files, order proofs, set prices and manage distribution themselves. They may only bring in specialists for particular jobs, such as cover design or book formatting.

Others want the control of self-publishing without learning all the machinery behind it. That is where supported self-publishing comes in. A company can manage the production, file preparation, ISBNs where needed, platform setup, proofs and distribution while the author remains involved in the important decisions.

Supported self-publishing is sometimes confused with vanity publishing, but the important distinction is not simply whether an author pays for help. It is what you are paying for, what rights you keep and how much control you retain.

Who owns the files? Whose ISBN is being used? Who is listed as publisher? What happens to the copyright and sales income? Are you tied into anything long term?

A good service should be able to answer those questions simply.

The publishing machinery gets surprisingly involved

It is perfectly possible to learn the technical side yourself, but there is more to it than uploading a PDF.

The cover and interior need to meet the requirements of the printer and platform being used. ISBNs and metadata need setting up correctly. Prices and retailer discounts need deciding. Files go through technical checks, proofs need reviewing, and Amazon, Ingram and ebook platforms do not all work in exactly the same way.

Small changes can also have knock-on effects that are not obvious until you know the process. Imagine a paperback that is completely ready to go, then a late edit adds twenty pages. The spine is now wider. That means the cover template changes, the artwork may no longer line up correctly and a cover that was ready for print a moment ago may need rebuilding before it can be uploaded again.

None of that is especially difficult when you know the process. It is simply the sort of thing most authors have never had a reason to know.

Our supported publishing service exists for authors who would rather not learn all of it for one or two books. We handle the machinery in the background while the author stays involved in the book itself.

Publishing the book and finding its readers are different jobs

Self-publishing can make a book available very widely. It cannot make people discover it.

This is where an author's own position can make a huge difference. Somebody who already speaks at events, runs courses, has customers, writes to a mailing list, belongs to a professional community or has an audience interested in the subject may already have a very direct route to readers.

For other authors, the sales and marketing support available through a traditional publisher may be more valuable.

It is worth thinking about that before choosing a route, because producing the book and reaching the people who might buy it are related, but they are not the same job.

So, is self-publishing right for you?

Self-publishing means bringing your book to market with you in control of the publishing process. It can mean managing almost everything yourself or bringing in professionals to handle the parts you would rather not take on.

For authors with a clear audience, specialist material, direct access to readers or a strong wish to control the timetable and finished book, it can be a very natural route. For others, traditional publishing may suit the book and their ambitions better.

The important thing is that self-publishing does not mean making a book on your own. It means choosing your own route to publication and deciding who you want beside you while you do it.

If you want to manage the publishing yourself, we can prepare the professional book formatting and design files you need. If you would rather hand us the publishing machinery as well, our book publishing services can take care of the production, proofs and distribution while you keep control of your work.