Self-publishing is about writing and publishing some books or any literary piece in person without the involvement of publishing companies. By doing so, the writer becomes an all-powerful figure who controls each process step, such as writing, editing, book design, layout, distribution, and marketing. Therefore, authors have an opportunity to communicate directly with their readers, thereby bypassing traditional gatekeepers such as literary agents and publishing editors.
Digital technology has created websites for self-published writers, hence enhancing the phenomenon of self-publishing as far as the books industry is concerned. These sites make it possible for writers to publish works, including e-books as well as “print-on-demand” paperback books that readers can buy through Amazon and other online portals.
Self-publishing allows authors to make creative decisions. By doing so, they will choose their content, cover design, pricing, as well as channels for distribution. Therefore, this enables self-published authors to have exclusive ownership of their ideas, earning them more money per unit of book sale than is usual under typical publishing contracts.
However, self-publishing has challenges. For the work to be professional, the authors should ensure quality checks in editing, proofreading, and layout. For self-published authors to market their publication, they spend time and resources, act as their publisher and distributor, and develop a reader base. However, the publisher needs more support from mainstream publishers, which could result in limited exposure and placement options in brick-and-mortar bookstores.