1. Time – self-publishing saves time. Shorten the time between writing the book and marketing it, or writing the next one. Traditional publishers have a very selective process and it is extremely difficult to get “picked-up.” Even after they have signed a contract with you, publication is on their schedule and may be delayed for months or even years.
2. Control – Traditional publishers control every aspect of that book. Once your book rights have been signed over to a traditional publisher they have the right, which they often exercise, to change the title, the cover and even the content.
3. Reprint rights - A traditional publisher has the right to decide that the original 500 they printed is all they intend to print of that title. If they decide to move on to a new book, you are stuck for the length of your contract. Until rights revert to you, you cannot reprint your book.
4. Profits – A publisher is a middle-man between you and your readers. The more middle-men there are between you and your reader, the less profit there is for you the author. As a self-publisher you are free to shop around for a less-expensive editor, layout person, proofreader, or printer.
5. Freedom to concentrate on an obscure market or niche. Traditional publishers have huge overhead they must support. They simply can’t devote resources to a book with a smaller audience.
6. The right to use your book to establish yourself as an expert in an area where you would like to be known as an authority, perhaps to advance your career or your social standing with a particular group.
7. Control over who illustrates your book, and how it is illustrated. Most traditional publishers have illustrators they use and do not allow you to use your friend no matter how good she is. They will also make the decisions about what the visual “look” will be for the book.
8. Rights to spin-off products - You will retain the right to adapt your book for movies, tapes or ebooks. The list is endless and can result in profits beyond what could have ever been realized from the sale of books alone.
9. The right to sell your book rights at a healthy profit if your book should take off and become a best seller. The self-published author of Chicken Soup for the Soul did this. He got a much bigger advance on his royalties after the book was a proven best seller than he ever would have gotten as an unknown author.
10. Great Classes & Coaching from Julia Widdop - I offer classes and coaching online. Contact me for more details, or google my name.
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