Benefits of Self-Publishing Your Book: The Wave of the Future
The book publishing industry has evolved dramatically in recent years, with new technologies and business models changing the landscape for writers and authors looking to get their work published. Self-publishing a book has become a viable option for many authors, due in part to the growing number of self-publishing services and reputable hybrid publishers that have emerged.
There are many advantages to self-publishing, including the ability to retain creative control, get your book to market quickly, and keep your royalties. In the traditional publishing world, BIPOC and women authors are often underrepresented. With self-publishing, you don't need to be picked up by a publisher to get your words out there—you can do it all yourself. Need not the validation of a fixed lens or criteria for what is publishable. There's power in making that choice for yourself.
In the past, self-publishing was often seen as the preserve of vanity presses or authors who couldn't find a traditional publisher for their work. But that’s simply not true. And there are plenty of benefits that come with taking charge of your own work. Let's run through them.
Self-publishing is More Accessible than Ever
With the advent of digital media and the rise of online platforms such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Ingramspark, and Draft2Digital, self-publishing has the potential to provide just as wide, if not wider, of an audience as traditional publishing can. You can still reach a global audience with your book.
When self-publishing, you can still sell your book directly to readers. You can also sell your book in bulk to schools and libraries or to other bookstores and retailers. Online marketing sites like BookBub and Netgalley help authors sell their books online without having them on shelves at local stores.
You Have More Control Over the Process
When you self-publish, you have control over every aspect of the publishing process, from the cover design to the marketing and promotion of your book. You set the release date on your own schedule, and don’t need to make any concessions to get your book published. Plus, no shared book royalties. You decide how much of your time or money needs to be invested in publishing. You never have to worry about surrendering any rights to your intellectual property.
You Can Still Use a Publisher
If you'd like some extra publicity or need guidance about book sales and distribution, don't forget that there are still plenty of opportunities available. There are tons of publishing houses out there dedicated to supporting authors who have chosen this path.
You can still choose to work with a publisher or hire experts for publishing services for the following tasks:
Editing and formatting (making your book print-ready)
Distribution (getting your book into stores)
Marketing (advertising your book)
Publicity (launching an author platform that builds excitement around your book launch)
And more
The Stigma of Self-Publishing is Gone
There was a time when self-publishing was considered a last resort for authors who couldn't find a traditional publisher for their work. But that perception is changing as more and more well-known and successful authors are choosing to self-publish their work.
Think about Robert Kiyosaki, whose originally self-published book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, went on to be a 6-year NYT bestseller. Or Lisa Genova, who initially self-published Still Alice, which became an Oscar-winning film. Most respectably, is Beatrix Potter, who wrote the iconic story of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. After experiencing adversity in the publishing industry during the early 1900s, Potter decided to publish the book herself.
Publish a Book Your Way with Our Galaxy Publishing
When self-publishing a book and seeking guidance, services, and support, it’s important you’re working with a team who values your creative control and intellectual property. When publishing for the first time, it can be overwhelming to try and understand how various business models work in the industry. Many times, authors can fall victim to working with publishers who force them to surrender creative control while paying way too much money out of pocket just to share royalties with a vanity press that doesn’t care about their work.
With Our Galaxy Publishing’s self-publishing services, we pride ourselves on a model that promises:
100% book royalties and ownership stays with you
education and tools to make knowledgeable decisions
skilled and customized book publishing plans
guidance on book distribution across all major publishing channels
book editing and proofreading with satisfaction guaranteed
expert and proactive book marketing strategies
Our Galaxy is a pay-by-service self-publishing press, allowing you to choose the services you need, when you need them, without ever feeling locked into a contract. Let us work with you to create the publishing roadmap that best suits your needs to optimize your book’s success within your budget.
Self-publishing has never looked like a more appealing way to publish than it does in today’s market. With the amount of access and resources available to aspiring writers, getting your words out there could be a seamless experience with ultimate creative freedom. If you’re feeling unsure about which publishing path to choose, request more information about how we can help you decide. Everyone’s journey is different. The most important thing is to make informed, knowledgeable decisions about the process. Our Galaxy can help you.
Christine Weimer is an award-winning author, publisher, creative copywriter, and spoken-word artist from Queens, New York. She is honing all the guts and glory of motherhood while promoting and supporting women writers as the Editor-in-Chief of Our Galaxy Publishing. Christine is the author of three poetry collections; Tainted Lionheart, which won the Gold Medal Poetry Award for Readers’ Favorite 2021, I Got to Know Nature, and Claiming the Throne. Her most recent work is published in The Order of Us and Venus Rising anthologies and Sunflower Station Press literary magazine. She is also the Publishing Advisor for Gearing Towards Engineering Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the importance of STEM education to today's youth.
Our Galaxy Publishing is a New York City-based, women-owned, and operated independent press with a nationwide team serving aspiring authors the tools to write and publish. Our seamless publishing experience focuses on action-based tools and resources to publish, exploration of all core storytelling elements, and empowering an entrepreneurial mindset. Whether seeking to self-publish a book or find a traditional publisher, work with us for book publishing, book editing, book marketing, and writing mentorship to publish a successful book.