Self-Publishing through the Eyes of Non-Authors

Many readers are now noticing that many books available are self-published. Because of the influx of such books, self-publishing is now becoming a common household term. Many book authors are targeting independence when it comes to publishing books.

What is self-publishing? To begin with, it is a common practice wherein book authors prefer to publish books on their own rather than through third-party or major publishers. There are just too many valid reasons why self-publishing is very popular among authors. First, it eliminates the requirement to conform and adjust to preferences and requests of publishers so that original style and content is retained. Second, to authors, it could be less stressful as there is no room for rejection.

In the eyes of book readers and non-authors, is self-publishing ideal? Some may assert it is, while others may disagree completely. For the pro self-publishing, there are obvious reasons why the practice is favorable. It gives different authors chances to make their works known to everyone. Readers are now given more options. The more books there are, the wider is readers’ reference materials getting. Competition is bolstered so that price tags of books are made more affordable. This of course is to the delight of readers or consumers.

More independent books mean more options. The bookworms in people would definitely be raving. People could have more choices. They could select books whose authors are more clearly raising points. If a reader does not easily understand what a book says, there could be easier alternatives. There is no point sticking to a book that is not comprehensive enough.

Readers are also taking note of the disadvantages. The primary concern is all about the quality. Because self-published books are not usually criticized or edited by a third party prior to printing, readers could find the content and writing style amateurish. This is not good because the moment readers think inferiorly of a book, they would start drifting away from that author and its content. Poor grammar and usage could also indicate lack of necessary education, which could possibly tarnish an author’s credibility.

Because there are just too many books available, some may be duplicating the others. In this way, there is an influx and a shrinking room to accommodate all authors. Unfortunately, not all deserve to be read. Some authors are also irresponsible, boosting the possibility of plagiarism. Publishers could make sure their books are not breaching any patents or intellectual rights. How could anyone make sure of self-published books?

Because many readers initially stay away from self-published books, many authors incur hefty losses in the long run. This is not favorable in such authors. Remember that readers are much wiser these days because of the financial crisis. They would always make sure of the accuracy and quality of what they buy. Money is hard earned so expect people to be more discerning in using them now.

Most major bookstores are not openly accommodating self-publishing authors. They are almost always in favor of the major book publishers, huge distributors, and marketers. It would be hard for any independent publisher to break out. However, do not overly underestimate self-published books. Without them, it could be hard to imagine what the current book publishing landscape could be.

Self-published books have helped the industry rise up from many challenges across the years.