You've written, rewritten, and edited your story. You've sent out a multitude of queries, then more queries, but still, no agent representation. You have a decision to make: Should I shelve this story? Or, is the content of my story begging to be published?
Before you make your decision there are a number of additional questions you should ask yourself:
* Have I written the best manuscript I can?
* Do I view my story as a reflection of my values?
* Is my manuscript up to market standards?
* Am I open and ready for the work it takes to publish and market my book independently?
While there are other questions to ask yourself before you dive into the ocean of self-published authors, those listed above are some of the most important. If your answer to any of them is "no," then you're probably not a great candidate to publish your story independently.
A broader question is: Why do I want my story published? Is it for fame, or wealth? If it is, you'll be sorely disappointed. Rarely do either of those coveted experiences visit the self-published author.
If, however, you view your beloved story as being something important for your target audience to read, then you'll have a better chance of being satisfied with self-publishing. (It should be a reflection of your soul, something you're proud of - a story you want to see come to life.)
If you come to the conclusion that, indeed, you plan to publish independently, you have more questions to ask yourself: Those that have to do with the process. E-book only? Paperback? Hardback?
If you have no knowledge on how to publish you have a lot to learn!
In the next two weeks I'll be sharing the information I've learned from publishing independently. If you're also thinking about publishing independently, be sure to check out my Friday posts!
