If you believe that publishing your own material is hard, think again. Nowadays, self-publishing has made the entire book publishing journey much easier. In particular, digital tools have enabled authors and publishers to find easy and stress-free ways of making their dreams a reality. Whether you’re looking to publish your first book or set up a publishing empire, here are three things about self-publishing that are easier now more than ever.
Reaching a Wide Audience
Brick and mortar bookstores are one of the hardest places to get in. After all, they have limited shelf space. So, they need to make sure that they get titles that will sell. That means there is little room for new and unknown writers. Unless you become an overnight sensation, it may take years before bookstores and traditional publishers give you a corner of their beloved shelves.
That’s all changed with digital self-publishing.
With eBooks, there is no worry about shelf-space. There is virtually unlimited space to occupy. As such, online marketplaces like Amazon can cast a huge net. This means that you now have access to all sorts of readers.
This is something that regular bookstores could never accomplish. So, self-publishing allows you to reach your audience like never before!
Printing Books Has Never Been Easier
Self-publishing companies offer print-to-order services. This means that you only need to print the exact number of books that your customers want. This is a huge contrast when compared to the traditional publishing world. Traditional publishers needed to print a specific number of books. Even a small lot of 500 books means a sizeable investment. This is the risk that most publishers face.
That risk is gone with print-to-order services. If a customer wants to purchase a hard copy of your book, they will choose that option, pay for the book, and get it delivered. That is nothing short of a miracle! Yet, it is possible thanks to modern technology.
As for publishers, their risk is virtually eliminated. They can launch new writers on to the scene in digital format. Once they get a solid following, publishers can then migrate into traditional bookstores. After all, there is still a market for paper books. The difference here is that publishers now are not faced with printing books that won’t sell.
Sales and Marketing Are a Walk in the Park
Sales and marketing expenses make up a good chunk of publishers’ costs. In the past, this meant setting up ads, going on signing tours, and even buying TV and radio ad time. This is no longer the case. Digital marketing has facilitated advertising significantly. Social media has made stars out of seemingly ordinary folks. By leveraging the exponential reach of digital marketing, new authors and publishers can hit the ground running.
Plus, online publishing platforms do much of the heavy lifting for their authors. This means setting up a sales and payment system that facilitates transactions. As such, authors don’t need to set all of this up on their websites. They can just have a third-party like Amazon handle all the dirty work for them!
