To be published...it's what we all strive for. Seeing our words as black on white, an acceptance letter framed and hung on the wall, these things are orgasmic to a writer. However, more and more writers are opting for self-publishing. Tired of battling the corporate paper giants, they are taking matters into their own hands and producing books. In this issue, we'll look at the pros and cons of self-publishing.

Happy Writing!
~Arlie

Unfortunately, there are many authors who just aren't ready to be published, anywhere. Poor grammar, weak plots, and pigeon English are guarantees for rejection letters. It's these folks that vanity publishing thrives on. Caring more about lining their wallets than producing quality content, vanity publishers will happily reproduce substandard work for a price. This has given legitimate self publishers a bad rap, but that is changing as gifted writers are gaining more control over their work.

There are many reasons why a writer would opt for self publishing. Just being accepted by one of the main players doesn't mean your material will see the light of day anytime soon. It may spend years on a shelf collecting dust; hardly what you had in mind. Mainstream publishers might also be hesitant to accept well-written, but highly controversial material. Should your work sit in a drawer because someone you've never met is in charge of the slush pile and doesn't share your views? Maybe your work is more biographical in nature, and while it doesn't have mass appeal, would still be publishable as a limited edition family heirloom.

Self publishing isn't easy though. You'll have to become multi-disciplined...just stringing words together isn't enough. Marketing, web design, cover art, ISBN and copyright applications; these are just a few of the things you'll have to tackle on your own. Some publishing companies will assist you with this, but nothing is free. The more you lean on them, the more your books will cost and that can affect your sales potential and royalties. If you're up for the challenge of producing your own work, surf through the listings of publishers @ Preditors & Editors. A standard rule of thumb is that if there is a large set-up fee, or a minimum author order, this is a vanity publisher and you should run, fast. Producing your own book shouldn't cost you thousands of dollars.

~Arlie

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