Having your novel published is not an easy task, especially for a debut author who is just starting to test these murky waters. Getting recognition from an established publishing house can be very difficult and time-consuming, but often impossible. Of course, you will need to have the nerves of steel and the patience of a saint before you actually get a contract from the publishing house of your choice.

However, that does not mean you don’t have other options. You can self-publish your novel and still experience the joy that comes from people reading your work. There are certain pros and cons of self-publishing a novel, so you need to make a decision that is in your best interests.

Here are the pros and cons of self-publishing your novel, so give them a thorough read through before you make any decision.

The Cons of Self-Publishing Your Novel

There are many cons of self-publishing a novel, but it all comes from the perspective you have. First of all, you will not get professional formatting, editing and the cover art of your novel done by the publishing house. These are the things that you can either do by yourself or you can hire someone to do for you. You will have to face the risk that you might not be able to sell as many copies as you would if you got a publishing house to publish your novel. You will also be a part of the less than 10% of the current book market. Lastly, you will have to risk your work getting compared to less than perfect books in the market. Self-published novels have a certain reputation that does not fit all books but is true for most. So be prepared to face these issues.

Pros of Self-Publishing Your Book

Now that we have the cons out of the way, let’s discuss the pros of self-publishing your book. First of all, you will only have to pay once to get the copies made and you will be the sole person who will decide how many copies you make. You will also be the person who will control the price at which you will sell your book, so there is a bigger chance for you to make a better profit. Since you will also be responsible for the cover of your novel, you can have creative liberty there and make it whatever you want. The publication process is much easier and the actual publication of your novel is almost instant. The changes you make to your novel will be easy to implement because you are the boss. Every decision is yours so you will have to be careful about it, but again you will have greater creative license. You don’t have to be an expert to be able to publish your book. All you need is enough money to make a few copies and once you start earning money from the sales, you can print more. Last, but certainly not least, you will have greater royalty rates since you are the boss in this scenario.