To Self-Publish....or Not To Self-Publish

Late last night I renewed my online subscription to Writer’s Market. I let my subscription lapse a year or so ago. Considering yesterday’s blog post, when I declared I wasn’t a freelance writer, I suppose it was an odd purchase.

As I get closer to self-publishing my romance novel in eBook format, I decided to browse through the agent section. I asked myself, is self-publishing really the best option, or should I (as some published writers have recommended) try pursing the traditional path?

I made it through half of the agents that came up in my search. I read their tips and needs, and for a brief moment considered pursuing an agent for the manuscript. Then I did a couple searches on authors who had success with self-publishing eBooks, and I returned to my original plan.

Previously published authors seem to have more success with self-published eBooks, compared to unpublished writers. The published author already has a fan base, and broader exposure, due to his association with a publisher. Yet, I suspect there is one way for a previously unpublished writer to compensate for this deficit, and make it in self-publishing eBooks: marketing. It is all about the marketing. Marketing is the challenge.