Cameron Chapman

If you’ve been reading this blog for long, I’m sure you already know I’m planning on self publishing a nonfiction book in the coming months. Self publishing has a long history of being ridiculed and looked down upon, so why in the world would I decide to do this to myself? Couldn’t I find a traditional publisher? Why in the world would I risk the future of my writing career by self publishing the first book I ever publish?

Photo by stephmcg, via Flickr

First things first. Self publishing in not the end of the world. There are plenty of reasons to self publish that have nothing to do with being a last resort or not being able to find a traditional publisher. So, without further ado, here are my reasons for actively choosing to self publishing.

#1: Timing is Everything.
The book I’m writing deals with social media and Internet marketing. These are both very timely topics right now, but who knows what will happen in the next couple of years? That’s about how long it would take for the book to hit bookstore shelves if I went with a traditional publisher (and that’s a best-case scenario). Plus, in those two years, a dozen other books could be released on the specific topic I’m writing about. At present, there isn’t a single book with the same angle I’m coming from. Being the first in the marketplace is going to be a big advantage.

#2: A Particularly Suitable Niche.
Social media and Internet marketing make a perfect niche for self publishing. And because of the unique approach I’m taking, this book is well suited to getting plenty of attention from leaders in social media. It’s also in an excellent position to have viral spin-off content, some of which I’m planning for pre-launch publicity.

#3: I’m an Entrepreneur at Heart.
I love business. I love starting businesses. I love running businesses. And self publishing is a business. It takes marketing, organizing, planning, and coordinating. While writing is art, publishing is more like science. Self publishing this book gets me back into the world of business, something I’ve been out of, for the most part, for more than a year. I miss it sometimes and am looking forward to getting back into the thick of it.

#4: I Have the Technical Know-How to Do Almost Everything Myself.
This is one of the biggest factors for me. If I had to pay someone else to do my layout, cover design, proofreading, and website design, I probably wouldn’t be doing this. But I have a background in magazine publishing and am an experienced copy editor. I’m proficient with Photoshop and have done graphic design for years, so designing a cover isn’t a big deal. I’ve got friends and family who are willing to double check my proofreading and copyediting. The only thing I’ll need to pay for is the actual printing and someone to do my taxes.

#5: Self Publishing Non-Fiction is Different Than Self Publishing Fiction.
Self publishing a novel is much more difficult than a nonfiction book. Niche nonfiction has somewhat of a built-in market. Fiction doesn’t. That’s not to say you can’t be successful self publishing fiction, but it’s a lot harder. You have to take a lot more time to build up a readership than you do with nonfiction. And while plenty of people will purchase a nonfiction book online, selling an unknown novel through the Internet is much more difficult. A lot of readers buy their fiction in brick-and-mortar bookstores, which are harder to get placement in if you’re self published. And even if they buy novels online, they are usually doing so on the recommendation of a friend or based on a review, also harder to get if you’re self published.

Those are my primary reasons for self publishing this book. I’m sure other people have other reasons for going it alone. As an aside, I’m also interested to see what the possibilities are for profit in this business. While publishing overall is a very low-margin business, I have a feeling that with the right niche product and a bootstrap mindset, it could be very profitable. I may prove this thesis wrong in the course of this project. Either way, I’ll be posting about it.