Understanding Your Publishing Goals
Authors who are clear about their publishing goals tend to make the most informed decisions on how to proceed. Self-publishing offers several pathways, each with its pros and cons, depending on what you’re hoping to achieve. Are you looking to share copies with family and friends? Or perhaps aiming for wider distribution? Maybe your goal is to build a brand as an author. Your objectives will guide the best approach for your book. If you’re primarily publishing for personal reasons and want to keep costs low, Print on Demand (POD) may be a good option. This allows you to print a few copies as and when orders are placed, so you only pay for what you need. POD keeps upfront costs down while ensuring your book is available for purchase online – ideal for an entry-level approach to self-publishing. However, the quality of the printed product that comes with POD- produced books is often inferior to that of a short print run and with
more limited print options. POD distribution also generally excludes the possibility of your book being stocked in physical bookshops, owing to the high unit print cost and the fact that POD books can’t be bought on a sale or return basis. POD is suitable for selling online or directly but may not be practical if broad distribution is your goal. For authors looking to keep costs even lower, publishing an ebook might be a good choice for you. Some authors like to publish an ebook first to test the audience reaction ahead of publishing a print book, whereas others pursue self-publishing in ebook format only. This is a good option if you see your market as primarily online, but may not be suitable if your book is highly illustrated or if your audience is more likely to prefer a printed format. If you’d like to see your book on bookshop shelves but want to minimise financial risk, printing an initial run – typically 100–300
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