Self-publishing is no longer the last resort of the desperate. In fact, many well-known authors are opting for self-publishing these days. AgoraPublishing.com investigates why best-selling authors are moving away from traditional publishers in favour of self-publishing.

1. You make more money from sales

Publishers take their cut. In fact, they take the lions’ share! All the writer gets is a small royalty. That means you have to sell a whole lot of books before you get any remuneration worth noticing. When you self-publish, all the profits go directly to you. If your book takes off, you could make a fortune, and even if it only interests a niche market, it will still be worth your while.

2. You’re the boss

Publishers see themselves as being your employers. They don’t pay you a salary or offer you any benefits, but they still want to call the shots. When you choose self-publishing, you remain in charge. No kowtowing to executives who don’t understand your work, no-one telling you what to do. Simply put, self-publishing gives you absolute freedom.

3. You can save on tax

As a self-publishing author, you can register your small business and deduct expenses such as equipment, travel, entertainment and marketing costs from your tax bill. Check your local tax regulations or talk to an accountant to discover how you can minimize your tax burden as a self-publishing author.

4. Never face another looming deadline

Deadlines aren’t good for creativity. You’re stressed, you’re rushed, and you have to write at times when you are feeling totally uninspired. None of this happens when you decide to publish your book yourself. You can take as much time as you want to polish every chapter, and you only go to press when you are completely satisfied with your work.

5. No more editors!

Editors take the power out of your hands. They tell you what they want, and you have to deliver to specification. Publishers choose the book cover and decide how (and how much) to market your work. The end result may be a far cry from what you had in mind at the outset.

6. Get your book released faster

Publishers are notoriously slow at getting a book into print and out on the shelves of bookstores. 12 – 18 month waits are the norm. But if you publish your own work, you can get it released a whole lot quicker. And that means that you start earning faster too.

7. You can sell your book to publishers later – on your terms

If your book is a success, publishers will be beating a path to your door to get publishing rights. At this point, you can decide whether you want to let them run with it or not, and you can stipulate what you want instead of having to grovel for the opportunity to publish on their terms.

8. Will publishers market your book? Probably not!

Nowadays, many publishers expect authors to do their own marketing. They have to set up book signings, publicize their book through press releases and websites and so on. In that case, what is one actually paying a publisher for? If you have to do all these things yourself, you may as well self-publish and boost your profits.

9. 65% of books are bought online

With this in mind, it’s far more important to get your book out there through a company that will also help you to promote your book. Not all self-publishing services do this, but AgoraPublishing.com has mastered the art of online marketing – so even if you don’t know how to go about getting publicity for your book, they can help!

10. Get your book out on Kindle

Apart from the fact that e-books cost practically nothing to produce, they’re also getting hugely popular. People also don’t expect to get a big, fat, book. Fifty to a hundred pages is enough to satisfy most e-book readers. That means you can write more books in less time!