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Self-publishing

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For book building by artisans for collectors and patrons, see Private press. For Wikipedia's policy on self-published sources, see Wikipedia:Self-published sources.
"Private publishing" redirects here. For low-volume regular publishing, see Privishing.

Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author without the involvement of a third-party publisher. Self-published works usually refers to written media, including books, magazines, ebooks, print on demand technology, albums, pamphlets, brochures, games, video content, artwork, and zines. Web fiction is also frequently self-published.

Types

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In self-publishing authors publish their own work. While it is possible for an author to single-handedly carry out the whole process independently, many authors engage with professionals for specific services as needed (such as editors or cover designers).[1] A growing number of companies offer a one-stop shop where an author can source a whole range of services required to self-publish a book (sometimes called "Assisted Self-publishing Providers" or "Self-publishing Service Providers").[2]

Other forms of publishing include

  • hybrid publishing, (where the publisher and author collaborate and share costs and risks. In return, the author may be required to surrender some control and/or rights in return for the publisher's financial and other contribution) OR
  • vanity publishing, (where the author pays for the cost of all services, but also signs a restrictive contract which usually involves surrendering significant rights).

Web fiction

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Authors may also self-publish through web fiction. A common type is the web serial. Unlike most modern novels, web fiction novels are frequently published in parts over time. The format has gained popularity, particularly in China, where revenues from online literature exceeds US$2.5 billion,[3] South Korea also has a significant web fiction market. Online literature in China plays a prominent role than in the United States and the rest of the world.[4] Most books are available online, where the most popular novels find millions of readers. They cost an average of 2 CNY, or roughly a tenth of the average price of a printed book.[5][6] Platforms like Shanda Literature Ltd. claim to publish thousands of Chinese literary works daily while Joara, South Korea's largest web novel platform, reports 1.1 million members, 140,000 writers, an average of 2,400 serials per day and 420,000 works.[7]

History

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Early examples

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The original Tristram Shandy, self-published by Laurence Sterne.

Self-publishing has a long history. John Locke,[8] Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Martin Luther, Marcel Proust, Derek Walcott, and Walt Whitman are some successful examples. In 1759, British satirist Laurence Sterne self-published the first two volumes of Tristram Shandy. Joseph Haydn self-publishing his oratorio The Creation in 1800.[9] Later, authors like Jane Austen and Walt Whitman found success through self-publishing throughout the 19th century. In the early 20th century, Ezra Pound sold A Lume Spento for six pence each while Franklin Hiram King's self-published Farmers of Forty Centuries was subsequently published commercially. Virginia Woolf chose to self-publish her final novel Between the Acts on her Hogarth Press, in effect starting her own press.[10] Irma S. Rombauer, the author of The Joy of Cooking paid a local printing company to print 3000 copies; the Bobbs-Merrill Company acquired the rights, and since then the book has sold over 18 million copies.

Stigma

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Five years ago, self-publishing was a scar. Now it's a tattoo.

— Greg White, Bloomberg News, 2016[11]

Traditional book publishers are selective in what they publish, and they reject most of the manuscripts submitted to them.[12] After selection, they then assign an editor to polish the work even further, a proof-reader to check for errors, and a book designer to produce the cover.[13] It can be challenging for a self-publishing author to produce a book to traditional professional standards.

Before the advent of the internet and POD (Print on Demand), most self-publishing authors had to resort to a vanity press, which was costly and acted as a barrier to publication. Now, ebooks can be published at virtually no cost and the market has been flooded with poorly produced books. One blogger estimated that as much as 70% of self-published books are so bad, they are unreadable.[14]

Studies on self-publishing have highlighted concerns about quality control, as the lack of traditional editorial oversight can result in a wide range of content quality. A 2014 survey by Digital Book World found that traditionally published books tend to earn higher critical reviews compared to self-published titles, though some self-published authors achieve commercial success.[15]

Also, some self-published authors are now taking a professional approach, using services like critique groups, beta readers, professional editors and designers to polish their work to a professional standard equivalent to traditional publishing. Such authors are achieving success equivalent to traditionally published writers, lending respectability to self-publishing.[16]

Self-publishing is also common among editors of academic journals. The study showed that a quarter of them publish 10% of their own articles in the same journals they edit (which is problematic for ethical reasons).[17]

A recent article in The Guardian highlights concerns over quality control in the self-publishing industry, especially with the rise of AI technologies. A startup, Spines, plans to publish 8,000 AI-generated books in 2025, sparking fears about originality and content standards. Writers argue that AI-driven publishing lacks genuine care for books, potentially leading to a decline in quality.[18]

Technological changes

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Comparison of the traditional vs self-publishing process for a non-fiction book.

Rapid advances in technology have been a major driving force behind to growth of self-publishing. Print-On-Demand (or POD) technology, which became available in the mid-1990s,[19] makes it possible for a book to be printed after an order has been placed, so there are no costs for storing inventory. Further, the Internet provides access to global distribution channels via online retailers, so a self-published book can be instantly available to book buyers worldwide. Advances in e-book readers and tablet computers have improved readability, making ebooks more popular.[20]

Amazon's introduction of the Kindle and its self-publishing platform, Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP, in 2007 has been described as a tipping point in self-publishing, which "opened the floodgates" for self-publishing authors.[21]

An Espresso Book Machine at a bookstore.

The Espresso Book Machine (a POD device) was first demonstrated at the New York Public Library in 2007. This machine prints, collates, covers, and binds a single book. It is in libraries and bookstores throughout the world, and it can make copies of out-of-print editions. Small bookstores sometimes use it to compete with large bookstore chains. It works by taking two pdf files, one for the text and one for the cover, and then prints an entire paperback book in a matter of minutes, which then drops down a chute.[22]

The Library Journal and Biblioboard worked together to create a self-publishing platform called Self-e in which authors submitted books online which were made available to readers. These books are reviewed by Library Journal, and the best ones are published nationwide; authors do not make money this way but it serves as a marketing tool.[23]

Production and control

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Self-publishing provides authors with autonomy over both the production process and content and are not required to make changes based on feedback or market changes. Authors also determine pricing and can change it at any point in time.[24] In traditional publishing, these aspects are subject to negotiations and collaboration.

Self-publishing also offers an expediated timeline where authors can release their work within a few weeks after their work is finished by bypassing extra time spent on looking for an agent, publisher, and editor.[25]

While self-publishing offers greater control and speed, it places production responsibility on the author, which includes editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing. These tasks may be time consuming and require specialized skills to complete, which may necessitate hiring freelancers. Traditional publishers typically cover these services as part of their contract with author.

Cost and revenue

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Self-publishing's financial aspect differs from traditional models. In self-publishing, authors are responsible for all associated costs, which may include editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing.[26] Self-published authors receive a four to five times a larger payout per sale with royalties sometimes as high as 70% when compared to working with traditional publishers.[27] However, total earnings depend on sales volume, which can be influenced by discoverability. Traditional publishers often provide an advance against that is later covered by author's earnings as their work sells. Self-published authors do not receive an advance. The financial success of self-published authors depends on the author's marketing efforts, which often require a substantial investment.

Distribution and reach

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Self-published authors often face challenges in achieving wide distribution, particularly in physical bookstores and libraries. Traditional publishers have established relationships with bookstores and libraries, often because of distribution networks and contracts that may be difficult for a self-publisher to replicate. Self-published authors often utilize online retailers and print-on-demand services. While self-publishing provides a direct route to pitching books straight to readers, they limit their physical presence The difference in distribution networks may impact discoverability and limit potential sales.

Perception and quality control

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Despite the growing popularity and success of self-publishing, some stigma remains[28]. The lack of gatekeepers, such as agents and editors, can raise concerns about quality-control. This may result in prejudice against self-published works from readers and reviewers. However, many self-published authors invest in professional editing and other services to achieve comparable production standards.

Publishing platforms

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Apple

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Apple is a significant platform for ebooks via its Apple Books Store (formally iBookstore)Authors can distribute their ebooks to iPhone, handheld computer, and the iPad. Apple typically pays authors a 70 percent royalty rate. [29]

Barnes and Noble

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Barnes & Noble pays a royalty rate of 70% for ebooks. Printed book rates vary based on cost of materials. [30]

Books on Demand

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Books on Demand (BoD) originally was founded as Libri GmbH[31] in 1997 and is recognized as the "original" in self-publishing.[32][33][34][35]

IngramSpark

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IngramSpark lets authors publish digital, hardback and paperback editions of their books. It distributes books to most online bookstores. Bricks-and-mortar stores can also order books from IngramSpark at wholesale prices for sale in their own venues.

Kindle Direct Publishing

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An Amazon Kindle.

Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP is Amazon's e-book publishing unit (see main article)

Kobo

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Kobo is a Canadian company which sells e-books, audiobooks, e-readers and tablet computers which originated as a cloud e-reading service.

Lulu

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Lulu is an online print-on-demand, self-publishing and distribution platform.

Scribd

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Scribd is an open publishing platform which features a digital library, an e-book and audiobook subscription service.

Smashwords

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Smashwords is a California-based company founded by Mark Coker which allows authors and independent publishers to upload their manuscripts electronically to the Smashwords service, which then converts them into multiple e-book formats which can be read on various devices.

Self-published bestsellers

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While most self-published books do not make much money,[36] there are self-published authors who have achieved success, particularly in the early years of online self-publishing.[37] The number of authors who had sold more than one million e-books on Amazon from 2011 to 2016 was 40, according to one estimate.[38]

  • Matthew Reilly's self-published Contest in 1996, the first of his action-thriller novels.[39]
  • Minnesota social worker Amanda Hocking uploaded several books in 2010 and sold a few dozen copies. She published several more manuscripts and within a few months was making enough money to quit her daytime job.[40] She later won a deal with Macmillan publishers and went to being a millionaire in a year.[40] She sold her series to St. Martin's Press in 2011 for two million dollars.[41]
  • Swedish author Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin wrote a book in 2010 which helped get children to go to sleep; his The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep title featured amateurish illustrations with "clunky prose" and a monotonous storyline, but parents bought it for the catchy subtitle of "A new way of getting children to sleep".[42] He released it on CreateSpace and it became a bestseller.[42]
  • The science fiction novel The Martian, by Andy Weir, was originally released as chapters on his personal blog, and then self-published as an eBook in 2011.[43] The rights were purchased by Crown Publishing which re-released it in 2014; the novel went on to become a bestseller and then a major motion picture starring Matt Damon.[44][45]
  • Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James was originally published online as Twilight fanfiction before the author decided to self-publish it as an e-book and print on demand.[46]
  • The breakout hit Wool by Hugh Howey was self-published originally and garnered more than a million dollars in royalty monies and has generated over 5000 Amazon reviews.[47]
  • James Altucher's Choose Yourself (2013) sold 44,294 copies in its first month, debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's top non-fiction list, and was a Wall Street Journal bestseller.[48]
  • Blogger Alan Sepinwall's self-published book The Revolution Was Televised became an instant hit, winning a prominent review within two weeks of publication by critic Michiko Kakutani in The New York Times.[49] Sepinwall hired an editor and spent roughly $2,500 on services to get his book ready for publication.[49]
  • Victoria Knowles's self-published book The PA (2014) reached the number one spot in the iTunes chart for paid books.[50]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Real Costs of Self-Publishing a Book". MediaShift. 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  2. ^ "Self-publishing, Hybrid & Vanity Presses: A Simple Guide". 2022-08-28. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  3. ^ Cheung, Rachel (2018-05-06). "China's online publishing industry – where fortune favours the few, and sometimes the undeserving". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  4. ^ "Top Ten Internet Languages in the World – Internet Statistics".
  5. ^ Isabel Xiang, "Chinese Popular Author Eyes Profits Online", in: APPREB (December 2008) Archived 6 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine; 彭文波 Peng Wenbo, 赵晓芳 Zhao Xiaofang, "新媒体时代的博客传播与图书出版研究 Blogs and Book Publication in New Media Era", 《出版科学》 Publishing Journal, 2007年 第15卷 第04期, 期刊 ISSN 1009-5853(2007)04-0068-04, 2007, issue 4, page 68-70, 84; 2007–04
  6. ^ Michel Hockx, in: Cambridge History of Chinese Literature, 2010; Martin Woesler, in: European Journal of Sinology (2010) 88–97
  7. ^ 승환, 이. "웹출판의 발전과 과제(The Development and Tasks of Web Publication)". scholar.dkyobobook.co.kr. doi:10.21732/skps.2017.78.97. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  8. ^ Husna Haq (2013-10-15). "Kobo removes all self-published titles. Is this censorship, an overreaction, or just good sense?". CSM. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...Retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the UK's WH Smith, and Canada's Kobo have removed problematic self-published titles after the discovery of a slew of pornographic abuse-themed e-books...
  9. ^ The Cambridge Companion to Haydn, p. 151
  10. ^ Patterson, Christina (2012-08-18). "How the great writers published themselves". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  11. ^ "It's a Writer's Market". Bloomberg. 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  12. ^ "Odds Of Being Published". Fiction Writer's Mentor. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  13. ^ "What Happens After A Publisher Says 'Yes?'". Writer's Life.org. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  14. ^ "Self-publishing's quality problem…". Shannon Turlington. 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  15. ^ Flood, Alison (2014-01-17). "Most writers earn less than £600 a year, survey reveals". The Guardian. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  16. ^ Henn, Steve (2014-07-25). "Self-Published Authors Make a Living—and Sometimes a Fortune". Planet Money. Morning Edition. NPR. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  17. ^ King, Molly M. (2023). "Self-publishing is common among academic-journal editors". Nature. 613 (7944): 445–446. Bibcode:2023Natur.613..445K. doi:10.1038/d41586-023-00028-x. PMID 36646870. S2CID 255940296.
  18. ^ Creamer, Ella (2024-11-26). "Writers condemn startup's plans to publish 8,000 books next year using AI". The Guardian.
  19. ^ Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Self publishing, Retrieved 5 November 2017
  20. ^ Alan Finder (2012-08-15). "The Joys and Hazards of Self-Publishing on the Web". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...'The biggest thing you have against you in trying to sell your book is that people don't know about it,' he said
  21. ^ Jennifer Alsever, Fortune magazine, 30 December 2016, The Kindle Effect, Retrieved 9 November 2017, "...has become a $1 billion industry..."
  22. ^ "Writers embrace self-publishing through instant publishing machine". The Oregonian. Associated Press. 2012-06-11. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...the Espresso Book Machine by on Demand Books debuted in 2006...
  23. ^ Jennifer K. Bauer (2017-10-12). "Publishing? Glad tidings: Aspiring writers, take note: Library is holding Indie Author Day". The Lewiston Tribune. Lewiston Tribune. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...free self-publishing platform called Self-e, a collaboration between Library Journal and BiblioBoard.... more of a marketing tool
  24. ^ "7 Benefits Of Self Publishing A Book". Inside Brain. 2020-09-30. Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  25. ^ Lea Franczak (2014-12-02). "Interview: Sarah Grimm, author of 'Midnight Heat'". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...tried-and-true formatters, cover artists and editors who don't cost a small fortune...
  26. ^ Lane, Jaqui (2016-09-20). "The cost of marketing and selling your self-published book". The Book Adviser. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  27. ^ Siegel, Robert; Cornish, Audie (2013-02-04). "Self-Publishing Now The First Choice For Some Writers". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...survey found that the number of self-published books in the U.S. has almost tripled in the past six years...
  28. ^ Laquintano, Timothy (2016-10-01). Mass Authorship and the Rise of Self-Publishing. University of Iowa Press. p. 40. ISBN 1609384458.
  29. ^ "Self-publish an ebook - apple books for authors". Apple Books for Authors. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  30. ^ "Self-Publish Your Book with Barnes & Noble Press". Barnes & Noble Press. Retrieved 2025-04-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "Presse-broschüre" (PDF). BoD.de. 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  32. ^ Stocker, Frank (2014-07-13). "Die Laienliteraten". Die Welt (in German). Archived from the original on 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  33. ^ "La sélection Renaudot l'a révélé : le boom de l'autoédition en France". Franceinfo (in French). 2018-09-26. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  34. ^ Toussaint, Benoit. "World's biggest book fair explores self-publishing trend". phys.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  35. ^ "An idea that changed the publishing world". Hamburg News. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  36. ^ O, David (2020-02-15). "Why Most Self Published Authors Make Less Than $1,000 Per Year". Medium. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  37. ^ Steve Henn (2014-07-25). "Self-Published Authors Make A Living – And Sometimes A Fortune". NPR. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...Five years ago, printing your own book was stigmatized and was seen as a mark of failure...
  38. ^ Alexandra Alter (2016-01-30). "Meredith Wild, a Self-Publisher Making an Imprint". NYT. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...the ones who are very successful at it are making a lot of money, which ... can be hard to match with the traditional publishing royalty structure...
  39. ^ "The Other Side". Australian Story. 2014-02-03. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Television. Program Transcript. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  40. ^ a b Jeremy Greenfield (2013-11-29). "Companies book profits from self-publishing". USA Today. Retrieved 2017-10-20. … According to Smashwords … the best-selling 1 % of titles net half the sales….
  41. ^ Alexandra Alter (2016-01-30). "Meredith Wild, a Self-Publisher Making an Imprint". NYT. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...the ones who are very successful at it are making a lot of money, which ... can be hard to match with the traditional publishing royalty structure...
  42. ^ a b "Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin, a Role Model for Self-Publishing". NYT. 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ....In 2010, Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin, a Swedish self-help author and life coach, self-published his first children's book, 'The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep'
  43. ^ "The surprising story of how Andy Weir's self-published book The Martian topped best seller lists and got a movie deal". Businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  44. ^ "The surprising story of how Andy Weir's self-published book 'The Martian' topped best seller lists and got a movie deal". Businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  45. ^ "The Martian (Book)". EW.com. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
  46. ^ Balson, Ronald H. (2013-10-08). "Bestseller Success Stories that Started Out as Self-Published Books". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2015-07-22. In 1931, Irma Rombauer wrote 'The Joy of Cooking,' with her daughter...
  47. ^ Alexandra Alter (2013-03-14). "Sci-Fi's Underground Hit: Authors are snubbing publishers and insisting on keeping e-book rights. How one novelist made more than $1 million before his book hit stores". WSJ. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...Hugh Howey's postapocalyptic thriller 'Wool' has sold more than half a million copies...
  48. ^ "How To Self-Publish A Bestseller: Publishing 3.0". 2013-07-21.
  49. ^ a b LYNN NEARY (2012-12-19). "Self-Publishing: No Longer Just a Vanity Project". NPR. Retrieved 2017-10-20. ...They used to call it the 'vanity press,' and the phrase itself spoke volumes...
  50. ^ "To her, PA means personal assassin". The Sunday Times. July 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09.
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