| With the advancement of technology an author | | | | have a batch of unsold books returned to you, or |
| who has come unstuck sending his manuscript | | | | a garage of books you can't move for whatever |
| through the traditional publishing companies may | | | | reason. Your book simply sits as a computer file |
| find that he or she has more options than they | | | | on the companies' server and is 'printed on |
| first realized. | | | | demand'. |
| There is a lot more to self-publishing than just | | | | That simple piece of technology opens up a whole |
| paying the money up front and having any of the | | | | range of possibilities to a budding new writer. If |
| self-publishing companies publish your book. There | | | | you had an understanding of marketing yourself, |
| is a lot to understand and a lot to know, that if | | | | whether that be online or offline, you could push |
| not learnt could send you spiraling from your | | | | your book around the internet, or simply approach |
| cloud, but if you take the time to understand and | | | | your local bookstore and have them stock it |
| learn what is involved in self-publishing other than | | | | where you could order it to suit. |
| fronting up the cost you might be able to take | | | | All you have to do is know how to reach your |
| your book a lot further than you first realized. | | | | intended audience regardless of where they are, |
| One of the biggest assets to an author who | | | | you need to know how to go about it and how |
| chooses to self-publish is 'print on demand'. | | | | to go about learning the skills you need to know, |
| Print on demand is essentially a process where | | | | and the printing presses will take care of the rest. |
| once a book is purchased online, the purchase is | | | | Self-publishing is not for the faint hearted. There is |
| sent through to the system and printed off as it | | | | a lot to know, and as much to be aware of, and |
| is ordered. The main advantage to this method is | | | | print on demand is merely one advantage of a |
| that no one has to actually stock the book itself, | | | | process you need to understand as a whole. |
| not even the author has to see or handle it, for | | | | The technology is there if you know how to |
| the printing press fires through the orders to suit | | | | utilize it. But that's a question only you can |
| demand. So there is never a situation where you | | | | answer. |