Welcome to my new blog series, Adventures in Self-Publishing!

The other day, a writer friend asked me to share a bit about my self-publishing process, so after sending her some notes, I decided to turn her query into a blog series. After all, I’m currently working on a book that I plan to self-publish. Why not bring you along for the ride, so you can witness the process as it unfolds in real time?

Pros

There are many reasons why people choose to publish their own books:

• There’s no need for a LONG wait to see your book released into the world. (The average timeline is 1 to 3 years for traditional publishing.)

• You can choose your own illustrator. It might be you!

• You’re in charge of marketing. You can do as much or as little as you like. Do you hate the idea of book tours, launches, and signings? Want to limit your appearances at festivals, schools, and libraries (or perhaps skip them altogether)? It’s up to you. Note: Barbara Kingsolver recently lamented the exhausting pace of her 6-week book tour. We should all be so lucky to be that exhausted!

• If your masterpiece is a memoir (and you’re not famous), or if it’s a one-off, such as a book you’ve penned for your grandkids about their dog, self-publishing is probably your only option. I’m sorry to say that a traditional publisher most likely won’t be interested.

• Likewise, if you have a terrific book idea but you’re not interested in making a whole career out of it, go ahead and write that book, get it critiqued and edited, and then publish it. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a publisher someday for a different book, if you do get another brainstorm.

• No deadlines, except the ones you set for yourself.

• You won’t have to share your royalties with a publisher or agent.

• And finally, you’ll have the freedom to make your own editing choices. There will be no one insisting on changes you hate. You’ll have total control over what goes into or stays out of your book. You’re the boss! In short, you can write a lengthy, repetitive paragraph like this one and get away with it!

Cons

There are also several reasons why an author might decide against self-publishing, opting for the traditional route instead:

• If you self-publish, you’ll be on your own … without the support of an editing or marketing team. It’s a ton of work to take on all by yourself, and it can get mighty lonely!

• Self-publishing still carries a bit of a stigma, especially now that A.I. is producing what’s known as “A.I. slop” – low-quality books that are saturating the on-line marketplace.

• Then there’s what some perceive as the status of being “traditionally published,” a label that’s historically meant that you’ve “made it” in the literary world. (But that’s changing as more authors are turning away from traditional publishing and are self-publishing high-quality books.)

• You might not have the start-up funds to support your own project. Self-publishing can require hefty expenditures for illustrators, proofreaders, content editors, advertising, and marketing, whereas traditional publishers provide these supports as part of your contract.

• Knowing that a team of professionals has deemed your book worthy of publication might be important to you. You might be seeking the validation or recognition that a traditional publishing company can provide.

• If your book is self-published, there’s a pretty good chance that a brick-and-mortar store won’t want to carry it. Some stores just won’t sell a book that’s independently published.

Can you do both traditional and self-publishing?

Yes, you can. In my case, I’m trying to live in both worlds. I’ve chosen to self-publish some books while pursuing traditional publishing for others. For example, my travel book (Standing in the Surf) was written primarily for my family; my Wordle poetry series (Wordle Poems: A Poem a Day for Wordle Nerds) was penned in reaction to a fad I feared might soon fade away (it hasn’t yet), and my iguana book (Iguana in the Road) is about an endangered species that needed to be in the spotlight now.

Do self-published authors earn more $$$ than traditionally published authors?

If you answered YES, you’re correct … sort of. But the more correct answer is: “It depends.”

In 2025, the median self-published author income was $13,500, an increase of 6% over the previous year, well above the $6,000 to $8,000 median income for traditionally published authors during that period.  (Source: Alliance of Independent Authors [ALLi])

However, although the MEDIAN figure is higher for self-published authors, a small number of high-earning authors could skew the results. For example, 75% of indie authors reported earnings of less than $1,000 in 2025. And, according to BestWriting.com, 90% of indie authors sell fewer than 100 copies of their books over their lifetimes. Ouch!

Of course, Amazon and other indie book sellers take a percentage of your sales. With Amazon ebooks, you’ll keep 75% of the list price for ebooks that sell for $2.99 to $9.99. That figure drops to 35% for your ebooks priced higher than that. For paperbacks and hardcovers, you’ll earn only 50% or 60% of the list price after deducting printing costs, depending on what you charge for your book.

But don’t forget: If you’re traditionally published, your publisher will receive a share of your royalties, and your agent, if you have one, will need to get paid, too. (The standard agent commission is 15% of your advance, royalties, etc.)

Either way you choose, most authors aren’t getting rich from writing books. But still, indie publishing is definitely catching on. According to BestWriting.com, the global self-publishing market grew 16.7% for the year 2025, while the traditionally-published market grew only 1%.

In Part 2 of this series, I’ll explain the steps I took to get Iguana in the Road self-published and in the hands of young readers. Then, in Part 3, I’ll take you along with me as I work on self-publishing my next book, Iguana in a Band.