Traditionally, self-publishing has been seen as an act of desperation.

If you couldn’t get your book published by major publishers, you took the self-publishing route. Unfortunately the upshot of this was sometimes a garage piled high with boxes of books you couldn’t sell.

The Web has changed all that.

When speaking with established writers, I’m hearing that nine times out of ten they prefer to publish online, first.

Here are some comments:

I can publish my ebook with a few clicks of my mouse in days, rather than years. Since I’ve got a mortgage, it makes sense…

Eight or 15 per cent looks silly next to the 100 per cent profit I make from self-publishing…

I love it - when I publish online, I have direct contact with readers…

Should you self-publish?

That depends on YOUR business plan. You do have one, don’t you?

You must know what your goals are for your writing.

Self-publishing is a great way of testing the waters of a topic. You can create a blog, and self-publish your book in a very short time. You can still go the traditional publishing route, but one of the big benefits of self-publishing and selling your own ebooks is that publishers will often approach you.

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You’re writing a book, and you realize that at some stage, you need to get an agent.

But when’s the best time?

I’ve had several agents over the course of a long career, and here’s an essential truth: agents are BUSY. Their time is reserved for their clients.

This means that the best time to get an agent is when you’ve already won the interest of a publisher. An agent handles your literary business, and many agents will be interested when someone wants to publish your book.

A literary agent’s role is a business role

Your agent’s role is strictly a business role of negotiating contracts. So until you have an offer, you don’t need an agent. In fact, an agent may do you more harm than good. You’re the only person who knows what you can write, and what your goals and aspirations are.

Write, educate yourself on the world of publishing, and promote yourself and your writing.

Read “How to write your book the easy way” to discover an easy way to promote yourself, and to get an agent too.

Many years ago, when my kids were small, I always said that I’d have “Go and wash your hands!” printed on my tombstone. I got sick of saying the same thing over and over.

Nowadays when I talk to writers I say: “Go and get a blog!” I’m sick of saying that, too. Maybe I should get it printed on my forehead…

Here’s a snippet from someone else who’s discovered the benefits of blogging when it comes to writing a book.

MarketingSherpa: How a Marketing Pro Wrote His First Book: 12 Tips for Making a Hard Job Easier reports:

“-> Tip #2: Start with a blog
Start blogging about your book’s topic to help establish a writing rhythm and organize your thoughts. You can use some of the content in the book. ‘Let’s say I had three [blog posts] one week. I basically created a half chapter just from blogging three times,’ Pulizzi says.”

So please… GET A BLOG! It truly will help you to complete your book, and get it published. Indeed, you may find a publisher (because an editor or agent will find you) long before your book’s complete.

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