The advent of digital printing made it possible for writers to become publishers, making their own work available to the public without the need of an established publisher to back them up. And a new branch of the book industry was born: the self-publishing, print-on-demand and all its variations.

As you saw in the publishing section of our course, it's not small task to be the publisher of your own book. Other than writing your book, you must be responsible for everything that comes after. And sometimes, a little bit more.

But usually, the biggest problem of publishing your own book is to take some distance and try to see your text for what it is: only one more book in an ocean of other books being published every single day. This distance is fundamental to the process: editors might suggest some changes to your book, proofreaders will rewrite entire paragraphs and graphic designers will give their own interpretation of your book and what it is all about. And sometimes it's difficult to let it go.

One other very important point about self-publishing is the financial burden of the process. If you want to collect all the rewards you must take all the risks. We will talk more later about all the costs involved and how to avoid or minimize them but for most authors self-publish their books means long hours of careful planning No mistakes are allowed. Knowing how much it will cost and how long it will take to carry all the necessary tasks that lead to the book will greatly improve your chances of success.

In summary you, as a self-published author, will be responsible for overseeing, controlling, financing and ensuring that each step of the publishing process will run as smoothly as possible. And that, just by itself, is no small task.