by Elizabeth A. Marion

Created on: July 24, 2010

Self-publishing may seem like a great option for writers. And for some writers it may be the right option at some point. There are many reasons that a writer might prefer self-publishing to traditional publishing, but despite the positives of self-publishing it can have a negative impact on a writer's career.

The option of self-publishing can give writers more freedom and could actually get them a higher percentage of royalties from sales, but this process if viewed by many traditional publishers, as well as other writers, as taking the easy way out. With self-publishing you don't need to have your work reviewed by an editor who will decide that they liked what they read and that it is something that will sell. Instead of going through a process of having your work reviewed and accepted you are paying for a service that will allow you to publish that work on your own. No one has to approve it except for you. You don't have to go through the effort of trying to impress a publisher.

Promoting a self-published book is a challenge many writers are not prepared to meet either. They won't have the backing of a traditional publishing company and will be forced to rely on promoting techniques that cost little to no money, unless they are already rich of course. Self-published books generally do not sell anyway, but poor marketing skills can make a bad situation worse. If you self-publish you will not have the support and the guidance of a traditional publisher to keep you from making very damaging and very public mistakes.

For a writer who prefers to do things on their own and enjoys the freedom offered by self-publishing it may be the right option for them. It can be a good way to start a writing career, but it may also make it more difficult for a writer to break into traditional book publishing. The problems with self-publishing listed above are some of the reasons that a traditional publisher may be less likely to accept work from a writer who previously self-published. It's not that you will never be able to be accepted by a traditional publisher, but there is a certain bias against self-publishing that can hurt you if you try to publish traditionally later. There is nothing wrong with self-publishing, but writers should be aware of the effects it can have on their career.

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