Updated and Revised August 2026
(What’s a ‘Wannabe’ Author to Do?)
Self-publishing is a ship everyone wants to sail on. And for good reason. This publishing avenue is quick and the cost can be very reasonable.
You don’t need to research literary agents and publishers. There’s no more submitting to a publisher or multiple publishers and waiting months for a response.
Will they accept the manuscript that you’ve been working on for months, maybe years? Or will they send you a generic standard rejection letter? Either way, waiting for an acceptance or rejection isn’t fun. On the other hand, self-publishing can be done as soon as your manuscript is publishing-ready.
And there are lots of places to publish a physical book and an ebook. You can also publish with more than one service. And what’s even more convenient is you can sell your ebook directly from your own site.
In addition to being a quick process, ebooks in particular are low-cost to create and publish if there are no illustrations.
It will cost nothing if you do everything yourself (aside from editing). If you need help with formatting, design, covers, and publishing files, services like Fiverr have people who will help you for a very, very reasonable price. Just be sure of their qualifications.
Note: This is not an endorsement for Fiverr or any low-cost service. Please be aware there are a lot of scam services online.
But . . .
While it’s obvious to see the benefits of self-publishing, these benefits have one particular drawback: everyone thinks they can write a book and self-publish it, whether or not they have the skills to write a book, and whether or not it’s a quality product.
Part of the problem, possibly the main issue, is the ‘I want it now’ syndrome that self-publishing lends itself to. New authors don’t want to take the longer ‘proven’ road of learning the craft of writing and having their manuscripts edited before publishing.
And now with AI-generated stories, it’s a free-for-all. This may be a ‘no need to think’ option, but the stories generated are NOT publishing-worthy.
These convenient, low-cost options are the ‘problem’ and do all authors a disservice. It lessens the validity of self-published books as a whole. Readers (buyers) never know if the book they’re buying was done professionally or carelessly slapped together.
So, what’s the solution?
Well, there are three basic strategies to use when thinking of writing a book and self-publishing:
1. Learn the craft of writing.
The first thing a ‘wannabe’ author needs to do is learn the craft of writing. This isn’t to say you must get an MFA, but you should take writing courses. Some online courses are free. And you should belong to writing groups.
Along with this, you should actually be writing. Practice does make better.
Finally, you’ve got to read and read and read in the genre you want to write and in lots of other genres. You especially want to read recent traditionally published books.
This will help you understand what publishers want, what quality work is being published, and how it’s written.
2. Join a critique group.
The second tip is to join a genre-appropriate critique group. Having others critique your manuscript helps with grammar, clarity, storyline, characters…
You get the idea. Critique groups help you write your book. Those extra eyes will catch things in your manuscript that you glazed over.
3. Hire an editor.
The third tip is to find a reputable editor and have it edited once the manuscript is as ‘good’ as it can get.
It’s easy for an author to think she’s found all the errors in her manuscript, but this is almost impossible to do. As the author, you’re much too close to the work to see it with fresh and unbiased eyes.
Yes, there are editing tools like Grammarly, but they don’t think creatively. They give results based on what they ‘think’ you need.
Even AI-generated stories need editing. In fact, most need rewriting.
Summing It Up
Self-publishing is an amazing opportunity for authors, but it needs to be done responsibly. Authors need to consider the readers and the industry when venturing into it.
Instead of being one of the “I want it now” authors, be one of the ‘I want it, but am willing to work toward it’ authors.
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, and self-publishing consultant. I help turn your idea, outline, or manuscript into a book you’ll be proud to call your own—and provide hands-on guidance through every step of the self-publishing process.
OTHER HELP I OFFER:
HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A 200+ page DIY book that will help you write your own children’s book.
FICTION WRITING FOR CHILDREN eCOURSE
4- to 12-Weeks / Instructor Guided Self-Study Programs
WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING CONSULTING & SERVICES
Self-publishing help for children’s authors (Picture books and chapter books)
You can contact me at kcioffiventrice@gmail.com.
MORE ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Focus, Determination, and Perseverance = Writing Success
4 Realities New Writers Need to Face
The One Sentence Pitch for Your Manuscript
How Do You Build a Successful Writing Career? (3 Tips)
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