To self-publish or not to self-publish...'tis a quandry. Had I been over-the-top thrilled with my experience with a publisher, I might not have decided to gone the self-publishing route. And, now, having done both, the 'light bulb went off'. What it all comes down to is the marketing, and in both venues, what I am is virtually unknown. Can anyone relate? I have wasted a lot of time 'friending' and 'liking' other authors, realizing that rarely are the offers of mutual help 'mutual'. With so many books being released every year due to the eBook craze the goal has to be creating a body of quality work that will, book by book, draw attention back to the first works, and generate the momentum that will propel us toward notoriety.
What a publisher does do for the author, besides the obvious, is the media and press releases, placement of books in retail outlets, and setting up personal appearances & book signings. I have discovered it is a full-time job to be on top of of all of it, and the options to the author for "marketing for purchase" are confusing at best, and there are few guarantees.
More to follow...