KDP Select Publishing: Pros and Cons

I am a self-published writer. There was a time that was a dirty word in this industry, but with online markets expanding, so has the opportunity for writers to take control of their own publication. There are many publishing agencies that will charge an arm and a leg to take advantage of their self-publishing options, but KDP Select (formerly known as Create Space), allows writers to publish without tacking on extra fees. They make their money by taking a cut of your profit instead. There are pros and cons to this.

Pros

You have total control of your project on KDP Select. You decide what size the novel will be, you format it to your liking, and you choose what markets it will go through. This can be tremendously useful and economical to those who cannot afford to hire an agent or go through a paid self-publishing venue.

They also offer editing and cover art services for those who do not have outside help with this. Though this part isn't free, the fact that all your recourses for this are in one spot is very useful to those exhausted with the process of hiring outside help to edit and design art for their books.

Cons

You have total control over your project. I know I counted this an an upside, but it also qualifies as a downside. Having everything be in your hands can be overwhelming if you're just starting out. Mistakes can be made, and your novel pays the price. You also have to consider that self-publishing, though it gives you more control, gives you a buttload of more advertising work to do. A literary agent or standard publisher would be doing this work if you decided to go the more traditional route, so be prepared.

That being said, you also have to find someone to edit your book, and top of the line editors aren't cheap. Sometimes it comes in handy to find a freelancer who will do the work for you at an affordable cost, but you are often going to end up with more missed mistakes this way. The same goes for finding a cover artist. They can be pricy.

Overall, I am glad I've gone the route of self-publishing. It's eliminated the endless query letters, rejections, and re-writes that come with traditional publishing. The trade-off is that you sacrifice your own time and money in order to edit, illustrate, and market it.

Stay weird.