Why I Self Publish: My Journey And A Few Tips On Sharing Your Stories

I have been asked many times what led me to self-publishing in the first place.The truth is there is no specific answer. Multiple factors came into play, and I want to share them here because I think some of the reasons I did so are not often discussed when considering the benefits of self-publishing, and other independent writers might benefit from it.

When I finished the manuscript of my first novel, La Mansión al Sur de la Calle de los Arces (2020), I was put in touch with a Spanish publisher who read the story. He gave me very valuable input on my novel as well as the realities and challenges that come with traditional publishing. In the end, this publisher was not able to release my book because, among other reasons, my story line didn’t quite fit his catalogue. At the time, I had to decide whether I wanted to continue on the traditional path, and spend another few months reaching out to different publishers, or take the self-publishing route.

This forced me to closely examine the intention and purpose behind my writing and my novel. There is a lot of information available on how self-publishing is beneficial because it removes the gatekeepers, provides higher royalties, and gives writers control of the copyright of the story, as well as full creative freedom over their work. Indeed, these are all very important considerations when choosing to self-publish. However, I believe there are other, more important, points to consider which can hugely benefit your creativity, your identity and your journey to finding your voice.

The writing of my first novel was a five-year project which, for different reasons, I wanted to see the light soon. My priority was to share the story, and self-publishing was the quickest way to achieve that. At the same time, self-publishing gave me the freedom to promote and market the book in a way that fully met my professional orientation and future plans. Likewise, one of my priorities for this story was to be able to share it in its purest form, and traditional publishing just did not allow me the freedom to do that in the way I had envisioned.

Self-publishing proved to be a wonderful experience which I would highly recommend to independent and emerging authors. Moreover, it doesn’t necessarily have to exclude traditional publishing. It can be approached as an additional path based on the intention behind each writing project and the vision that you have for it. For these reasons, I decided to choose self-publishing again for my second book, a collection of short stories on love, kindness and hope written in English, Passing Guest (2021).

Book covers designs by Josep Maria Mir and Roderic Molins

Self-publishing gives writers the opportunity to shape the story beyond the written words. It is a very enriching process that creates a priceless emotional and creative link with the universe of the story. More importantly, it gives writers the creative freedom to write a story that is true to what they want to say without the pressure of making it either a commercial product or a literary work of art. Self-publishing takes the writer straight into the beauty of the act of doing and the opportunity of learning, which is so crucial for our personal and creative growth. Everything else - readers, recognition, more quality writing - will come as we keep writing and sharing our own stories, the ones that we want to tell based on who we are as people and as writers. And this will always come regardless of the platform we use to share our stories.

With this in mind, I would like to share some ideas on how self-publishing has the potential to enrich your experience as a writer and give you a unique sense of fulfillment and confidence in your identity, your writing, and the beautiful experience of community building. I have created a check list of key points to take into consideration. Fill in the form at the bottom of this blog post l to get the list delivered to your inbox.

Honesty

Some of my readers contacted me to let me know they appreciated the honesty behind my first novel La Mansión al Sur de la Calle de los Arces. And being honest was one of the main reasons I decided to self-publish. It gave me the freedom to share that story without the need to seek any particular answer or result. My main intention was to give my readers the chance to feel the story in a way that was consistent with the real events that inspired it. From this perspective, self-publishing allowed me to shift the focus of the storytelling from one of a competitive environment and commercial rules of traditional publishing, to the principle of community sharing. The purpose of literature and storytelling is to learn from each other, from our life experiences, so that together we can find answers to the dynamic things in life that bring us joy and despair, but which also make us essentially human.

Solidarity

I like to think about readership as a community of people that values the importance of storytelling in our societies. When we self-publish, we don’t have to answer to anyone but ourselves, as writers and creators, and to our readers. I believe that when we write from a place of honesty, and with respect towards our readers, there are no right and wrong answers. The intimacy that comes as a result of being personally in charge of the whole creative process, as well as publishing, gives stories an additional layer that translates into their potential for community building. From that perspective, I like to think about audiences as a community and a space built on love and solidarity. And I think the transparency behind a work that has been self-published nurtures this unique relationship in a very humble way.

Action

Self-publishing gets you started. It keeps you going. It is a stepping stone. It kickstarts your journey in storytelling.

Radical imagination

As creative people, sometimes we get stuck wondering what is possible and what is not. How far can we really go with our endeavours and our imagination. What stories are we supposed to be telling and how much can we challenge certain narratives with them. Knowing that our work can always see the light, without the need for it to be validated or approved by others, can positively impact our imagination, taking it to new heights. Self-publishing gives writers the freedom to write what we want, from the heart, and use our voice in a way that is meaningful to us. At the end of the day, to have a voice is to use it.

Accountability

Publishing your book is a clear confirmation that you have created something, and that society can benefit from it. Likewise, by putting your story out there, you are learning to hold yourself accountable for your writing. To not run away from it, but rather continue showing up for yourself and continue writing. Learning and growing with every story you share. On top of that, we must be aware that, as writers, we have to take responsibility for what we write and how we write. This will give our writing and our voice more consistency and will build enduring trust with our readers.

Focus on the story and the audience as you envision them

Share the integrity of the story according to the readership that you wrote the story for.

Empowerment

Good writing comes from more writing. And so you have to start with something. Self-publishing gives you a sense of possibility. It opens up your mind to the idea that your writing is worth sharing and, as it takes your imagination beyond what is possible for your story, it gives you the confidence to bring it to the world because you are ready for it, and not because someone else validates that story as being good enough to be shared.

The constant struggle between perfection and imperfection

Self-publishing takes you one step closer to finding your own creative flow. To learn to be at peace with how things are and the potential of every creative project you pursue. Every time you let go of the illusion of perfection and you put your story out there for people to enjoy and connect with, you are indirectly giving yourself courage to continue writing and letting go of the fear that might come with the exposure of your writing.

Immediacy

Some stories might be time sensitive to yourself as a writer, and to your readership. Self-publishing allows you to sync the release of the story with your own life (and to the present moment); rather than waiting for a long publishing process that might get completed at a time that will no longer suit you from a personal and professional point of view. Take advantage of the immediacy of self-publishing and seize the moment.

Sustainable innovation

Write and share your stories for the sake of feeling good about it. Not for complying to norms, achieving thresholds of ideals of success, or being validated by the publishing industry. Write for the sake of your creative wellbeing, from your heart, and to enjoy the act of creating something.

Work hard, play hard

Put in the work, make it happen! And have fun with the whole process. Self-publishing allows you to understand the story from different angles and perspectives (as a writer, designer, marketer…). In this sense, you will be able to engage with the other creative aspects of the journey, beyond the writing itself.

Are you ready to self-publish and share your stories? Use the form below to get a check list delivered to your inbox with some of the things to bear in mind and that might help you organise yourself and keep track of some of the points that need to be taken into consideration. This checklist comes with specific links to Amazon’s KDP help guides. If you want to self-publish on another platform, this checklist can also be of help, since it gives you a clear outline of the main things to bear in mind to organize your writing, publishing and marketing work.