What you need to know before publishing your work

This means you are almost there. Congratulations. The enjoyable yet tedious part is over- the long hours wrestling with ideas, the endless search for synonyms, thesaurus digging, fact-checking, research, writing, rewriting and such. It’s time for publishing and marketing; that means business.

If you still have tons of energy left in you, you must go for self-publishing. However, go through the below checklist and decide.

* Well-versed in formatting and graphic design
* Enjoy beta reading
* Can afford a razor-sharp editor
* Familiar with self-publishing platforms
* Not ashamed of self-promotion
* Thick-skinned about failure

Do you want to see your work displayed in bookstores? For old souls who prefer to touch, smell and hold their books, traditional publishing is the best, though not easy.

Winning over the leading publishing house with your work is challenging, especially when debuting. You may get rejected many times.

Unlike self-publishing, the traditional way takes time. You need to be patient. Moreover, you may be open to accepting suggestions from the publisher. The manuscript may shuttle to and fro many a time. It is more of a collaboration.

Trust your publisher. It’s never easy to leave your baby with the sitter! And, of course, you must pay handsomely for taking care of your precious.
Last but not least, marketing is king. Even if your work is award-winning, it should reach the right hands to become one.
To sum up, self-publishing and traditional publishing come with perks and hassles. Ultimately, it all comes down to your manuscript. Write a compelling story, get published, and promote it with all your might.