Self-publishing. Hmmmn... I just don't know. I don't think it's for me, mostly because I prefer to write rather than attend to the business of writing. I know very little about self-publishing, and I am happy to keep it that way. I understand how the desire to see one's work in print can lure writers in that direction, and self-publishing has definitely proven successful for some people, but it's still a pretty slippery slope if you don't know what you're doing.

These days writers aren't gravitating as often to vanity presses, some of which have been known to rob hopeful authors blind. Print on demand books and ebooks are the current draw, and from what little I know, those options seem to be more user-friendly. Still ...

Publishing a book isn't just about getting your words in print. If that's all a person is after, Apple has a fistful of different publishing options. You can write and illustrate that story and print it up for your grandkids for no more than the cost of a Christmas gift. But if you're after a wider readership, worldwide distribution, fame, and fortune, you're going to have to bump shoulders with the big boys.

And that's the problem. Unless you haven't noticed, publishers are experiencing a bit of a crunch as they attempt to keep up with the evolution of the industry. Many houses have already gone under, been absorbed by other companies, or are teetering on the brink of extinction -- and we're talking publishers who have been in the business for a long time. These are dangerous times -- even for the pros, the folks who are experts in the field -- and yet there are still authors who think they can beat the system and self-publish.

My mother would say they have more guts than good sense. Perhaps, or perhaps not. If they've done their homework and are prepared to do what it takes, they just might succeed.

So what does it take? Well ... (and I'm just guessing here) ... money, for one thing. Not only will there be no advance, there will actually be costs involved with producing your own book -- computer software, layout design, cover design, proofing, photography, ISBN, promotion, printing, etc. (I have a feeling that little etc. is highly inflatable  -- and expensive.) Self-publishing undoubtedly involves a great deal of time and work too. Suddenly, you're not writing your opus; you're dealing with Amazon and Indigo, you're knocking on booksellers' doors, you're trying to find reviewers for your book. And, hopefully, you're working on the logistics involved with sales. Do you take Visa and Mastercard? Paypal? The big publishers do. You're going to need a presence in all the social media. You'll need to Tweet, keep up with Facebook, Goodreads, Shelfari, Author Central, Indigo, 49th Shelf, Linked-In ... and the list goes on. All that takes a ton of time. Oh, yeah, and don't forget those public appearances you need to arrange and the website you need to build. You should probably employ the services of a tax accountant, maybe a publicist too. Could cost money. Better hope you sell a lot of books.

Still not daunted? Then get out there and do your thing. I pray you have a product worth selling. But how will you know? Without an agent or an editor, there is no one to provide objective feedback and help you produce something that's going to appeal to the public and really be worth reading. Certainly, YOU think your book is fabulous, but you're likely a tad biased. After all, this is your baby. You might not see the plot inconsistencies, flat characterization, time shifts, bad dialogue, cliches, and grammatical errors, but you can bet your boots that readers will. Without exception, every self-published book I've ever reviewed showed a big need for editing. And that's too bad, because some of those books might have been pretty good if they had had the benefit of revisions. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of editing.

So, for those who think they're up to the challenge of self-publishing, I wish you good luck. You're going to need it.