A Word On Self-Publishing:

​​

I'm often asked why a writer would choose the self-publication route as opposed to the traditional option.  It's usually assumed that it's either because they don't believe they're good (or lucky) enough to be picked up by a traditional house, or it's because they're greedy and hope to earn that generous 70% royalty (rather than the more typical 15% traditional rate).  For me it's neither.

​

For one thing, I've been writing for a long time, and I've never even attempted to get a publication deal.  Sure the 70% royalties are a nice benefit for the self-published, but that's not the reason I made the choice.  Likewise, as with most writers, I have confidence in my abilities and believe my work stands up, respectfully, to that of most any traditionally published author.  So, it's not because I believe I'm less talented (or less lucky) than all the writers who elect to pen under the big-five names that I went the independent route.  The reason I choose to self-publish is this:

​

I've spent most of my professional life working in a corporate environment, trading the most valuable commodity there is (time) for a paycheck.   Working for the man, they call it, rarely able to decide for myself how to express my creative energy, let alone exemplify my own identity.   Everything that it means to be an artist, for me personally, is about freedom of expression.  Self-actualization.  I don't want anyone telling me to change my story to make it more marketable—or so it better suits their individual liking (over my own).  I especially don't want someone telling me what stories I can and can't write; or what subject matter to write about (or whether I should ditch the use of semicolons).  And, of course, I don't want to forfeit legal ownership of my own words.  Written words that, when it all comes down to it, are the closest things we have in life to immortality.  What could be more important than that?

​

If I were to allow for any of those concessions—which I understand to be absolutely typical and entirely expected in the world of traditional publishing—I might as well just continue working for the man.

​

So, in summary, here's why I choose to self-publish: simply for the freedom to say exactly what I want to...