'As wonderful as self-publishing is, it does have its limits'

Talli Roland: 'As wonderful as self-publishing is, it does have its limits'

The comic romantic novelist explains that doing it herself has been empowering, but managing the business side can be distracting

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• Talli Roland
• theguardian.com, Tuesday 13 August 2013                
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'I don't think self-publishing is for everyone' ? Talli Roland

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I had a very satisfactory experience working with a traditional publisher for my first two novels, but with hardly any distribution in print and 99% of my sales in ebooks, it made more sense for me to pay a one-off fee to an editor and cover designer, and keep the remainder of the profits for myself. Since striking out on my own, I have published three novels and two novellas, and hit the top 100 on Amazon UK three times. Leaving a traditional publisher was a risk, but it's one I don't regret at all.
I don't think self-publishing is for everyone, though. I'm very much of the mindset that authors are lucky to be living in a time when there are so many options available to them. The rise of the hybrid author – one who traditionally publishes as well as self-publishes – shows that authors can pick and choose which model works best for them. I've recently signed a two-book deal with Amazon Publishing and I plan to continue to self-publish, too.
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