Questions and Answers on Self-publishing

[MichaelSullivan]

In preparation for self-publishing interview I did some Q&A and and then realized that others might find the information helpful so I posted the various Q&A on reddit. Here is what I went over:

Here are some of the topics I cover:

• So what has changed in regards to self-publishing since you started?
  
• But doesn't that still exist online? Self-published authors can't afford to get Amazon to feature their books can they?
  
• I've heard statistics say that most self-published authors sell only a few hundred books. Is anyone really selling very well?
  
• Okay, so you sold a lot of copies but you are an outlier. What about the average author?
  
• Tell me a little bit about yourself and why we are talking to you today.
  
• Okay, so they are selling a lot of books, but aren't most of them $0.99 or free. So is anyone making any money doing this?
  
• But what about an author who has always dreamed of being published "for real" and wants to see their books in the bookstore and have all the prestige that comes with that. Doesn't it make sense to try traditional first, and then if you don't make it go self?
  
• Okay, but what about people who say, "I hate marketing and one of the reasons I want to go traditional is so someone takes care of that for me." What do you say to them?
  
• So how does a person get their self-published book to sell, when so many others go nowhere?
  
• You mentioned gold rush a moment ago, I've been taught to believe anything that's too good to be true usually is, so I look pretty skeptically at all the self-publishing hype. Is it just hype?
  
• You mentioned you know more self-published authors who earn fulltime income than traditional, I find that hard to believe. How is this possible?
  
• But how do you respond to people who want to be read by as many people as possible. If you are traditionally published won't you have more fans?
  
• Something you hear a lot about with regards to self-publishing is the need for a "platform." Can someone with no platform make it in self-publishing?
  
• So can't I just get a traditional publishing deal for the print books and keep the ebook rights myself and self-publish?
  
• What about libraries and bookstores. Can I get my books into them if I self-publish?
  
• So for people who want to hold a printed book in th their hand, they are out of luck?
  
• Is it expensive to self-publish?
  
• What are some of the challenges that self-publishing still faces?
  
• Any last remarks on self-publishing?