Self-publishing in 2021

The pace of digitalisation has accelerated a lot since 2020. Are you stuck in the traditional way of things? With a new shift, we must examine our approach to ideas and concepts. Publishing has always been looked into as a team effort. But often with the right approach, one can ace at self-publishing. Self-publishing is more practical in today’s age. But with a hundred options out there, how does one navigate their journey as a self-publisher?

To understand how to go about self-publishing one must define it right. When one attempts to share content through means that allow them to do so without the interference of anybody else, it usually comes under the ‘self-publishing’ label.

It is now a trend that allows new monetization opportunities. Authors now have access to platforms that make the distribution easy. Self-publishing can include -

1. Blogs

Blogging is a highly popular means of self publications. The relevance of bloggers has gone up significantly, from book reviewers to financial advice, the influence of bloggers is behind no curtain.

The monetisation efforts may seem different than mainstream publishing. One can have a simple subscription solution or run dynamic efforts behind the wall of blogging, like running a special class for the more invested bit of the audience.

2. Books

John Grisham, Jack Canfield, Beatrix Potter, and Tom Clancy are some of the authors who started with self-publishing their books and witnessed success.

In recent times, we’ve seen a wave of Wattpad authors. While the term may be taken lightly, it’s a brilliant example of self-publishing. People from all walks of life have access to platforms such as Wattpad and it has seen some interesting work. Authors have been able to hire the right help and publish books on their account without having to sign a contract with a publishing house.

3. Food

Food content is distributed in various forms. From Netflix specials to good old food blogging, the topic is a forever favorite. Several publishers have also gone ahead to write books after the success of their food reviews or recipes.

Sadia Badiei, a nutritionist, youtube content creator, and blogger released her ebook last year which was widely popular. With the option of ebooks, the idea of monetization has also been simplified for both the creators and audience. It allows the creators to get the support they need while it allows the audience to consume easily.

4. Photography

From Instagram profiles to webpages, photographs have easy access to a digital audience. And releasing a magazine or photo album for this audience base can be nerve-wracking however these have been tried and proven successful. Several photographers also monetize their work by charging a downloading fee for high definition images and by affiliate marketing with camera equipment and sets.

5. Travel

The travel industry was one of the most affected by the pandemic however it quickly recovered. Although international travel is still low, local travel options have been highlighted.

People have been looking up to travel writers to suggest places for staycations and even drives.

Travel is another interesting sector for self-publishers. With exclusive content, one can publish ebooks or even create subscriber trip benefits with the right affiliate efforts.

6. Magazines

Magazines have a new audience altogether. Gone are the days when one would buy magazines and store them. People prefer viewing it through their phones or ipads.

Thankfully for self-publishers, this means that they can easily produce magazines from home and distribute it via their social handles or website. With quick and easy payments and an ever-growing demand for niche content, the scale of demand has gone significantly high.

7. Video content

Easily the most popular form of content that is consumed globally. Video content publishers usually use youtube as their platform. One may monetize their content itself, create money through affiliate networks or create funding indirectly through the subscribers.

Webinars are also popular during these times. To combat the insufficient physical resources, subject experts have taken advantage of tools like zoom or google meet wherein they share information in return for a small fee.

One can easily go through the process of creation, publishing, and promotion without the need for an external company or agent. Digital technology has made it possible to set up paywalls, keep track of audience demography, and more to ensure that authors achieve success.

A simple force that has allowed the increase of self-publishers is the profitability of it all. From the creation to the promotion of the product, authors take complete control thereby not having to share the profit with an external body.

This doesn't mean that one can’t take the assistance of a designer or editor. This helps complete autonomy of the content while getting the credit that’s expected.

Self-publishing has better scope than it has had ever before. This is because the technology has developed allowing better opportunities for authors to build their business.

With tools like Wattpad, WordPress, even social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, self-publisher have a better platform. One can distribute and promote content across these channels with ease.

The tricky bit is monetization. However, there are a lot of smart ways to go about it. With easier online payments one has to look into the paywall content management.

Accesstype, for instance, is available as a WordPress plugin. This was an effort made to help publishers set up their paywall strategies with ease. Using a plugin such as that can help publishers make direct money from their content and keep track of their demography, using it to grow in the right direction.

1. With the pandemic amongst us, publishing, in general, has had a complete shift to the digital platform.

2. Digital publishing has evolved. The technology behind it has become more advanced. Authors today have the space to grow and experiment. With easier access to having a blogging account to even having your website, it’s the best time to try out self-publishing.

3. Advertisements have started to lose interest. The public is ready as ever to be freed from the constant bombardment allowing the publishers a chance to put a price tag on the content.

4. Thanks to being drawn into our homes, the concept of online purchasing has become a domestic idea. It no longer holds the stigma it once did.

It’s easy to get stuck with the traditionality of things however, 2021 is a good time to witness how adversities often have unpredictable results. While we expected the pandemic to set us back, it just pulled us forward. Digitization is quicker than ever, we have tools, resources, and access to information like never before. And as amazon becomes a domestic name, we must understand that as consumers, our hostility towards online payments has faded.

We need to be able to explore all our creative and monetization options in the digital world today. The self-publication can be the solution to creating independent quality content without having to run for permissions or the injustice of profit earned. With the right tools, any author can distribute their content and gain the maximum output.