To self-publish or not to self-publish-- that is the question.

I attended a seminar last January where the speaker claimed that self-publishing was not the way to go. At the time I agreed. I, as many writers may do, have had dreams of working with a big publishing house, having my book in its fancy hardcover form displayed at Barnes & Nobles all over the world, attending book signings, being reviewed (positively, of course) and generally reaping fame and fortune from my first novel. I believed that if I was meant to be a successful novelist then a publishing house would want me and be willing to pay for my extraordinary writing talents and ideas and be willing to market my book to every major book-selling company in the world. 

A publishing house choosing my book represents approval, a pat on the back, a you-are-a-good-writer accolade. I dismissed the idea of self-publishing because doing so feels like nobody is approving me, I am only approving myself and hoping someone will stumble across my book and be interested.

And then came Amanda Hocking. A best-selling author, she grew tired of searching for a publishing house and decided to self-publish. Millions of dollars later, her endeavors were more than successful. I admit I haven't read her books but does it matter? People want to read them and isn't that ultimately why we write? Not for fame and fortune, but to provide entertainment and escape, education and knowledge?

I may have had dreams of fame that would come with being the next J.K. Rowling. But in reality, I just want people to enjoy my books, find an escape in them, get carried away by them. Or even just like them. That would be fine, really. Like them and want to buy them.

So does that mean self-publishing is for me? I'm not sure yet. It could be for the "young" people and when I say that I mean those who utilize Facebook and Twitter to market themselves. I use Facebook to connect with friends and family who are far away (I live in Alaska, remember). I do not use Twitter and never will. (Nor do I understand it but that's beside the point.) I'm not old by any means, but I am old-fashioned. I don't have a Kindle or a Nook. I read The Help (fabulous!) on my iPhone using iBooks (I'm not even sure if I'm writing these i words right) because I was about to take a flight home and desperately wanted to read it and it was right there on my phone to download. Reading it on my phone was not so fun and I have yet to download another book that way.

The appeal of the publishing house is that they will market me. Unfortunately, without even reading my book they may decide that what I have written is unmarketable. Publishing houses have to answer to so many people. They have to justify the book. In self-publishing I am the only one justifying the book (at least at the beginning) and as the author shouldn't I be my biggest fan?