Typically, authors write their books, send them to agents or publishers, and then hope for the best. However, some authors opt to not leave anything to chance; they take matters into their own hands and make sure that the book is published. Welcome to the world of self-publishing, wherein books or other media are published by those who have written them.

Self-publishing enables the author to not only ensure that the book is published, but also gives the author complete control over content (traditionally, the publisher does maintain some editorial control over the matter). Other aspects that the publisher traditionally controls - design of the book, the layout of the text, the appearance of the cover, the bookbinding, the quality of the paper, and so on can also be controlled by the writer when self-publishing.

How is self-publishing different from traditional publishing? Besides the fact that the author is also the publisher, self-publishing means that the author pays for the publication out of his/her own pocket, and also has to handle marketing on his/her own.

When self-publishing, the author does not get the printer to print the typical 7,000 copies that the publisher orders. In the self-publishing model, the author pays for the initial press run, which is usually small. Unlike the publisher, the author does not warehouse the books, but stores them maybe in a home or studio. The author may sell the book directly to readers and other end customers. Alternately, the writer may consider retailing by offering it on consignment through retail stores. There are also those writers who print the book themselves, using either a xerographic process or a computer printer. Sometimes writers print on demand, and keep absolutely no inventory.

Cost issues may also mean that the showy full-color cover used by traditional publishers is absent. Bindings suitable for short press runs, like staples, comb bindings, or wire-bindings may be selected over the perfect binding that is used for larger press runs.

Besides fiction and non-fiction books, other reasons for self-publishing include: Sales brochures, catalogs and price lists, annual reports, prospectus, flyers, posters, pamphlets, niche market books, invitations to events, and religious materials.

Remember that though routing your book through a publisher has its own advantages, self-publishing means that your work can reach your audience very fast, you can set your own prices, and you don't have to share a cent of your earnings with agents and publishers.