Deciding whether or not you should self publish can be the difference between making some money or losing a lot of money. I am a self-publisher. I have even made money at self-publishing. This puts me in the minority. More people lose money, it seems, than make money.

There are three reasons why many people self-publish books. They are:

• Greater control of the product. One tremendous advantage to self-publishing is the ability to make all of the marketing, design, and printing choices yourself. Not coincidentally, these are also among the greatest disadvantages.
• Make more money. Yes, it is possible to make more money. It is more possible, however, to lose money on the deal. This is particularly true if you do not do your homework.
• Could not publish it elsewhere. There are many reasons why a traditional publisher does not want your book. Just make sure that it is not a quality issue. A large number of the books that are rejected are just not very good.

What do you need to be a successful self-publisher? In addition to what I have stated above, you should probably take a look at my other Hubpage, Ten Best Self-Publishing Websites.

While I would never say that it is impossible to be successful self-publishing fiction, it is much more difficult. Most people who attempt it do not do well. The vast, vast majority of people who are ultimately successful in self-publishing are working with non-fiction material. It is just an easier sell and it is easier, much easier, to market.

Fiction from unknown writers is hard to market for large traditional companies. It will be much harder for you working alone.

My take is that many of the potential fiction out there might just be a better fit for one of the semi-professional print-on-demand companies like Lulu. Print a few books, give them away to friends and family, and be done with it.

However, if you absolutely must do it, please read all of the books on self-publishing, participate in the Self Publishing Yahoogroup, and learn what you need to learn.

Some things that you need to be successful in self-publishing include:

• A platform. A platform is your reputation, either online or off-line,that makes people want to trust you and buy books from you. I wrote three books on distance learning for a traditional publisher before venturing out on my own. I have combined that with my website on learning how to earn a high school diploma online, writing for print and websites, and much more. Most of you will be writing nonfiction. Nonfiction books are usually written by experts. What makes you an expert?

• Do your homework. Read the books below and then find more. Find what has made people successful in self-publishing and what has hurt them. Read self-publishing blogs. Join the Self Publishing Yahoogroup (sponsored by SPAN).

• Learn about book marketing. There are a number of good books including 1001 Ways to Market Your Books (Kremer). If you don't want to market your book, stop now. You will lose money. Marketing does not mean setting up a website and waiting for people to come visit. It might mean writing Hubpages!

• No shortcuts. If you want to be successful, don't use Lulu or similar companies. Don't use the subsidy presses (like Publish America, AuthorHouse, and the like). The simple fact: the profits don't work in your favor.

• Do more than publish one book. It is a tiny minority of self-publishers that can make it with one book. Publish additional related books and/or e-books. Develop a website that provides a service, but that also makes money (like my online high school website: sells books and has Google ads).

The single greatest mistake, and the one that is most sure to lead to failure, is to not do your homework first. People will write the book, get the book designed and printed, and then start thinking about marketing. At that point, you are too late.