Self-publishing is often the umbrella that is held over two sorts of publishing: self-publishing and indie publishing. Both are great options for folks who want to get a book out on their own schedule, without having to spend loads of time querying agents or traditional publishing houses. The difference between indie publishing & self-publishing is in the approach.
Self-publishing is doing all the work yourself; the design, the layout, the cover, the interior file, the uploading, the marketing, the advertising, the editing, etc. Amazon Kindle self-publishing is a good option though the competition is fierce. It isn’t easy as it once used to be.
Indiepublishing is managing the work. You might write the manuscript, but you can farm out the editing, beta reading, cover design, interior design, etc. to any number of people in the indie publishing community.
The actual process in traditional publishing can take years. So removing the time spent querying agents and traditional publishers and actually getting your book out there is one of the main reasons authors choose this option of self-publishing. Using book design agency as White Magic Studios to get your book out there is all part of the independent or self-publishing process.
A self-published book is 100% curated by the author, from beginning to end. Everything is on your schedule and you can really save on costs, spending only on services you absolutely need.
Self-publishing is when writers bear the cost of publishing and use self-publishing companies only to publish the book. Mostly, self-published authors are dependent on Amazon self-publishing. The writer does all the work of completing the book and making it publish-ready by writing, editing, designing a book cover, and everything else.
Indie publishing, on the other hand, is a concept where a small company takes up the onus of finding great content. The Indie publishersuch as White Magic Studios, then works in tandem with the writer to help him complete his or her book by offering various services including editing/proofreading, book cover design, etc. the Indie publishing company bears the responsibility of printing, marketing, and selling the book.
The indie author is intimately aware of the fact that they maintain full creative control over their work, even though they’ve hired out book layout designer services and other services to assist in the publishing of the said book.
Indie publishing means that you are publishing your book and making it availableon indie bookstores, Barnes & Noble, libraries, events, Amazon and on tours, etc. They’re are independent because they are never dependent solely on a handful of retail or distribution platforms suchas Amazon.
An indie publisher is a small publishing house which may specialize in one particular genre or a niche market or may have specialization in most fields. It’s a nice in-between option with more freedom than working with a much larger publishing house.
In both the cases, you retain the rights to your work, and royalty rates are generally higher than the average traditionally published author.