Publishing is more confusing today than it was years ago for many people entering our community. In part, this is because of all the technological changes that make entry into the world of publishing seem easier and easier.

The Professional – There is very little difference between the costs and preparation of the professional self-publisher and the serious hobbyist. It’s more of the realization that as a “pro”, publishing has now become your full time income rather than a part time hobby.

It’s great to have friends. But when it comes to publishing and promoting your book, sometimes your friends can be more of a hindrance than a help. Here are five things your best friends won’t tell you:

The majority of the people reading this article most likely fall into a group which I call the “Serious Hobbyist” type of self-publisher. This group needs to be especially careful navigating the self-publishing minefield because most of the “misinformation” out there on the Internet is aimed directly at you. Put your checkbook and credit card away until you have read this article.

This seems like a simple enough question but there is no simple answer. There are three basic types of self-publishers. I’ll call them the casual hobbyist, the serious hobbyist and the professional. Before I can answer “How much?” you need to determine which type fits you best.

I’m sure you can come up with all sorts of reasons for not starting your own business, the first, of many, being lack of money and uncertainty of its success. But no matter what the reasons are against starting a business, there are just as many reasons for starting one

Everyone knows that a hare is fast while a tortoise is slow. Aesop could have written this fable for small publishers. Small publishers should model their business plan after the tortoise in this tale; slow and steady.