© 2026 Erin Roach

Have you ever wanted to publish a book, but every submission to a publishing company was unsuccessful? Even if there wasn’t an outright rejection, they required so many edits that your manuscript didn’t feel like your own story anymore.

I experienced this when I attempted to publish my first book almost fourteen years ago. So, I did some serious praying and research and came across the option of self-publishing.

I was super excited about this and ready to jump right in with the first company I encountered. However, I soon learned that to be a self-published author would require more work on my part. I couldn’t just write and submit a manuscript and let someone else do the rest. No, I would have to format the book, review and edit it, and do the artwork on my own. However, I decided to give it a try.

This was a bit overwhelming at first, but I kept at it and soon found that there were a couple of self-publishing firms that did not require a large monetary investment. They also supplied directions to help me get my books formatted and tips on how to market them.

These companies offer print-on-demand options that don’t require payment unless you have books printed through them. This is different from other self-publishing companies, which require an investment and a certain amount of sales before you receive any royalties. I eagerly went with KDP publishing through Amazon. I chose them because they would put my book on the most platforms and were more well-known.

Now, I didn’t see immediate success because with self-publishing, you have to do a good bit of your own marketing. Some big self-publishing houses will advertise for you, but with most companies, this responsibility will fall on you.

However, this should not discourage you from self-publishing. I have successfully published fifteen books now, and they have become fairly well-known. This took a lot of determination and work on my part, but I didn’t give up and am now well satisfied with choosing the path I did.

With self-publishing, I have more freedom in my style of writing, the prices set, and my royalty percentage than I ever would with traditional publishing. Who knows, I might not have published so many books due to the strict requirements publishing houses often have.

I hope this information helps all aspiring writers who are trying to get published. The best advice I can give is this: Never give up! Keep trying and trust that God will help your dream of publishing come true.
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Erin Roach started writing in 2011. Her first endeavor was simply a fun hobby to write all the stories she had made up with her younger sister when they were children. This quickly grew into a love and enthusiasm she wanted to continue. Since then, she has published many books, mainly mysteries, but she has also been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul. To anyone interested in self-publishing, follow this link.