typewriter-472854_640Whether we are traditionally-published, self-published, or indie author, we all need help sometimes. It might be another set of eyes on our manuscript, formatting for indie publication, promotion, or publishing itself. If you publish with a traditional house, most of these things are taken care of in-house (though you might desire some outside beta readers).
But if you are an indie author, the temptation is to do it all yourself and save some money. After all, the technology exists to be your own copyeditor, layout editor, publisher, and promoter. It can be done. Here are some pro and cons of both.

Editing your own work.

writing-828911_640If you are well-versed in grammar, syntax, literary style, and editing techniques, you can do this pretty well. It saves the money of an editor. There are even some programs that can help you do some of the more technical checks (Hemingway and ProWritingAid, for example).
The primary drawback is that it is almost impossible to edit your own work. You might be a top editor, but you are too close to your work, and you will miss things. At some point, you ought  to find an editor—at least for proofreading, if not for plot and character analysis, flow, structure, and so on.
You might be lucky enough to know someone who is an expert at language and who will do it for you. There are also many freelance editors for hire. Our editors have extensive extension experience editing fiction and nonfiction works. If you would like to talk with us about your project, email us. Or check out our services.
Find an editor. Or more than one. It will make your writing so much better.

Formatting for Publication.

exc-556caa3ee4b08e9f9f1f69deIf you are an indie author, using one of the many online and on-demand publication services, your work needs to be formatting properly. These services all offer guidelines, and if you follow them, you can produce a work (print or ebook) that looks as professional as traditionally published works. All at no cost, or relatively little cost.
The primary drawback is that these processes can be technically challenging. They take time to do it properly, and can often be quite frustrating. In addition, the time you are spending on these technical issues is time you are not writing.
Finding someone to do this for you will free you from the tedium, and make sure it is done correctly and professionally. There are many services for hire, though many are part of an all-in-one service of editing, formatting, and publication.
If you want to do it yourself, we have a number of author resources and guidelines available on our blog. We can also do it for you. Our services are all available separately as well as in packages. We know all the formats and requirements, and can format your work to the exacting specifications of the service you are using. Read here for more information, or email us to discuss your project.

Promoting your book.

mobile-phone-426557_640Like formatting, there are many resources online to help you promote your work. You can set up social media accounts for yourself as an author and promote your work. At minimum, you can easily set up a Twitter account and an author fan page on Facebook. Get an author web page. Use Goodreads. Google+Pinterest, and Instagram are secondary options. Follow others, comment on others, and soon you will have a growing list of your own followers.  How do you drive potential readers to your site or fan page? You can research how to do this and take your time trying different techniques and methods.
Again, this can be time-consuming, and takes away from actual writing. There are many, many serves out there for promotion. Do a search and you can easily find the more popular. Some are expensive, some are free—and your success with any of them is not guaranteed.
We at Sulis International believe in indie authors. (Most of our editors are indie authors, others are traditionally published). To support authors (whether they are our authors or not), we offer a low-cost paid promotion and also a free promotion. Check them out here.
 
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