What are the options for self-publishing, advantages and disadvantages?

While self-publishing is definitely cheaper you should keep in mind that you will have to do all the running and liaison work yourself (typesetting, getting a printer and binder). A publisher will also handle the publicity and marketing since he knows the specific market for your book. If you have the time self-publishing is cheaper but you need the time and the connections.

Did Yedda Help you or cause you more span ham?

I stumbled across this and although it is not an answer to your question, i am hooking in to follow the subject. Good luck on your venture-I, too, am on to new ad(ventures)

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I have a manuscript I would like published and have looked at the different options, and it seems to me that self-publishing in any form could well be shooting yourself in the foot as it more or less is an admission to not being good enough to be accepted by a publisher or a literary agent. Would be great if I was wrong.

Ever since I have discovered self-publishing, I realize why its best to invest in the book than hand it to a traditional publisher – publishers will BUY the rights of your book and give you ZERO control.

Self-publishing is one venue for authors who wanted to test how their book will fare in the market. To get into a contract, yes, you must have someone legal to assist you with it. Self-publishing will entail you to make a deposit before going through production and any financial transaction done should be legitimate.

Xlibris is one self-publishing company that is very much visible in the industry. You can search for more information about them here:

http://www.xlibris.com/requestkit/index.asp?src=aop&key=qak

Here are the advantages of self-publishing:

• Affordability. Forget about $10,000+, print-on-demand publishers offer packages starting at as low as $200-300. Usually, POD publishers have several different programs/packages, with different distribution and marketing options, standard or customized cover design, etc. If you choose your publisher well, you will have a high quality book, in no way inferior to those published traditionally. Your book will have an ISBN and a barcode, it will be listed with major book distributors like Spring Arbor and Ingram, and it will be available to order from any bookstore.

• Speed and control. A POD publisher can have your book done and ready to order within 3 months, some even do it in weeks. That is lightning speed compared to the traditional press. And, just like with subsidy publishing, you will have your book done exactly the way you want it. You can submit your own images for the cover, or simply tell the artist what you wish to see on it, and there will be no editor telling you to change or remove certain parts of your masterpiece.

• No garage full of books. Since your book is stored electronically, you don’t have to turn your home into a warehouse. Unless you decide to buy some copies at your discounted author’s price and sell them yourself, you don’t even have to touch the books: your publisher will take care of all orders, printing books out and shipping them to the customers. All you need to do is to spread the word, and refer potential book buyers to Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other stores where your book is available.

• Your book will not go out of print. With the print-on-demand technology, your print run is virtually unlimited. If an order comes in for 5,000 copies, your publisher will handle it, and be ready to print as many more as needed, any time. And if you only sell just a few books per month, no one will tell you that the book is not selling well and therefore needs to go out of print. Your book will be around as long as you want it to.

• Once again, you will have a chance as a writer. Readers don’t care how the book is published, they only care whether it’s good or not. If it’s good, they will start buying it.

Self publishing has it's advantages and disadvantages.  It's difficult for most authors to get out there and market themselved and if you self publish, even though they offer 'marketing packages' you are basically on your own.  Unfortunately on the flip side, most publishing companies are unwilling to spend much on marketing and now require a 'marketing plan' from authors.  In the industry, if you 'self publish' you will be labeled as having less validity as an author, as anybody can self publish whether they are good writers or not.  The key to self publishing is a very good editor, one probably located outside the self publishing company.  ebooks and on-line publishing is the wave of the future due to many factors including: economics, the 'green' effect, the volume of people on the net that can access your book and the lack of overhead - storage, fulfillment, postage, etc.  I encourage all of my authors to have a good, active website, good editing, hard copy as well as on-line access to their works.

You might get some gratification to seeing your work published, when you self-publish, but the chance of any sort of success is very very small.

The short answer is, it depends on  your publishing goals.  Monetary success with self-publishing is very limited.

Iv just released my 5th book now available thru Amazon & Lulu publishers & I suggest Lulu.com. No upfront cost + you can charge what you like & even have it formatted as an E-book. The only time it cost me is when I purchase copies for myself. The only real work for you is just uploading the files you want in print. My latest is called; Diary Of The Vampire. Look up; LWCraig & LonnieCraig @ Lulu.