Five Reasons I Self-Published My Debut Novel

I published a book! My new novel Selling Sophie is available in paperback as of June 2026. This is the news. But if you knew what went into it, you’d be asking, “Oh Bryan, why?”

Let’s back up and be transparent: I self-published this book. For years, “self-published” has been stigmatized, considered less valuable or respectable than traditional pathways to bookshelves. Fellow indie author Hannah Delaney breaks down these stereotypes about self-publishing, so I won’t rehash it all. All you need to know is that it requires a lot of work and the dividends are relatively few (read: not a money maker).

But just like we turn to YouTubers for our films (see Backrooms) and social media for news (see everyone glued to their phones), literature is slipping from the grip of traditional gatekeepers. This is a natural progression of media as we embrace technology that makes it all possible.

Plus, it’s not like storytelling was always run by publishing houses anyway. Do you think Homer had an agent? Do you think Dante was sending query letters?

I chose to self-publish and see where it takes me, and here’s why:

1. Control

Most importantly, self-publishing leaves me in total control. It’s a positive way to frame, “I have to do everything,” I know…but seriously. I get to write the story, edit it, decide how to market it, choose layout, and ponder a thousand other details about my book. Not someone else’s. MY book. For me, this is an invaluable reason to self-publish.

Might a traditional publisher make things easier? Perhaps, but the book (and the profits) wouldn’t be fully in my control.

2. Certainty

There’s a certain fear that comes with writing. Will anyone ever see this book? With self-publishing, I am my only hurdle to getting it out there. There’s no filter to prevent my book from seeing the light of day.

This certainty makes it an obvious choice in a world where thousands of authors are querying handfuls of exhausted agents and saturated publishers who can’t possibly print all of the amazing stories out there. When I do it myself, sure, it’s not stamped by Penguin Random House, but…so what?

3. Ease

Honestly it was easier to self-publish Selling Sophie than querying agents to embrace her. I’m a relative nobody. I don’t have a massive social following who will do what I tell them to do. Agents weren’t going to take a chance on me unless I figured out a way to make myself seem like a big money maker for them. That’s a lot of work and, frankly, not interesting to me at this stage.

I’m a writer. I want to write stories. If the money comes, awesome. If not, I still want to tell stories. By self-publishing, I get to keep doing that while easily laying out and publishing books with convenient tools we didn’t have ten years ago.

4. Fatigue

Speaking of agents and querying—I was tired of it. I know it’s how it’s done but status quo has never been my jam. I don’t need validation from someone who “knows the industry.” It’d be nice to have one day, but I’d rather start rolling the ball myself to see who pays attention.

Instead of dumping energy into researching agents and revisiting query letters and chapter submissions, I did it myself. Published the book. Smiled. Took a nap. And now I am refreshed to continue marketing and telling more stories.

5. Pleasure

After going through this process, the real reason I realize I’ll keep self-publishing for now is simple: I like it. It’s fun to learn the intricacies of this pathway, to throw spaghetti against the wall, to play with social media marketing, to design things, to find audiences. It’s not for the money (alert: have a day job!) but the rush of opening a box of my books or seeing someone actually buy one—and yes, they have bought them—is enough to make me keep chasing the dream.

At the end of the day, I didn’t wait for someone to tell me I could be an author. I am an author, and whether or not I get a lucrative book deal someday, no one’s taking that moniker away from me.

Maybe I’ll be a big nam in the publishing world someday, but what’s the rush? Let me know in the comments if you think self-publishing still carries stigma with it or if you’ve embraced other indie authors.