Self publishing a book has to be one of the most satisfying things you can do in your life. You will increase your value to society by offering information to people who seek it. You will have opportunities be offered to you without even looking - we are talking amazing and interesting opportunities you never considered possible before you wrote a book. You will make money while you sleep - internet bookstores do not close, they are open 24 hours. The question, however is how are you going to make it happen? Many people are thwarted by the idea that self publishing is only for the rich with an abundance of time on their hands. That idea could not be further from the truth.

Okay, well the truth is that ten years ago self publishing was for the rich who had an abundance of time on their hands. Sort of, it was called vanity publishing and it was mainly for folks who wanted to see their name in print. That was the perception anyway. Some very famous authors have self published including Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain, Upton Sinclair, ee Cummings, Virginia Wolf, Henry David Thoreau and even John Grisham. Some pretty famous writers got their beginnings in self publishing.

Okay so now you know that some very famous people have self published and that self publishing used to have a negative connotation. Today, with the invention and proliferation of internet usage, self publishing is now available to anyone who has something to say. In fact, it is so simple and inexpensive that there are almost 90,000 small publishers.

What makes it so easy?

Competition is a huge factor. Because the internet has made it so easy to publish, there are tons of fulfillment options, distributors, printers and even book writing tools. In fact, there are a number of tools you can use online to help you write and publish your book that are completely free. For example open office offers a word processing program. Weebly offers free website hosting and design and open source marketing tools.

In addition to free options and low cost printing there are an abundance of distribution and fulfillment centers. In fact Amazon.com is happy to help you sell your book and offers a variety of options ranging from letting you simply list your book to full fledged printing and publishing.

Additionally, the internet makes it tremendously easy to research for your book, including research for the target market, your competition, and research for the book itself. The internet also makes it easy to market your book. A website and a few tools to drive traffic to your website and your book can take on a life of its own.

Lastly, the internet makes it easy to become a publisher. All of the information you need from naming and establishing your publishing company to applying for an ISBN number can be found and implemented online.

The internet has made self publishing tremendously inexpensive and simple. All you need to publish a book is a little time and determination.