The Freedom (and Reality) of Self-Publishing

I’ve watched some of my traditionally published friends grind hard not on writing their next book but on marketing the one that just dropped. They’re creating content, organizing signings, pitching themselves to festivals… because the publisher’s marketing budget? It went to a different book. A “bigger” one a safer one. Sometimes not even one written by a debut and it stings because these are authors with incredible stories. Black stories. Queer stories. Fantastical, genre-bending, raw and necessary stories.

They’re pushing forward not just to sell books but to take up space to prove that we belong in bookstores. On shelves in the canon and I get it that’s why many of us do want traditional deals for the reach the validation. The hope that someone, somewhere, is investing in our words the way we did.

But here's the thing: Self-publishing is not a backup plan. It’s not a “less than.”It’s ownership.

It’s the freedom to tell the story exactly the way you envisioned it. The cover, the timeline, the budget, the team it’s all yours. You’re the CEO of your book.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. You are the marketing team. The sales team. The fulfillment department. The designer, the strategist, the creator, the risk-taker. You pay upfront. You hustle without guaranteed shelf space. You teach yourself things you never wanted to learn, just to give your story the chance it deserves.

But you also get to say:

• “This is the book I believe in.”

• “This is the world I’m building.”

• “I’m not waiting for permission to be seen.”

For me, it’s about both truths living side by side:Yes, I want more diversity in traditional publishing. Yes, I want publishers to value Black voices, queer voices, genre-bending magic. Yes, I believe we deserve full marketing support not just a slot on a list.

But I also believe we shouldn’t have to wait to be chosen so I chose myself. I launched Stonewick Press. And I’m building the kind of release community-centered, vibe-checked, unapologetically mine that I used to dream about Self-publishing isn’t the easy route but it’s the one where I don’t have to beg to be believed in.

And honestly? That freedom tastes good.