16: Self-Publishing Is Ownership, Not Vanity

I’ve got a pet peeve.A real, “nails on a chalkboard” kind of pet peeve.When people call self-publishing “vanity publishing,” I about jump out of my skin.Only in the literary world do we call an artist taking agency… vanity.A musician bypassing a record label? We celebrate.A filmmaker ignoring a production studio? Indie and impressive.A writer choosing not to pitch agents and self-publishing? Suddenly it’s suspect.Let’s talk about it.In this episode, I’m getting a little preachy about:• Why bypassing gatekeepers isn’t the issue• What actually separates a strong independent book from a rushed one• What high-quality self-publishing truly requiresBecause the method isn’t what determines credibility.Training, structure, paid professionals do. If you’ve been quietly on the fence about self-publishing—not because you want shortcuts, but because you want ownership—this episode is for you.You can take agency. And still take craft seriously.And if you're ready to find your own book idea, join me for the Find Your Book Workshop!