What is successful self-publishing?

No one wants to be a failure.

Standards for “success” vary for different fields and different people. Here are some of the indicators of success in self-publishing. Choose what makes you happy, and successful.

• You finish writing your first book (or tenth book).
• You have a printed copy in your hand.
• One copy is sold.
• You get your first check.
• One hundred copies are sold.
• One thousand (or one million) copies are sold.
• You get your first good review.
• Your book is on a bestseller list.
• You are interviewed on TV.
• Your picture is on the cover of Time.
• You are recognized and greeted by strangers.
• You earn back the cost of publishing.
• Your boss gives you a raise.
• You get a better job.
• You make enough money to quit your day job.
• You make enough money to stop writing.
• The person you had a crush on years ago—but wasn’t interested in you—is now interested in you.

...