Last weekend, I went to my first Amazon bookstore. Yes, I got out from behind my computer and actually walked into a real store. 

It was nicely laid out, clean, and had an ample supply of books, considering the store’s small footprint. 

I didn’t find any of my books on the shelves, however, nor did I expect to. The store primarily carries books from major publishers and I am a self-publisher. 

I was approached by a legal publisher once. I submitted an outline but my heart wasn’t in it and the deal was never consummated. 

It would be nice to have a “real” publisher publish my books.  Give me a lot of exposure and prestige. Maybe even get the book into bookstores. So why did I turn it down?

Freedom.

As an indie publisher, I control everything. And I get the lion’s share of the royalties.

In other words, I turned down a publishing deal for the same reason I’ve never worked for a big firm or considered having partners. I didn’t want anyone telling me what to do or paying me what they thought I was worth.

We all have options in life. And we all tend to gravitate towards those options that align with our highest values and most important goals.

In my case, that means freedom.

Freedom can be a double-edged sword. Being free can be painful. So said Kris Kristofferson who wrote the song with that lyric.

Yes, freedom isn’t free. It comes at a price. I’m glad I was willing to pay it.

I built my practice with referrals