We all know that feeling when the postman pushes the envelope through the door, and you read your own self-addressed label on the front. Not another rejection! Especially when you have spent so much time and effort on your book; re-reading, editing, polishing, only to read the usual letter: “thank you for submitting. We are sorry, but…”

It has happened to me an awful lot of times, and I always try to keep optimistic. Let’s face it, agents can only take on two or three new authors a year, and they have to really believe the book will sell, or they (and you) won’t make any money.

So what’s a writer to do? Keep on plugging away in the hope that one day will be your lucky day? I’ve heard it said that if you’re good enough, sooner or later you will get published. That may be true, but I’m not so sure. It certainly means you have to spend a lot of time sending your work out, time you could spend writing!

And you may have written a cracking story, with beautifully drawn characters and a brilliant twist, only to be told: “We like it, but that sort of thing isn’t selling at the moment.” Well, I wonder how many people foresaw the success of Harry Potter or the Da Vinci Code?

If you really believe in your work, there is a viable alternative, known as ‘print on demand’ (or POD) and that is the route I chose to publish my novel.

Now, I can hear lots of you thinking: “well, that’s all very well, but who’s ever going to see it or buy it except for family and friends?”  Well, authors such as Margaret Atwood, e.e.cummings, Zane Grey, and Anais Nin, to name just a few, all self-published at some time in their lives. And Brunonia Barry did particularly well. Her self-published novel ‘the Lace Reader’ recently sold for more than $2 million.

However, POD is not for those looking for an easy life. Many companies will expect you to proof-read, format, and upload your novel to their specifications, as well as obtaining your own ISBN number and barcode. This is not as simple as it sounds. In addition, if you want your own cover design, you may need to invest in additional programs such as Adobe Acrobat.

Then there is the marketing to be done. Once your book is published, within a few weeks it will be available online at Amazon, W H Smith and so on. But it’s up to you to make sure everyone knows it’s there. This is when the hard work starts, and it’s no use being a shrinking violet. You need to get out there and blow your own trumpet!

So, is it worth it? Well, for a start, there is no doubt that the feeling you get when at last you hold YOUR book in your hands is pretty special. I didn’t stop smiling all day.

And your work will be out there, for people to see, and hopefully buy. Something that’s not possible when your manuscript is still sitting in the drawer hoping for a publisher. And, of course, if you’re lucky, it could be the stepping stone to greater things.

But be prepared for some hard work. It’s down to you to make sure the whole world knows about your book. That means targeting bookshops, finding people who will review the book, sending out press releases, and putting up posters and flyers. It’s also a good idea to have a website, and these days, a blog. And you have to keep at it. After a hard day at work, it might be the last thing you want to think about, but it’s the only way to get your work noticed.  It’s down to you, no one else.

POD is a great way to test your market and, hopefully, make enough of a case for your book that you will attract a large publisher to your door. It’s said that publishers check out the internet regularly, looking for POD titles that catch their eye.