Something that I’ve seen as I’ve ventured into the world of self publishing is the need to already have a positive reputation and a following of people in whatever community you can find your target audience in.
While I’m sure it is possible to self-publish a book that is a one-hit wonder, I don’t think it would be that easy unless it somehow went viral. I think followers of my blog (My Life! Teaching in a Korean University) felt like they could trust that the content of the book was solid because they’d already been reading my blog for some period of time.
And, having a positive reputation in the ESL Teaching community in Korea was also helpful for getting people to recommend the book to their friends and promote it for me on their own websites. Lots of people, who I’ve never even met have had positive things to say about me and the book on various teaching forums and on Facebook groups.
So, what am I saying? If you’re thinking about self-publishing, why not start a blog first that’s related to the content that you’re writing your book about. Get some followers, build your email list, and get yourself a reputation as an expert or a go-to source in that area.