Is Your Goal “Getting Published” or “Being an Author” ?

I’ve asked every question I can think of; asked everyone I can find.

The short version is that if your lifelong goal has been to “get published” then a traditional publisher is the only one who’ll fulfill your dream.

But if your goal is

1. to be a “real” author
2. to connect with fans
3. to work toward making a living as an author
4. to see your work in print
5. to teach or inspire or entertain through your writing
6. or any other goal an author could have

then self-publishing will get you to that goal fast, more efficiently, more certainly, than pursuing traditional publishing.