> Then why write a book? Because it's (mostly) a fun hobby. Writing the novel or poem can be great fun and great annoyance both at the same time. Self-publishi

> Then why write a book? Because it's (mostly) a fun hobby. Writing the novel or poem can be great fun and great annoyance both at the same time. Self-publishing the book is a whole different sort of adventure, but the pleasure of getting a printed copy of my words in book format ... it's a special, very happy feeling. And afterwards? I don't get many reviews of my work, but it's always fun to read them - even the more negative ones: it demonstrates that my words have reached out to a complete stranger and, somehow, affected them in ways that compelled them to write and post a review. > Why not write and format as blog posts instead? Or for poetry, a single entry for each poem? Both are good alternatives. And, yes, I've done (and do) both in a variety of online venues. Collaborative writing can also be fun. > Why use PDFs instead of a format that allows people to bookmark individual pages, and for search engines to index individual chapters? The online venue I use for self-publishing[1] converts manuscripts to .epub, .mobi and .pdf versions - all of which can be downloaded from my website. Other self-pub venues offer similar services. [1] Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/ https://www.smashwords.com/