Is It Easy to Book Self Publish Today?

Has anyone tried to book self publish recently and actually navigated the process smoothly? There are so many platforms, formatting requirements, and marketing decisions how do you know which approach works best? Is it better to focus on digital releases first, or print copies? I’m curious about real experiences from authors who have gone through self-publishing. What challenges did you face, and what advice would you give to someone looking to self-publish their book successfully?