The author must create an outline, a synopsis, a rough draft and usually several rounds of revisions, in consultation with an editor.

Depending upon the length of the work and the number of revisions required to perfect the manuscript, as well as your response time to your editors' recommendations, it often takes 3-4 months.

There are many different publishing packages and options available. Today's technology allows self-published books to be released in some cases in as little as 1-3 months. Traditional publishers often take 18 months or longer to release a title.

Yes. You can opt for any and all of the following: hardcover, softcover, e-book and audio book. The more formats your book is available in, the greater your possible readership.

Absolutely. It's best to give the designer a basic concept and let the professionals bring your vision to life.

That's the beauty of self-publishing. You control the rights and to a greater degree, you also control the revenue you derive. You can, however, resell your rights to a traditional publisher if you choose.

Since you own and control the rights, you are free to develop any and all additional properties based on your book if you self-publish. This may include, but is not limited to: articles, stage plays, films, CD's, DVD's, live seminars, teleseminars, webinars, etc.