Has anyone published a novel? Finalizing a manuscript...

[Mark S.]

Self-published books that have found a large audience are still the exception rather than the rule, and probably will be for a long time to come. My brother-in-law self-published on Amazon. So far, he's sold 8 copies (all but 1 of them from family members).

Don't forget that the root of publishing is "publicizing." If you want a career as a writer, then a publisher is still the way to go.

Write the best book you can, then send it to a reputable agent. A good agent will find the right publisher for you.

[mia25]

True. And marketing for the self-publisher is pretty expensive and time-consuming today. Whether or not one's book becomes successful probably depends also on the timing of the book's release (and the subject matter/genre). A friend told me this is a great time for my book on race relations to be published, with Obama as the president and all.
Not to turn this into a political debate or anything