Why did Laurence Sterne publish the first two volumes of Tristram Shandy at his own expense?

Laurence Sterne published the first two volumes of Tristram Shandy at his own expense in 1759 after his initial, more sharply satiric version of the novel was rejected by the London printer Robert Dodsley.1

At the time of this rejection, Sterne was facing significant personal turmoil, including the deaths of his mother and uncle, as well as a mental health crisis involving his wife. Despite these hardships, he continued writing the novel, softening the satire and incorporating a more sympathetic, humorous tone. By self-publishing the first two volumes in York, he was able to bring his work to the public, eventually sending half of the imprint to London to be sold. The novel’s subsequent success in London quickly established his fame, leading to a second edition and the publication of further volumes.12