There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to whether you should self-publish or traditionally publish your book. The publishing process looks different for every author and for each book. You can even self-publish one book and then traditionally publish another.
Let’s explore the two main types of publishing and their pros and cons. Then, you can make an informed decision on how you want to proceed.
Traditional Publishing
With traditional publishing, the author finishes their manuscript—or in some cases, writes a proposal and sample pages—and begins querying literary agents for representation. If picked up by an agent, the agent will then begin pitching the book to major publishing houses.
The author may also opt to approach smaller publishers directly without an agent.
If a publisher likes the manuscript, they’ll make an offer, and a contract will be negotiated.
Then, an editor at the publishing house will work with the author to improve the book. The publisher will also have the cover design and interior design completed.
The publisher’s PR, marketing, and sales teams will work to generate interest in the book, and it will be released to bookstores and online retailers.
Pros
Traditional publishing doesn’t cost the author anything. Your agent works for commission on future sales, and the publisher pays you. (Not the other way around—if a publisher asks you for money, run!)
Authors are paid an advance, which can range from negligible amounts to thousands of dollars. Authors are also paid royalties on each book sold, which they begin to receive after the book has earned out the advance.
Your book will be available in brick-and-mortar bookstores.
Cons
It is very difficult to be picked up by a major publisher, or any publisher at all. For some niches, it is nearly impossible unless you are widely-renowned in that area and have a large platform already.
If your book is selected by an agent, the path to publishing can be very slow. It can take several months to over a year for your book to be published after being picked up.
When you sign a contract with a traditional publisher, you lose some or all of the rights to your work. This means you cannot use, sell, or republish any of the material elsewhere. In many cases, the publisher will also have the film and audio rights to your book.
With traditional publishing, you have less control over your work. The publisher’s editor may make changes you disagree with, and the publisher may choose a title and cover that you don’t love.
Self-Publishing
With self-publishing, the author finishes their manuscript and hires an editor. Or, they may opt to work with an editor or writing coach while working on their manuscript. Some authors choose to self-edit on their own, but this is not advisable when self-publishing.
Then, the author has a cover designed and the interior of the book laid out.
The author chooses the marketplaces they will publish their book through, such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), and sets their price points.
If desired, the author records or hires a voice actor to record an audiobook version.
Finally, the author markets and promotes their book.
Pros
Self-publishing is much faster than traditional publishing, and you typically earn a higher royalty percentage per book sold.
You retain full creative control over your book. Sure, your editor will suggest changes, but you don’t have to accept them if you don’t agree. If you don’t like the options your cover designer sends you, you can request new versions or modifications until you land on a cover you love.
You also retain the rights to your book and can use excerpts from it in your marketing materials and brand promotion. *Quick note: Be sure to review the guidelines of your chosen self-publishing platform to ensure you are aware of any restrictions. For example, if you use KDP and choose to enroll your book in the KDP Select program, there are some restrictions on how much of your book can be available for free online.
Traditional publishers typically market your book before its release and in the months after, but then much less or even not at all (depending on your contract). Conversely, with self-publishing, you can continue to promote your book forever.
You can still be picked up by a traditional publisher later on. In fact, if you build up a reader base, you’ll have a much greater chance of success when querying literary agents on your next book.
Depending on your book’s genre and length, self-publishing may be the only path for getting your book into your readers’ hands. Nonfiction, in particular, is very difficult to get published traditionally unless you already have established credibility as one of the world’s top experts in your field.
Cons
Your book will not be available in most brick-and-mortar bookstores unless you approach these stores directly and make deals with them. It will be primarily sold online. But keep in mind that online sales make up for almost three-quarters of all book sales.
Self-publishing can be costly, and you will have to pay for these costs upfront before seeing any earnings. You’ll need to hire an editor and cover designer, and you may also need a layout designer, depending on your knowledge of book formatting and your chosen formatting software.
You’ll likely also spend some money on marketing your book, especially if you don’t have an established platform and audience. Marketing on your own can be difficult, so you’ll need to evaluate how capable you are at self-promotion or if it is within your budget to pay for help with marketing. How many books you sell will be largely dependent on your marketing.
Writing a book is a huge feat and something you should be incredibly proud of. However you choose to publish, what matters is that you get your story out there. To learn how Aha! Editorial can help you with the writing or editing process, book a free consultation.
Owner of Aha! Editorial
Let’s talk about your writing project: https://calendly.com/ashlyn-ahaeditorial
