This topic has been written about almost as many times as Kanye West has stormed up on stage and discredited another artist, but for the author that has just started their journey into publishing, there are some very important considerations when deciding which route is best for you.
First, let’s acknowledge that self-publishing can sometimes refer to the process of using print-on-demand and open-to-all eBook platforms. Using this definition, many small publishers are essentially “self-publishers” who work with other authors. While they technically fall under the concept of a traditional publisher in the sense that they are going to divvy out royalties and sign contracts with authors, they are essentially using the same methods an author would use if they attempted to publish on their own. For our purposes here, we will still refer to these small publishers as traditional publishers, but we need to understand that they do not typically sit in the same market space as a much larger traditional publisher.
Allow me to also admit upfront that I specialize in self-publishing services and consultation as a career, and I have championed self-publishing in many ways since before it became as “acceptable” in the publishing industry as it is today. Regardless, I strive to give honest information and not necessarily sway you against the route of traditional publishing, as both methods have their merits. It truly is about what is right for you, your book, and your goals.
In this first post about the two publishing options, let's explore some direct comparisons between the two methods.
Timing
Traditional publishing is plagued by long periods of waiting. Responses may take as long as six months to a year after submission, often to only have your book rejected. It can sometimes take years to have a book published.
Self-publishing has no wait time for acceptance and no chance of rejection. Books can literally be published within a couple of weeks time, though I would say the process is usually much longer. (Definitely don't rush just because you can!)
Author's Cost of Publication
With traditional publishing, the author will generally only be out of the cost of postage supplies and ink. However, author's sometimes need to pay for the services of a literary agent, either upfront or as a percentage of their royalties.
Self-publishing means the author will either have to spend their own money or become skilled at the processes themselves. It is technically possible to publish with almost no budget with the right skill set, but it can take years to learn these skills adequately to produce high-quality books. The cost of hiring help can vary greatly depending on the size of the project and the level of quality you're seeking.
Professional Help
One benefit of traditional publishing with a major publisher is that it almost always comes with an entire team of professionals who will edit, proofread, design your book’s interior, design your book’s cover, and follow through on printing and distribution. Marketing is generally covered by the publisher. With a large publisher, this is a huge benefit. The author often still plays a major role, though, and I've had clients come from major publishing contracts to self-publishing because they felt as though the publisher didn't do much to create buzz around their books anyway. A small publisher may not provide very high-end attention to your book, and you should always try to take a look at the quality of their previous releases to get an idea of how they operate.
With self-publishing, you will have to decide which parts of the process you can handle yourself and which parts you will need to hire help to handle. An author on a budget may not be able to afford anything near the type of team a larger publisher can put together. Marketing is left up to the author or hired help, which can be a major drawback to self-publishing and easily one of the largest challenges.
Royalties (Getting Paid for Sales)
With traditional publishers, royalties are commonly 8-15% of book sales, though it can vary pretty widely. Sometimes there is an advance on royalties, but you won’t receive any additional payments until this is repaid through sales. However, if the book doesn't perform as well as expected, you owe nothing.
With self-publishing, royalties are generally 40-70% (40% for print, 60-70% for eBooks), though sometimes less in certain cases. However, in comparison to a large publisher, lower sales can sometimes mean that the profit isn’t actually better. However, when a book does perform well, you keep a much larger piece of the pie.
Artistic and Creative Freedom
With a traditional publisher, you may have to compromise some artistic preferences. You will almost always lose some control, especially as a newcomer to the industry. In some situations, this is not for the worst, and the creative team that works with your publisher will actually help you improve upon your great ideas.
With self-publishing, as long as it’s not illegal and doesn’t violate the terms of services of your publishing platforms, you can do whatever you want with your writing or art. Use that poetic license or hire some help to polish it up. It's up to you!
Rights to Your Work
With a publishing contract, you may have to give up certain rights to your book, usually for a predetermined amount of time. Pay close attention to these clauses when considering a publishing contract. Be wary of things that are too good to be true!
With self-publishing, you almost always retain all rights to your work and can republish, repurpose, and do anything you want with your content in the future, even if that means shopping it out to traditional publishers later (though some won't want previously published work).
Distribution
Traditional publishing lands you a better shot of your book being available in brick-and-mortar locations in addition to all of the usual online markets. This is truer if you work with much larger publishers. Smaller publishers may not be able to help you achieve this goal.
With self-publishing, your book probably isn’t going to be in brick-and-mortar locations. It is possible, but it usually isn't worth all the extra work since most of your sales are likely to come from online retailers anyway. However, you can effectively reach all major online markets without much issue. Considering Amazon is the world's largest bookseller, that isn't as minuscule as it may sound.
Availability
Working with a traditional publisher, your book may go out of distribution if it doesn’t sell often enough. It may eventually go out of print entirely, even before your contract is over.
With self-publishing, though, your book can theoretically remain in print and digital formats indefinitely, even if you only sell a handful of copies per year.
Going Defunct
Smaller traditional publishers come and go quite frequently, often leaving a trail of unhappy authors that never saw a dime even if the publisher often meant well in the beginning.
As a self-published author, you run the risk of self-sabotage either from lack of knowledge, lack of motivation, and/or lack of a support system that can truly help you reach your goals. Your intentions may have been there at the start, but execution is a lot more than good intentions. Unfortunately, being a good writer isn't the only thing that matters! This can be overcome, though, especially with the right help!
Can You Trust Your Publisher?
There are a huge amount of “traditional publishers” that are actually just “vanity publishers” that seek to make money off of their authors and their families with bogus claims. An overzealous first-time author may be prone to getting swindled. If you're unsure, contact me! I give free scam checks.
The major publishers may not be scamming you exactly, but even if they are interested, they may not offer you the best deals, especially as a relatively unknown author.
If you are your own publisher, you can at least rest easy knowing that you aren't out to take advantage of yourself.
Will The Book Sell?
Despite the competitiveness of the industry, very large traditional publishers have the money, network, and knowledge to put your book where it needs to be to reach the desired audience. However, anecdotally speaking, I've had clients who came from traditional publishing say that their publisher didn't really put much effort into sales, and it can be a bit case by case.
Self-publishing has created a book market that has more books coming out per year than future readers being born! (Don't quote me on that.) These books often never go out of print, so the competition can be very stiff and very much saturated. This is true of traditionally published books, too, though, so it shouldn’t be reason enough to avoid self-publishing.
Traditional publishing might help you make a ton of sales, but in self-publishing, the sales driver is typically the author or company involved.
Published?
With either method, you become a published author, and with that comes a sense of pride and a level of credibility that helps to situate you as a writer or an authority in your field.
This comparison barely scratches the surface of the discussion you must have with yourself if you're debating how to move forward with your book or book ideas.
In Part 2, I'll discuss traditional publishing at more length. I'll try my best not to discourage anyone away from this method, but of course, I'm a huge supporter of independent publishing and authors retaining control of their own work.
Robert Henry,
Right Hand Publishing
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