It’s funny when I talk with someone unfamiliar with the publishing industry. Some of them don’t realize there are different types of publishing. So, let’s pretend we’re all new to this and hopefully answer some of the most asked questions about the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing. And I’ll explain my journey to publication.
Self-Publishing
Someone once asked if self-publishing meant I did everything myself. And I had to say, “Yep, pretty much!” And even if it doesn’t mean I did all the work myself, like my cover for instance, it certainly does mean that I am the one in charge of all the decision making for my work. I run the show. That can be daunting, especially when you are inexperienced or just learning. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of self publishing.
Pros: 1. You are in charge! That means you get to decide what you write. If it’s really important to you to not have any of you story left out, you’ll probably like this aspect of self-publishing. You also get to choose who will edit your book, proofread your book, and design the cover. You can choose where and how you will publish. For example, do you only want ebooks, or do you want physical books too? Making that decision will help you narrow down which platform you’ll use for publishing. Some of the most common are KDP (Amazon), IngramSpark, Draft2Digital and Barnes and Noble Press.
2. You’ll save time. Self-publishing will get your book out to your readers so much faster than traditional publishing will. Most of your timeline with self-publishing is in your control: how fast you write, edit, design, format, and hit publish. We’re talking about years of time you aren’t querying to find an agent, then waiting for said agent to sell your book. Once a traditional publisher agrees to publish, your book will be placed in a long line behind all the other books they need to publish first.
3. You’ll receive higher royalty rates than traditionally published authors. Now don’t get too excited. It’s not THAT much more. As a self-published author, you have to pay for any printing costs too, so it narrows the gap a bit.
4. You will always have the rights to your work. In the traditional publishing industry, your rights can be sold to the publisher to do what they’d like with your book. Use a purchased ISBN and you will be your own publisher.
Cons: 1. You will pay for everything! And I do mean everything. Need a content editor? What about a copy editor? How about a formatter or cover designer? Those things cost money, sometimes a lot of money, and it all comes out of your own pocket. If you’d rather purchase software to help with formatting, for instance, that too will cost you. Running any kind of advertising also adds up quickly. Just be prepared for this by saving your money for publishing like you’d do for any other large purchase you would make. If you are traditionally published, the publisher covers these costs for you.
2. You are your own marketer. Marketing is a huge deal, and probably the one area where writers struggle the most. All social media marketing and content creation is on you unless you hire someone, but then you’re back to con #1. Knowing where to market and how much to spend on advertising is a learning process. You just have to try things and see what works. Marketing yourself can be scary. Most authors would much rather just write, but marketing is a necessity if you want people to know about your book. A traditional publisher has more money to put towards marketing, but they still expect you to do much of the work yourself.
3. It may take a long time to be recognized for your work. Because you are only one person trying to do it all and not a large corporation with resources to help your book become visible to the world, you will likely struggle with fluctuating sales. It will take time to be noticed. You will likely have to exert much effort into placing your books in stores. Traditional publishers can place your books in any store worldwide. To me, that’s the biggest advantage of going with a traditional publisher.
My Story
As a newbie author, my biggest fear has been the marketing aspect. I specifically struggle with promoting myself or my work on social media. It’s been a learning curve for sure, and I’m still learning, but I’m more comfortable with it now. I originally hoped to be traditionally published, but the querying process to find an agent was so long and I wanted to get my book out now, not five years from now. Once I made the decision to stop querying and go with self-publishing, I had a lot to learn. And I still do. One suggestion would be to find some author friends who can answer questions and provide some guidance. I have also found the author community to be very supportive and motivating for each other. Use resources on the internet to help teach you. There are plenty of classes/webinars you can participate in.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. I hope by using the information provided here, it will help make that decision easier for you. Go with your instincts. Follow your heart. I wish you the best of luck!
K. D. C.