A lot of upcoming writers struggle with deciding whether to go the traditional route or self-publish their book. It all depends on your unique situation. When choosing between traditional or self-publishing consider both your current situation as well as long term goals. Below I have provided helpful information on both to help you make the right decision.
Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing refers to when you find a publishing company to give you a contract in exchange for rights to your work. The publishing company takes more control over the process and is able to get your book to a broader audience while you get a royalties from the sales.
PROS
- If you win a contract you are paid a quite significant amount of money upfront for your work.
- Traditional publishers give your book even more exposure to a broader audience.
- You do not need a marketing budget or have to worry about gaining exposure because they handle it.
CONS
- Traditional publishers tend to take more royalties
- Traditional publishers have more rights to your book.
- It might be harder to find the right traditional publisher that will be willing to publish your book.
- Traditional publishers also have more power over the production and distribution of your book.
- Traditional publishers may not always even accept your book.
Self-Publishing
If you have the entrepreneurial spirit then self-publishing is for you. As long as you are in touch with the right people(e.g designer, proofreaders, marketers, etc) then your project should turn out great. Also if your project is time sensitive and you need your book ready just in time for the holidays then self publishing is a better option. Just make sure you think long-term and have a feasible plan and budget for marketing the book.
PROS
- Self-publishing gives you more control over the design, formatting, publishing and distribution of your book.
- Publish your book at your own convenience.
- Several self-publishing platforms are available to you such as Kindle, Lulu, KoboBooks, Diggipod, Draft2Digital and Apple iBooks.
CONS
- Might require a bigger marketing budget in order to see results. Unless you already have a large audience of supporters.
- Will require more responsibility.
- If you don’t know much about publishing and don’t know the right people to help you then it can be a waste of time and money.
If you are still indecisive then you can consider doing both. You can start by self-publishing your book then you might eventually be able to win a contract from a traditional publisher.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to publish a book?
It varies, depending on if you are looking to self-publish or traditionally publish your book. Traditional publishing requires no cost, They pay you for rights to your work. For self publishing most of the cost goes into marketing or no one will see what you published. The rest of the cost goes into the design, formatting and proofreading of the book which depends on the size of your book as well as the quality and detail.
Do bookstores sell self published books?
Yes you can get your self-published books into bookstores but you will have to compete with traditionally published books so make sure your book is up to standard.
Does self publishing make money?
Yes, if you invest into marketing your book properly then you should receive a great return on investment. Your book should also be something that people will want to buy and read. If you already have a personal brand or people who value your content then that will also help.
