The three publishing options for your book
- Siân Smith
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Knowing you want to write and publish a book is one thing, working out how to get your book published is another.
These days, there are three routes to publishing your book:
1. Traditional
2. Self-publishing
3. Hybrid
There is no ‘right’ way to publish your book. It all depends on the goals for your writing and book, along with your lifestyle and spare time (I know, I know, what’s that??). I advise you go through each of the publishing options in turn, considering the main pros and cons so you can make a decision that suits your personal situation.
Traditional publishing
The details
This is the route most writers think of when they say they want to publish a book: publishing with a huge, world-renown publisher! That would normally mean of the ‘big 5’ publishers in the UK:
Penguin/Random House
Hachette Book Group
Harper Collins
Simon and Schuster
Macmillan
However, don’t forget the independent and smaller publishing presses that also come under this category.
The big question when it comes to publishing your book traditionally is whether you’ll need a literary agent. As a general rule, the bigger the publisher, the more likely you will need a literary agent to get a deal with one. It is possible to get a publishing deal without an agent, such as when publishers run competitions or have open calls for submissions, but this doesn’t happen very often.
Smaller publishers or imprints from larger publishers are less likely to require an agent. One author I know got published after responding to a tweet from an imprint who were after a particular type of book they wanted to publish!
No matter how large the publisher, being traditionally published means you shouldn’t spend a penny to get your book published, though you should be aware there is an increasing expectation for authors to do their own marketing, in addition to the marketing plans of the publisher. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re expected to contribute financially, but it does mean unpaid work.
The pros of traditional publishing
Doesn’t cost you anything
No need to worry about each step of the publishing pros
Knowing your book is the hands of experience professionals
Prestige, especially if you’re given a huge publishing deal with an impressive marketing campaign
Wide distribution networks: the bigger the publisher, the more sway they have with booksellers
If the advance is big enough, it can realise dreams to become a full-time writer and start on the next book while the current book is in production
The cons of traditional publishing
Get ready for rejection!
Draft to publication takes a long time: up to 3 years, but on average around 18 months
Lower rate of royalties
Copyright belongs to publisher, not you
Potential for complicated contracts (use Society of Authors as a starting point, and consider seeking legal advice, whether or not you have an agent)
No choice who you work with (editor, book cover designer, etc.) – but I have heard of plenty wonderful accounts of writers and their editorial team!
Less control over the book, from editing decisions to marketing campaigns –doesn’t mean you have no input whatsoever, but remember you’re part of a publishing business, so many of their decisions and advice will be based on what’s best for the publisher
The bigger the marketing campaign, the busier you’ll be touring the book, which can take its toll
Self-publishing
The details
Self-publishing has been around for longer than you think: Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and Beatrix potter all self-published their books after they were rejected by publishers.
The biggest hurdle to overcome is its tarnished reputation, which has come to be for two reasons: 1) vanity presses: publishers you pay to publish your book who offer no advice, don’t act professionally, and you can end up spending a fortune with no book at the end of it 2) Self-publishing authors who publish their book without any professional input whatsoever, pretty much going straight from a quick spellcheck in Word to publishing.
While there’s technically nothing wrong with a speedy approach or publishing simply to enjoy the creative process of writing, it’s worth bearing in mind that but pretty much every professional author works with an editorial team.
Thankfully, the standards of self-publishing have raised significantly in the past 10 years (the past 5 years especially) thanks to various overlapping factors:
- Authors becoming frustrated by not getting publishing deals but who still want to publish their book.
- These authors don’t just want to publish for the sake of it, they want to publish their book to a high standard to reach as many readers as possible.
- They recognise they need professional help to publish to a high standard and start seeking out editorial professionals.
- More editorial professionals start working with self-publishing authors because they enjoy working 1:1 with authors more, the pay is better, and the workload more flexible.
- Other authors see how good a self-published book can be if they seek help, and see that as a viable route to getting their book published.
- This all creates a wonderful cycle of more authors pursuing self-publishing because more professionals are casting their net to work with self-publishing authors (these days, many freelance editorial staff work with both self-publishing authors and publishers).
The pros of self-publishing
Guaranteed to publish your book
Full control of all editorial decisions and marketing plan
Higher royalties
Publishing timeline to suit your timing and lifestyle (but bear in mind the ideal time of year to publish your book)
Can be quicker than traditional publishing (but a professionally self-published book still takes on average 9 months to publish)
Get to choose who you work with and handpick your publishing team
The cons of self-publishing
Project management: you’re responsible for getting all the publishing ducks in a row and making sure overlapping schedules line up.
Time it takes to find your ideal team – sample edits, book covers, etc. – self-publishing is like running a second business and is likely to leave little time to write your next book
Finding reputable professionals to work with – do your due diligence
It can cost literally nothing, but realistically, publishing a professional book means spending money on at least one step of the editorial process (manuscript appraisal, proofreading, etc.)
Many self-publishing authors self-publish at a loss
You’re responsible for all the marketing – the most difficult part of self-publishing and the most under-estimated
Limited book distribution – it’s not impossible to get your books into book shops, but there will likely be a much smaller uptake
Hybrid publishing
The details
Like self-publishing, this often comes under scrutiny due to vanity presses taking advantage of self-publishing authors. It’s worth bearing in mind that there are sharks out there, but there are also genuine, helpful, and professional hybrid publishers out there too!
A hybrid publisher is more akin to self-publishing, but without the project management, i.e. you pay to publish your book, but through one company rather than individual freelancers.
There are usually a range of services on offer: from all-in, which takes you all the way from editorial assistance to publishing and marketing, to picking the parts of publishing you’re the least sure of, such as typesetting, marketing, or KDP upload assistance.
With the financial outlay being potentially so much higher with this option, it’s vital you do your research on the companies you use – even better if you can find one via recommendation or word of mouth. Pay particular close attention to who owns the copyright to the book, including the book covers, etc.
Some hybrid publishers adopt a traditional publishing model, where they require manuscript submission before they will agree to publish your book. Some even offer either a reduced fee or to fund the entire book themselves if they think it will sell well – a model that starts with manuscript review usually indicates such hybrid publishers have high standards for the books they publish.
Pros of hybrid publishing
Removes stress and time from being in charge of everything
Usually a more flexible timeline than traditional publishing
Can have a wider bookseller distribution if the hybrid publisher has a decent reputation
Cons of hybrid publishing
Usually more expensive than self-publishing with freelancers
Smaller royalties than self-publishing, but bigger than traditional
Unlikely to choose your publishing team
As with a traditional publishing deal, check the contract before you sign
Extra diligence require to avoid scams
Which publishing route should you choose?
I was recently asked if self-publishing is the only realistic option for publishing a book these days. My answer is that it’s not necessarily the only realistic option, it’s just not the only option any more. Self-publishing is far more credible than it used to be, and independent publishers and smaller presses mean you don’t need an agent in order to secure a publishing deal.
A common approach many writers have nowadays is to allow so much time to secure a publishing contract and then self-publish if there’s been no movement: the end result from this approach is knowing your book will definitely get published!
In a similar vein, whether you’re aiming for a publisher, self-publishing, or using a hybrid publisher, approach your book as if you're pursuing a publishing deal from day one. Prepare a detailed outline, conduct market research, hone your writing craft. With all publishing options, do your homework. From contracts with publishers to checking the reputation and quality of work when working with freelancers, you are within your rights to ask questions and not make any assumptions.
And finally, if your traditional publishing goal doesn’t work out, don’t assume self-publishing your first (or first few) book means you won’t ever get a publishing deal. There are plenty of authors who self-published their first book or series of books and then went on to secure impressive publishing deals, including Rosie Hewlett, Colleen Hoover, LJ Ross, Donna Ashworth, David R. Hamilton, Christopher Paolini.
Think of self-publishing as the ultimate practice for writing the book agents and publishers say yes to, using real readers’ reviews to motivate you to write the next one. Enter (and win!) awards to attract the attention of agents and publishers in the future.
Hopefully you can use this post as a starting point to at least clear up the main points of confusion when it comes to choosing and pursuing the publishing route for your book. I cover more about self-publishing in the following posts:
Comments