Traditional Publishing VS Self Publishing: Which one is right for you?

Since I started learning about marketing and publishing in writing, I've come across many different opinions. I believe that writers should follow their own path, but having worked in corporate, I understand the importance of business strategy, which applies to the writing industry too.

Here's a quick rundown of what I've learned about traditional versus self-publishing. I'm not a publisher or a writing industry expert; these are just things I've picked up as I've gotten more serious about my writing. Remember, it's important to do what feels right for you, but staying informed helps you make the best decisions for your goals.

Traditional VS Self Publishing Main Differences

Traditional publishing involves partnering with established publishing houses. In this route, the publisher handles editing, design, printing, marketing, and distribution, often providing an advance to you as the author. The process can be competitive, requiring agents and the submission of manuscripts, with publishers often having significant control over the final product.

Self-publishing, on the other hand, gives you full control over every aspect of your book, from writing to marketing. You can use platforms like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing to reach your audience directly. While this path demands more personal investment in terms of time, effort, and sometimes money, it also offers higher royalties per book and faster publication timelines.

Writing To Market

In traditional publishing, writing to market often involves closely monitoring industry trends and reader demands, as publishers seek books they believe will sell well based on current market data. You might adjust your themes, genres, or writing styles to align with what publishers are looking for. This approach can increase the likelihood of securing a publishing deal, as publishers typically prefer books that fit into popular, marketable categories.

In self-publishing, writing to market still focuses on creating content that appeals to existing reader preferences, but you have more flexibility and direct control. You can quickly adapt to changing trends and directly target niche markets or specific reader demographics. Self-publishers can also experiment more freely with genres and themes that might not be mainstream or traditionally marketable, using direct marketing and social media to reach their audience.

In both cases, writing to market requires a balance between following trends and maintaining your unique voice and style. The key difference is in the level of direct control.

Rejection: Only In Traditional Publishing?

In traditional publishing, rejection often comes in the form of declined manuscript submissions. You might face plenty of rejections from agents or publishers before finding the right fit for your work. This process can be discouraging, but it's a typical part of the journey towards publication in the traditional path.

In self-publishing, you bypass the gatekeeping of agents and publishers, but rejection takes on a different form. It can present as lack of reader engagement or poor sales. You might find that your book isn't gaining the traction you hoped for, which can feel like a form of rejection from the market itself.

In both paths, it's important for you to view rejection as an opportunity for growth and learning. Resilience is a key trait for any successful writer. However, you may be able to handle one type of rejection better than the other. This can guide you towards the best publishing route for you.

Putting In The Effort

In traditional publishing, your effort is primarily focused on perfecting your manuscript and navigating the submission process. You’ll spend considerable time researching agents and publishers, tailoring your submissions to their preferences, and often revising your work based on feedback. Once signed, the publisher takes on the bulk of production and marketing, but you'll still be involved in promotion activities, such as book tours or social media engagement.

In self-publishing, the effort extends beyond writing the manuscript. You’re responsible for the entire publishing process, including editing, cover design, formatting, and distribution. Marketing your book also falls entirely on you. This means you’ll need to invest time in learning various skills, from graphic design to online marketing, or hiring professionals to handle this. Self-publishing can offer more control, but it requires a significant investment of time and energy in areas outside of writing.

Both paths require dedication, but the nature of the effort differs. In traditional publishing, the focus is on writing and navigating the publishing industry, while in self-publishing, it's about managing every step of the process yourself.

Choosing The Right Path

If you prefer to focus solely on writing and are comfortable navigating the submission process and potential rejections from publishers, traditional publishing might be your path. It offers the support of a publishing house for editing, design, and marketing, but often at the expense of creative control and profits.

On the other hand, if you value complete creative control and are willing to invest time and effort into not just writing, but also editing, marketing, and managing sales, self-publishing could be more rewarding. It demands more hands-on involvement but offers higher royalties and faster publication.

To make the right choice, reflect on what aspects of publishing you are passionate about, your personal goals as a writer, and how much effort you're willing to invest in areas beyond writing. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. Your unique preferences and circumstances will guide you to the path that's best for you. Personally, I still haven't figured out which route I will take... but I'm sure I will have a better idea once I am close to finishing my WIP.