Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: A Guide for Aspiring Authors

If you are here, we know you are confused. Ready with a manuscript, but confused regarding its final destination, right? We know that.

Choosing between self and traditional publishing is a difficult decision. After all, you need to make an informed choice that guarantees the success of your book.

When considering these routes, both methods have their own benefits and drawbacks. And this blog will delve deeper into each of them. Keep reading to find the method that perfectly fits your preferences!

What Is Traditional Publishing

For ages, authors have been relying on this method. Traditional publishing encompasses a partnership between the best book publishing company in Ireland and the author. The publishing house takes care of the whole publishing process while taking over the rights to your books.

They look after the whole process from production, marketing, distribution, and sales.

Here is what the process involves,

Step 1	You submit the final version of your manuscript and then pitch it to a literary agent.
Step 2	The publishing house purchases the rights to your book and provides you with an advance.
Step 3	They then look after the publishing process from designing, publicity, printing, and distributing.
Step 4	Right after the book starts to sell, the author can earn royalties up to 5- 15 %.

What Is Self-Publishing

If you choose to go for self-publishing, the rights and royalties are all yours. Self-publishing has witnessed a massive growth in recent years. This is because it is a comparatively easier process with fewer barriers as compared to traditional publishing.

Self-publishing involves looking after each step yourself. From editing, proofreading, designing, and marketing, you are responsible for all of it.

Aspiring authors who are planning to self-publish can connect with Ireland’s online book printing & binding service for a hassle-free process.

The steps involve,

Step 1	The author completes a manuscript that is worth publishing.
Step 2	They either hire freelancers or look after the editing and designing process.
Step 3	They select the platforms for marketing your books.
Step 4	The price for the book is decided.
Step 5	They purchase an ISBN for the book. It is necessary for identification.
Step 6	The author decides on a publishing date and self-publishes their book!

Profitable Fact: Depending on your sales, you can receive up to 100 % royalties!

If you are planning to publish an e-book, Ireland’s best e-book publishing company can help you reach millions of digital readers!

Factors You Need To Keep In Mind

By now, you have a clear picture of both publishing pathways. One offers you full independence but with responsibility.

The other one offers professional handling, but at the expense of taking over the rights to your book.

Giving thought to the following questions can help you decide the road map for your manuscript.

1) Can You Market Your Book?

Marketing is the top need for successful publishing. You might have an exceptional story and an eye-catching cover, but if it’s not marketed the right way, then what’s the point?

Traditional publishing	Self-publishing
The publishing company has connections with publicists and advertising agencies. They make sure your book reaches the target audience.	You need to create the hype for your book by building a community on social media and creating an author website.

2) Do You Prefer Taking Control of things?

The book is your months of hard work. Some authors prefer looking after the entire publishing process and use their creative thinking skills at each aspect of the journey.

However, others prefer trusting industry experts and handing over control to them. They are fine with the decisions and changes made by the publishing houses.

Traditional publishing	Self-publishing
Guarantee publishing but can change the book content, decide the pricing, publishing date, and change the format of the book.	You get to decide everything- the books’ cover details, price, and publishing date.

3) Can You Look After The Process?

Book publishing isn’t only about uploading your manuscript to a platform and connecting with readers instantly. The road from writing to successful publishing is full of hurdles!

It involves,

Proofreading and editing
Formatting the book
Printing ( if you are planning to sell hard copies)
Sending a book for reviews
Marketing the book on various channels

Traditional publishing	Self-publishing
Offers you a hassle-free experience by looking after each step.	Requires you to do the job yourself. You will need to work on different skills for the perfect publishing process.

What to Think About Before Choosing the Publishing Method

Now that you know about both publishing techniques, let’s take a look at the main factors that differentiate of them:

Go for self-publishing if you	Go for traditional publishing if you
Want to make all your decisions.	Want to give a free hand to someone else.
Want an instant publishing of your book.	Are ready to face initial rejections, but a successful publishing at the end.
Want to receive up to 70% royalties.	Want to receive about 10% of the royalties.
You want to have all the rights for your book.	You are ready to give up the authority of the book rights to someone else.
Are ready to pay the heavy costs associated with designing, production	Don’t want to pay any extra costs for marketing and distributing.
Prefer getting sales from online book stores.	Want your books to get a spot in physical stores.
Don’t want your book to be submitted for a literary award.	Want your book to get recognized by industry experts and get literary prizes.

FAQS

Is it better to self-publish a book or traditional publish?

No one gets to decide the perfect answer for this question except you. You need to ask yourself what intrigues you the most: control and higher royalty rates or a stress-free process that requires low costs.

Do you make more money self-publishing or with a publisher?

It differs at each stage. Working with a publisher means you don’t need to submit any upfront fees or pay for any production costs. However, the royalty rates earned are low, from 7% to 7-10%. Best-selling authors are also granted an advance bonus.

For self-publishing, you need to invest in the publishing process; however, authors can enjoy 20 to 100% royalties for their lifetime, depending on the sales.

Can self-published books be sold in stores?

Yes. As a self-publishing author, you can sell your book in stores.

Final Word

No matter which method you choose, the publishing journey is long, and it requires effort from the author. As an aspiring author, knowing the details regarding publishing methods is necessary. Now that you have detailed insights regarding both pathways, choose wisely!

By considering factors such as royalties, costs, rights, and timings, you can make a choice that suits you the best.