Traditional vs Self-Publishing

I remember when I finished the final draft of my novel—I was a mix-mash of emotions ranging from pride, excitement to terror. The terror being…yikes, how do I get my book into reader’s hands? Do I tackle the traditional route of trying to find a publisher or, do I opt for self-publishing? 

What’s the difference between traditional and self-publishing?
​Simply put, traditional publishing is when an author does not pay to publish their work and self-publishing is when an author pays to publish their work.
Before you can make a well-informed decision about which pathway you would like to take, I recommend that you consider the following:
Pros and Cons of a Traditional Publisher
Cons

1. You need to do your homework, and this takes time—you may have a fantastic manuscript, but you can’t send it to just anyone. You need to develop a target list based on which publishers publish the genre of your book. For example, if your book is Sci-Fi you wouldn’t send it to a publisher whose focus is romance and historical fiction. You must be STRATEGIC in your quest. 
2. Patience, patience and more patience—once you’ve figured out who to send your manuscript to, the reality is your book will not be in reader’s hands in 6 months (I know! that seems like a long time). After you’ve developed your query letter and sent it to a publisher it may take months before they even request a full manuscript to read, months before it’s read. AND if accepted, the manuscript will need to be edited and proof read. AND, depending on where the publishing house is in their production cycle it may take even more months before the book hits the world. If you’ve been adding…these months can turn into years.
3. Thick Skin—you have poured your heart and soul into your work and you receive your first rejection…it hurts. You receive the second…it hurts. And, there’s a good chance there will be a few more rejections…and they’ll hurt too. But don’t let it stop you from querying other publishers. Can you imagine rejecting Harry Potter?! JK Rowling’s Harry Potter pitch was rejected 12 times and Stephen King’s novel Carrie 30 times. Just knowing this gave me tremendous hope.
4. Agent—to get your work to the big publishers you need an agent to submit on your behalf. Securing an agent may be more challenging than finding a traditional publisher. According to The Writer’s Union of Canada 80% of books published in Canada are non-agented.
5. Determined—well, that goes without saying as you’ve read all the previous points.

Pros

1. Publisher driven—the publisher bares the costs; this includes editing, design, print-run and some marketing.
2. Access to industry expertise--traditional publishing houses have the best editors, copy-editors, proof readers, designers and marketers all of which equals a well-polished, high quality product.
3. Logistics--the publisher handles the distribution.
4. Legitimacy & Prestige—your book has been accepted by the publisher based on its merit, which gives the author credibility in the industry. Your book is also eligible for literary awards.

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Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing
Cons

1. The author bares the entire cost. This includes: creation, editing, design, production, marketing, distribution (that said the option of e-Books does make the latter much easier) and sales. Ensure you have done your research so there are no surprises.
2. If you do not invest in your product a self-published book will not appear professional and polished. Due to the popularity of self-publishing more companies are tapping into this success by offering professional services to support self-publishers in their publishing journey. Go with a reputable company and ensure your book has been professionally edited.
3. Although, there are some successful self-publishing projects the majority are not commercially successful. Most self-published books are sold to family and friends. One of the most successful is EL James the author of Fifty Shades of Gray. Her trilogy has sold more than a whopping 70 million copies. She developed a fan following by writing stories and publishing them on her website. Then she self-published through a small Australian company which released Fifty Shades as an eBook and print-on demand. Her fans went crazy, the rights were acquired by Vintage Books and the rest is movie history.

 Pros

1. Offers a flexible alternative for writers in that they may bring a book to life that a traditional publisher will not pick up. This is also a great vehicle for personal passion projects such as a memoir, a family history or an author who feels they cannot wait any longer for a traditional publisher to bring their book to life.
2. Short time frame. Depending on your company of choice you could have an eBook out in the world in 5 months or print in 6 months.
3. The process is author driven—you have full creative control over your work. No compromises! It’s your vision that comes to life in the cover design, layout as well as the content.  

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The Next Step 
How you decide to take your book to the next level is a very personal decision. One that is made on what it is you as a writer want to accomplish. When I was up to my eyeballs in rejection with my first novel (over 100) and time was tick-tick-ticking away MANY people voiced their opinion that I was crazy not to venture into the self-publishing world. For me, at the time, the decision was based on my priorities and that being I wanted the credibility of a traditional publishing house behind me—I was willing to slug it out and wait.

For those who are considering self-publishing, do your research and if you move in this direction do so with realistic expectations. I am confident you will be marketing the beejeepers out of your work while many other author’s manuscripts (such as mine) are still sitting in the slush pile.

Choose the pathway that is best for you. They are both great options. Best wishes in your literary journey.

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