The Different Paths to Publish Your Book
Publishing a book is a bucket-list item for many of us, and the good news for aspiring authors is that there’s more than one way to make it happen. Especially in the digital age, there are now more paths to publishing than ever before; traditional publishing is not the only game in town.
However, the growing number of publishing options can also complicate the process. With so many ways to get books into the hands’ of readers, how do you figure out the right route to pursue?
First, it helps to understand what the options are, how they differ, and what the pros and cons are for each path. Then, you must get honest with yourself about what’s important to you. A great place to start is with Jane Friedman’s publishing guide, which is updated annually to reflect the changes in the publishing industry. Once you’ve reviewed that, here’s some additional information you may need to make an informed decision about how you want to publish your book.
Traditional Publishing
Often seen as “the only way to publish,” traditional publishing means your book is published through one of the Big 5–Penguin Random House, Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, and McMillian (all of which have imprints). Of course, this is not the only way, just the most well-known. But many writers are most interested in pursuing traditional publishing because getting picked by one of the industry giants can be validating.
To break into traditional publishing, you must first secure an agent by submitting a query letter and a completed manuscript in the case of fiction or a proposal in the case of nonfiction. The agent will then try to sell your book to an editor at one of the publishing houses. If your book sells, you get an advance and work with the team at the publishing house to polish your manuscript.
The publisher handles all the elements of production, including editorial support, cover design and formatting, printing, distribution, etc. But because of this, writers might feel that they lose some control of their stories. For example, the publisher might choose a cover you don’t like, and there’s not much you can do about it.
Another aspect of support comes from the sales and marketing teams. The sales team at the publishing house will get your book into bookstores, libraries, etc. Traditional publishers also have in-house marketing teams, but it is a common misconception that a traditional publishing contract means the writer doesn’t have to do much, if any, of their own marketing. Lately, most writers bear the majority of the work of marketing; only a select few titles per year will get significant marketing support from the publisher.
PROS: Support in many aspects, wide-spread distribution, validation/notoriety, award eligibility, money upfront
CONS: Little marketing support, less control, low chance of earning out advance
University Presses, Small Presses, Other Traditional
These other traditional publishing options also provide editorial support, handle the production for authors, and don’t require you to pay the publisher any money, but there are a few distinct differences between these houses and the Big 5.
One of the most notable differences is that many of these presses do not require you to work through an agent. You can approach them directly with your query and proposal or manuscript. Especially if you have a more niche topic, less commercial work, or an experimental project, you might find more success with these other presses.
These publishers generally do not distribute books as widely; university presses, for example, typically focus on academic markets and libraries. Small presses rarely sell to retailers.
Another important difference of small presses is that they also rarely provide authors an advance. If there is upfront compensation, it’s usually a very small amount. However, sometimes this can work in the author’s favor with better royalty rates.
PROS: Greater potential for less commercial books, may not need an agent (can also be a con because agents handle negotiations and legal concerns), potentially more control, potentially higher royalty rates (small presses), editorial support and production included
CONS: Limited distribution, limited or no marketing support, potentially no advance (small presses)
Indie or Self-Publishing
Self-publishing differs from traditional publishing in a couple of main ways. Notably, as the name implies, you have much more control of your process and product with self-publishing. Also, depending on your approach, you may be able to retain a higher portion of money from your book sales. What many people don’t know is that in the self-publishing space, there are two options: managing all aspects of publishing yourself or working with a hybrid publisher that assists with production tasks.
The do-it-yourself method of self-publishing has become increasingly more popular, and for some authors, it’s incredibly lucrative. It requires a high investment of time and resources upfront because the writer manages all aspects of the publishing process and pays for help, but because the writer retains full control of their work, they can also make more money.
Typically, self-published authors hire their own editors, cover designers, formatters, etc. or they figure out how to do these tasks themselves. They are also fully responsible for marketing and distribution. The most common place where self-published writers sell their books is on online platforms like Amazon KDP, Nook Press, Kubo, Apple Books; it is much harder for them to get their books in brick-and-mortar stores.
It’s important to note that the indie publishing route has had a stigma around it for producing “lower-quality” books. Some people believe this because the work does not have to be vetted through agents and editors–and truthfully, anyone can publish through these channels–however, writers are working to change that perception.
PROS: Complete control over your work and the publishing process, no gatekeeper restricting what you publish, potential for higher earnings
CONS: Requires higher investment of time and money upfront, difficult to get in-store distribution, generally ineligible for awards, stigma
Hybrid Publishing
The elephant in the room: there are a lot of misconceptions about hybrid publishing, and many people believe it’s the same thing as vanity publishing because they both involve paying a company a significant sum to publish your book. Within the industry, the debate continues about the distinction between hybrid and vanity. While it is true that hybrid publishers require writers to pay for their assistance, in return, they promise editorial and production support. In a way, hybrid publishers consolidate all the tasks that self-published authors do themselves or pay freelancers to do.
When working with a hybrid publisher, writers typically have more control than they would with a traditional publisher, but often less control if they published on their own. There are some hybrid publishers, like She Writes Press (Author Accelerator has a partnership with this company) that have high editorial standards, so they are selective about the books they acquire and have more input into the final product.
Outside of editorial and production support, some hybrid publishers may offer marketing and distribution services. These will, of course, come with an additional price tag. It’s also important to note that the writer will still wind up doing most of their own marketing, and hybrid published books rarely get significant in-store distribution.
The major drawback of hybrid publishing is that it can come with a high price tag–higher than self-publishing. And many authors who work with a hybrid publisher do not make a profit. Additionally, this route is more prone to bad actors, or companies pretending to offer reputable publishing services without providing enough support in return to justify the tens of thousands of dollars they charge writers. If you decide to pursue hybrid publishing, you want to be diligent in researching and vetting companies to make the best choice.
PROS: Potential to retain more control and profit than traditional publishing, can save some time and stress by outsourcing parts of the publishing process, can receive editorial (and additional) support
CONS: High upfront cost (that is often not recouped), potential for fraud, stigma
Ultimately, there' is no single “right” way to publish your book.
When it comes to getting books in the hands of readers, there are several viable paths. Choosing the right one for you often depends on your priorities and resources.
To decide how you want to publish, consider how important control of your work is (or isn’t) to you, as well as whether you’re willing to invest time and money in activities that aren’t writing. You should also consider if the validation of being “chosen” is important to you (which is completely valid and true for a lot of authors)--this doesn’t just mean being acquired by a traditional publisher, but also being eligible for awards. Additionally, ask yourself what your financial and career goals are.
And if you’d like more support to reach your publishing goals, working with an Author Accelerator certified book coach can help you plan, draft, and revise your manuscript or proposal, as well as develop your query materials and pitch plan.
