How do you decide whether to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing for your book, and what factors influence your decision?

For me, the decision has always been straightforward because I prefer to have complete control over elements like cover design, editorial services, marketing, and retaining the rights to my manuscript. Traditional publishing involves relinquishing some of that control to publishers, who make many of these decisions on your behalf.

With self-publishing, you typically earn higher royalties, while traditional publishing offers lower royalties but the potential for greater earnings if your book achieves high sales. Ultimately, the choice depends on what an author values and what aligns best with their goals.

Personally, self-publishing has always been the best fit for me. One advantage of traditional publishing is easier access to bookstores, while self-publishing thrives on platforms like Amazon. However, getting your self-published book into bookstores often requires additional effort, as you'll handle most of the legwork yourself.

I've helped a lot of writers think through this. Here are some things to consider.

1. You can always test the waters before you make the ultimate decision. Putting together a query letter and sending it to agents to see if there's any excitement over your work doesn't cost anything. If you've always thought about getting a publishing deal, go ahead and try. However, note that it's such a competitive market, and in my opinion, a publishing company or agent's choice to accept your work doesn't just come down to if the work is good but rather if they think you can help with the marketing. Unless you're approached by an agent, got some inside track (like you're an expert that is sought out in your field), or have successfully sold books you've self-published it is probably going to be hard to get picked up. Taking a few months and testing the waters though won't cost you anything but time.

2. Brace yourself, even if you are offered a publishing deal, it may not be a great one. I've self-published three books, my book that is geared toward a niche market, I hardly marketed at all and it outsells the books of some of my friends with publishing deals. The crazy thing is that I only put in about $300 into getting it self-published and put on Amazon. Find out what writers in your desired category are making with or without publishing deals.

3. Lots of publishers will expect you to help market your book. They want to know what kind of audience you have that you can appeal to for sales and what your marketing strategy would be. Most have outlets where they will publicize your work, but I'd want to know how effective these outlets are, or are they expecting you to carry most of the marketing weight while giving up a large chunk of the royalties to them. 

4. Keep your eyes open! There's an entire industry built around providing services to authors, whether they are needed services or not. Do your homework, send someone like me a message before spending large sums of money on services you aren't sure about. Lots of us on Fiverr will be glad to answer questions for free. We want to help. If you self-publish it should not cost you several thousand dollars to do so. You also probably don't need to buy a fancy package from some self-publishing company. You're better off working with experts on sites like Fiverr.

5. Go slow. Take your time in deciding how you want to move forward. Rushing rarely leads to good decisions.

When it comes to self-publishing, there are several compelling reasons why it might be the best choice for many authors:

Complete Control: Self-publishing lets me retain full control over the entire process. I decide on the cover design, formatting, and the content without any external influences. This creative freedom allows me to stay true to my vision.

Higher Royalties: Self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP offer higher royalty rates, meaning I keep a larger share of the profits. This can be financially rewarding, especially if I have a solid marketing plan.

Faster Time to Market: With self-publishing, I don’t have to wait through long submission and approval processes. I can publish my book as soon as it’s ready, which is great for capitalizing on current trends or getting my work out quickly.

Direct Relationship with Readers: Self-publishing allows me to build a direct relationship with my readers. I can engage with them through social media, newsletters, and author websites, creating a loyal fan base that follows my work.

Flexibility and Iteration: I can update my book anytime I want, whether it's fixing a typo or adding new content. This flexibility is especially useful for non-fiction works that need to stay current or for authors who want to respond to reader feedback.

Overall, self-publishing gives me the autonomy and potential for higher earnings, along with a more personalized connection with my readers.

Deciding between self-publishing and traditional publishing depends on your goals, resources, and preferences as an author. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors to consider:

1. Goals for Your Book

• Creative Control: Self-publishing allows full creative freedom over your content, cover design, and marketing. Traditional publishing often requires compromise as publishers may request changes to align with market trends.

• Speed to Market: Self-publishing lets you release your book quickly, often within weeks or months. Traditional publishing can take 1-2 years from signing a contract to release.

2. Financial Considerations

• Upfront Costs: Self-publishing requires you to cover editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing expenses. Traditional publishing typically doesn’t require upfront costs, as the publisher covers production and distribution.

• Royalties: Self-publishing generally offers higher royalties (e.g., 70% on platforms like Amazon KDP). Traditional publishing provides smaller royalties (typically 5-15%) but may include an advance.

3. Distribution and Reach

• Wide Distribution: Traditional publishers have established distribution networks to get your book into physical bookstores and libraries. Self-published authors may struggle to achieve this unless they use hybrid publishing or partner with distributors.

• Global Reach: Self-publishing platforms (e.g., Amazon, IngramSpark) enable worldwide digital and print-on-demand distribution.

4. Marketing and Promotion

• Support: Traditional publishers may provide marketing, but authors are increasingly expected to promote their own books. Self-publishing puts all marketing responsibility on you.

• Platform: If you have a strong author platform (e.g., social media following, email list), you may find self-publishing more viable.

5. Validation and Credibility

• Industry Recognition: A traditional publishing deal can enhance credibility, making it easier to secure media coverage, literary awards, or speaking engagements.

• Independence: Self-publishing is a great option for niche genres or experimental projects where traditional publishers may not see a large market.

6. Control Over Rights

• Ownership: In self-publishing, you retain full rights to your work, giving you control over adaptations and reprints. Traditional publishers often require you to sign over some or all rights for the duration of your contract.

7. Time and Effort

• Learning Curve: Self-publishing requires learning about book production, marketing, and sales. If you’re not interested in handling these aspects, traditional publishing may be better.

Decision-Making Tips

• Define Success: Are you writing to reach the largest possible audience, achieve a personal milestone, or generate income? Your answer will guide your choice.

• Research Publishers: If considering traditional publishing, research agents and publishers to see if they align with your book’s genre and goals.

• Experiment: Some authors try both routes, using traditional publishing for some works and self-publishing for others.

Ultimately, the decision hinges on how much control, effort, and financial investment you’re willing to take on and what you hope to achieve with your book.

Traditional publishing vs. self-publishing. This is one of the first questions my clients ask me about. How to decide depends on your final goals for publishing like when you want to publish, how many readers you want to reach, and where you will go from there as an author. 

1. I want to be a New York Times bestseller (and reach the largest possible amount of readers). Then, traditional publishing is your best bet. A traditional publisher will be able to push your book into the most available markets and give you the best chance to become a bestseller. THAT SAID: There have been books that started out self-published and then got picked up by a publisher because of their success. Your Erroneous Zones by Dr. Wayne Dyre and Chicken Soup for the Soul are two examples. 
2. I want to publish within the next year. Then, self-publishing may be your best bet. Traditional publishers take 12-18 months and even up to 2 years to publish after your manuscript is complete. Another option is signing with an independent publisher. They can often get your book out there pretty fast.
3. I want to publish a book quickly to share my expertise. Self-publishing may be for you. You can pop your book on Amazon and set up a digital copy for your website. The options are endless. At the same time, traditional publishing can also be a great way to go if "quickly" could mean 1-3 years. For this one, timeline is a huge factor, as is your sphere of influence. Can you sell a bunch of books on your own through your email list, social media channels, current client or student roster? Self-publishing when you already have readers waiting can be very rewarding. Speaking of audience...
4. I have a robust email list, social media presence, or student roster. Traditional publishers look for this! Yes, they have marketing teams, but they want to be assured that your book will sell 5000 copies. Why? Because most books do not sell even 1000 copies in their entire lifetime. The bigger your existing audience, the better. 
5. I don't care about being famous or selling a lot; I just want to share my story. Self-publishing is your best bet. You have no one to answer to, no metrics to hit. If this is you, there is still one thing to consider... I ask this question to every author who tells me they don't care how many books they sell: How many people do you want to benefit from your story? This makes authors think about selling books as a SERVICE rather than a way to greed or gain. If you have a story to tell, COUNTLESS readers will benefit! Don't sell yourself or your book short by laying low or playing small.

Hey there! 

We've answered this question a lot over the years on Fiverr, and at The Stardust Experience, and we've worked with clients who have gone on to self-publish, and we've worked with clients who have their had their work traditional published too 

Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing:

Both self-publishing and traditional publishing have their pros and cons, so it's good to really weigh up the options and consider what would work better for you:

Self-Publishing:

Control: With self-publishing, you retain full creative control over your book, including the cover design, illustrations, and distribution channels.

Timeline: Self-publishing allows for a quicker release since you don't need to go through the traditional publishing process.

Cost: After you’ve finished with TSE, you'll have to invest in editing, formatting, cover design, and marketing, but you keep a higher percentage of the book's royalties.

With self-publishing, the entry to market is whenever you're ready, you can publish via Amazon, Ingram Spark, Publish Drive, etc, and you usually get at least 60% of the profits from print copes and around 80% of the profits from ebooks.

The main barrier in self-publishing is that  you need to have a marketing plan otherwise, if just left on Amazon, you'll sell a couple of copies per month and make a pittance. There are Amazon ads, social media ads, Google Ads to book landing pages, Mums groups and Facebook pages, links with businesses that might have an interest in your topic, having your own website, doing talks and readings at schools or your local library - there's a lot of things you can do to gain traffic.

I would, however, recommend finding a freelance marketer or advertising expert to help you craft some ads, copy and a bit of a plan. This is the part most self-publishing authors don't do. They try to do it all themselves - but really, someone with years of industry experience will be able to do this way better than they ever could.

Traditional Publishing:

*Please note that submitting a children's book manuscript to publishers usually does not require illustrations upfront. Publishers often prefer to pair your story with an illustrator themselves, ensuring a cohesive artistic vision for the book.

Expertise: Traditional publishers have experience in the industry and can get your book and your name in front of far more readers and can build a stronger reputation for you as an author. They also deal with all of the editing, marketing, and distribution.

Reach: Established publishers have a wider distribution network, potentially getting your book into more bookstores and libraries.

Validation: Being published by a reputable publisher can enhance your reputation and your book's credibility.

Less responsibility: All you have to do is provide the manuscript and they take care of everything else. As much as you will only get around 10% royalties compared to the 50%+ you get with self-publishing, not having to worry about all of the semantics of design, reach, marketing - and taking very little risk yourself can make this easier.

Traditional publishing takes much, much longer (sometimes over a year just to hear from a literary agent to even represent you - and each agent is sent literally thousands of books per month and take on less than ten) and you stand to make far less and it's harder to actually get into the market - but, on the bright side, they do deal with all of the marketing, publishing, logistics, developmental editing and copy/line editing, too. As well as this, the level of exposure and visibility for you as an author is also higher. 

Financially, with traditional publishing, you stand to take about 10% from each sale with a traditional publisher.

I hope that helps!

When I published my first book, it all came down to money. I didn't want no control over the marketing spend or the low royalty I could expect, so it seemed obvious that I should publish via Amazon.