When it comes to publishing your book, there are two paths you can choose: Traditional Publishing or Self Publishing. Traditional publishing has been around for centuries and involves working with a publisher to publish your book. Traditional publishing has the advantage of having access to experienced editors, marketing teams, and established distribution networks which can help get your book out into the world faster and more effectively. Traditional publishers will also often provide an advance payment for books and may even pay you royalties on your sales. Traditional publishing also tends to offer more credibility and validation from the industry because of its established reputation.
However, traditional publishing is not without its drawbacks. Traditional publishers can be very picky about what books they choose to publish, and the entire process can take several months or even years to complete. Traditional publishers may also require authors to sign contracts that could limit their creative control and rights to the book. Traditional publishers have also been known to take a large cut of royalties from authors, which can make it difficult for an author to earn money on their book sales.
Self publishing is a newer option that allows authors to publish their books without working with a traditional publisher. Self publishing involves the author overseeing all aspects of the book’s creation, distribution, and marketing. Self-publishing can be a much faster process than traditional publishing since authors have control over how quickly their books are published and distributed. Authors who self publish also retain complete creative control over their work and keep all of their royalties.
However, self publishing can be a risky venture since authors are responsible for covering all the costs associated with creating and marketing their book. Additionally, self-published books often lack the credibility of traditionally published books because they don’t have the backing of an established publisher. Self-published authors must also take on the responsibility of finding readers and managing their own distribution networks, which can be difficult and time-consuming.
Ultimately, the decision to self publish or Traditional Publish your book is a personal one that will depend on your goals as an author. Traditional publishing offers advantages such as established distribution networks, industry credibility, and access to experienced editors and marketers; however, it also comes with drawbacks like a long wait time, reduced creative control, and a large cut of royalties. On the other hand, self publishing offers authors more creative freedom and access to their full royalties but also involves risks such as covering all costs associated with creating and marketing the book, finding readers, and managing distribution networks. In the end, it is up to you to decide which path is right for you and your book.
Regardless of the path you choose, there are resources to help you navigate them. For traditional publishing, you may choose to hire a coach to help you through the writing and querying phase. The time and energy it takes to find a literary agent can be hard on a person. Having someone by your side can take some of the pressure off.
If you are choosing to self publish, consider hiring a coach to walk alongside you as you write, edit, market and publish your masterpiece. Self publishing is complex and the road can be full of ups and downs. Hiring an expert to make sure you publish the best product is an investment you should be willing to make.