Traditional or Self-Publishing: Some Pros and Cons for the Aspiring Author

To many aspiring authors, the publishing world seems like an opaque enigma. It is something that we all must somehow become a part of, yet we have little or no idea where to start. Do we send our manuscript off to an agent in the hopes that they read and actually want to represent it? Or should we submit a query letter to a publisher first? How about self-publishing? Does that involve the same hurdles? Rather then go into a long discussion about each of these questions and the subsequent questions that would follow, I’ve chosen to investigate this enigma from another direction. By looking at the pros and cons of traditional or self-publishing, we can begin to shed light onto the enigma of publishing, making it a little less opaque for the aspiring author.

First, however, let’s set some definitions. By traditional publishing I’m referencing any form of publishing that you – the author – neither pay for nor do yourself. Self-publishing, on the other hand, is any form of publishing that one either does themselves or pays someone to do. By publishing I’m simply referencing any form of printing (digital or offset), production, and/or distribution of writing and other media.

So now that we have some basic definitions set, and we have honed our question down, we can start to make the enigma of publishing a touch more translucent. Below I’ve broken down each form of publishing and listed the pros and cons of each. To note, these are not necessarily all the pros and cons, and for some aspiring authors some things may be more important then others. These are, however, taken from my own experience as both a traditionally and self-published author, and they are ones that I have found are important to know.

Traditional Publishing

Pro: You get to be a writer first, and a marketer second

Although this statement is true in both traditional and self-publishing, it is more so in traditional publishing. In traditional publishing the publisher does a fair amount of marketing for your book or writing, although not all that is necessary by all means. The publisher will (or should) send out your work to reviewers, media outlets, and help set up signings, speaking engagements, and other publicity events. In self-publishing, on the other hand, it is all up to you – from the creation of marketing materials to the promotion of book signings. In essence, traditional publishing still allows you to think of yourself as a writer first, and a marketer second.

Pro: If the publisher pushes your writing, chances are it can lead to some nice royalty checks and further contracts

It is true that you will never get rich being a writer, but it is also true that you can make a living as a writer. If the publisher pushes your writing, more then likely they will also sell a fair number of your books or copies of the magazine. Writing contracts are based either on a flat rate or on a royalty schedule, with a tiered structure based on the number of copies they sell. The more copies the publisher sells, the larger your royalty payment(s) will be. This process carries its own momentum (also called “buzz” in the book marketing world); the more copies of your book the publisher sells, the more they will do to promote it, which will lead to further royalties. Furthermore, the publisher will be inclined to publish more of your work, which will lead to further writing contracts and royalty payments.

Con: You have little control over the final production and design of your published work

For some authors, this is really of little concern. As long as they get published and paid, they really don’t care how their writing appears. For many writers and authors, however, the appearance, layout, typesetting, and production of their book or writing are just as important. Not only do you have little say over exactly how your writing appears, but in many cases you have little say on how the editor edits your work. It is highly unlikely that an editor is going to change your ending or rework a certain scene, but it is possible that they will change some words around. That can mean a lot to many writers, as the language one uses in their writing is often very deliberate and meaningful.

Con: The publisher may just be publishing your writing or book to fill space or to bump up their B-list

This may come as a surprise, but publishers have an A-list and a B-list. The A-list consists of titles or articles that they know their audience will enjoy, or they are from authors who have already established their writing credentials. The B-list, on the other hand, consists of titles or articles that the publisher is taking to fill out the required number of pages or to bump up their off-season offerings. Obviously no writer has the desire to be a B-list author or to have their article buried in the back of the magazine, but it does happen.

Self-Publishing

Pro: Potentially, you can make decent money self-publishing, as you get to keep all the profits

In traditional publishing, your royalties are based on a percentage of the number of titles sold, or on a flat rate based on word count. This is fine in most cases, but if you have a smash hit, or your writing becomes really popular, most of the money from your hard work will end up in the hands of the publisher. In self-publishing, however, because there is no middle person (you are the writer and publisher), you get to keep all the profits. If you are a prolific writer, or your book develops a wide reading audience, it is possible to make a decent living by self-publishing.

Pro: You have complete control over your writing, its distribution, and its appearance

As noted above, in traditional publishing you don’t have final say on the appearance of your work and its distribution. In self-publishing you do, and for many writers that gives them a sense of relief. They know exactly how each person who reads their work sees it – from the typology and layout, to the wording and distribution of their work. There is no editor who may change a word and alter a section’s meaning, nor is there a publisher who may package your work with that of something that is antithetical to your work or your own morals or ethics.

Con: You are a marketer first, a writer second

If you self-publish, you become your own marketer. By not going with a traditional publisher, you are opting out of their distribution and media promotion experience and resources. For many authors, this proves to be the number one reason that they do not self-publish. They want to write. They don’t want to preoccupy their time and energy with marketing. For others, however, this proves to be just part of the overall writer/author lifestyle, and they find it more of an exciting aspect of being an author then a daunting challenge.

Con: Only your friends and family may end up reading your work

This is perhaps one of the scariest aspects of being a self-published author. If you are not into marketing, and you have spent an enormous amount of time and energy in your writing, the last thing you want to happen is to have no one read your work. That is, after all, the primary reason most authors write – to have their ideas read by someone else. We all want our friends and family to read our work, but we also want book lovers, other authors, thinkers, politicians, and random folks reading our writing. Since self-publishing means that you are publishing your work, if you also don’t promote it, chances are that not many people will read it.

The publishing world is complex, ever changing, and to many aspiring authors an opaque enigma that is often pushed to the back of their consciousness. Residing there, the enigma of the publishing world remains opaque. In this article I’ve tried to shed a little light on the publishing world by outlining some important pros and cons between traditional and self-publishing. Whether I’ve made the enigma more translucent is up to you to decide. Hopefully, however, I’ve gotten you to start thinking about it a little more by highlighting some important points between the two. From here it is up to you to continue learning about the publishing world as you progress as a writer, but at least you have some of the lessons I’ve learned to help you on your journey.

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