3 Publishing Options
Traditional
"Big Five"
Medium/Smaller Imprint
Hybrid
Some parts traditional/some parts self-publishing
Self-Publishing
Done by You
Done for You ("Supported")
Traditional
Pros
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Exposure
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Prestige
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They pay you; you don’t pay them.
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Hands-off Publishing
Cons
-
Highly Selective*
-
Agent Usually Required*
-
Lengthy Process*
-
Little to No Author Control*
-
Shared Royalties (avg. 90/10)
-
Publisher Owns Copyright
-
Expectations on Author (Content/Marketing)
*varies by imprint
Hybrid
Pros
-
Marketing Support
-
Professional Services
-
Greater Input from Author
-
Hands-off Publishing
Cons
-
Somewhat Selective
-
Author Expenses
-
Extended Timeline
-
Shared Royalties (avg. 50/50)
-
Publisher Owns Copyright
-
Vanity Presses
Self-Publishing
Pros
-
Author Has Full Control
-
Author Owns Copyright
-
100% Royalties
-
Shorter Timeline
Cons
-
Author Pays 100% of Expenses
-
Author does (or pays for) all the work.
-
Very Time-Consuming
-
Inexperience can hinder success.
-
Ego/Control can take precedence over expert advice.
-
Extremely Difficult to Recoup Expenses or to Profit
Which Is Right for You?
Traditional
If you...
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Are very patient,
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Want the prestige,
-
Want hands-off publishing, and
-
Want to make money, not spend it,
then Traditional Publishing might be right for you.
Hybrid
If you...
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Want greater reach than you could get on your own,
-
Are OK with expenses but want to know what they will be up front,
-
Want someone else to do the heavy lifting, but
-
Want some control over design, etc.,
then Hybrid Publishing might be right for you.
Self-Publishing
If you...
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Want full control over every aspect of the project,
-
Want to publish quickly
-
Are OK with higher expenses & lower ROI, and
-
Have a large following and/or are willing to do the marketing required to build a following,
then Self-Publishing might be right for you.