Are You a Traditional Publishing Holdout or a Self-Publishing Maven?

Yesterday’s post brought up an important issue with which most nonfiction (and some fiction) authors today need to grapple: Are you a traditional publishing holdout or a self-publishing maven?  Bothroutes to becoming an author have their merits, and both have their pros and cons. However, these days, the benefits of one over the other are becoming a bit more blurred.

The reason for this is simple: In either case, authors have to do just as much work promoting and selling their books. Additionally, in both cases, you need a platform. 

Traditional publishing houses offer writers one thing that cannot be gained through self-publishing: credibility. When an author says he or she has been published by Simon and Schuster or Harper or some other big house, to a lot of people that means you are an expert.  It means a big publishing company believed in you and in your book. And they put their money behind you. That gives you clout.

Unless you are a big name, best-selling author withmany books to your name and a huge following of readers, whether you self-publish or traditionally publish you will have to pound boththe real and virtual pavement to get your book sold. You will have to put your money where your mouth and written words are and promote, promote, promote. And you will have had to have stated building your name recognition, brand, and platform long before your book hits Amazon.com or any other book outlet. Why? So, people know to run out and buy it when it hits the stores. As they say in the movie Ghostbusters, “Who you gonna call?” Your mailing list, your Facebook friends, your LinkedIn associates, your power partners, anyone who can help create an email blast…

So, which are you? Traditional publishing holdout or self-publishing maven?  In case you aren’t sure, I brought Randy Peyser back in for a second blogto look at this issue. She works withauthors who go both routes, and she’s got a pretty clearly-delineated way of helping authors figure out which path they will take.

PROS AND CONS OF

SELF-PUBLISHING VS. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING

By Randy Peyser

Publishing Consultant

Author One Stop

If you are not sure whether to self-publish or seek out a traditional publisher, please consider these pros and cons:

Self-Publishing Pros

1. You make more money per book every time you sell one.
2. You can print your book and have it ready to sell very quickly.
3. You have total control over your cover design and title.
4. No one can tell you to edit anything out.
5. You won all the rights, except for the ISBN. (If you do not purchase your ISBN yourself, whatever POD company you use typically owns it.)
6. You can use the book for immediate back-of-the-room sales.
7. You can print in small quantities.
8. You can sell your book on Amazon.

Self-Publishing Cons

1. Distribution is limited as chains, for the most part, do not accept self-published books or books created by using Print On Demand.
2. You’ve got to do every bit of promotion yourself or nothing is going to happen.
3. If you aren’t already out speaking or giving seminars, in the public eye, or all over the Internet where people will have exposure to you, sales can be challenging.
4. You’ve got to pay for all fees associated with the printing of your book.
5. Most reviewers won’t review books that are self-published.

Traditional Publishing Pros

1. The media wants authors whose books are published by traditional publishers, so you will have greater opportunity for media exposure.
2. Your prestige level rises with the signing of the contract.
3. Your credibility as an expert increases immediately.
4. Your book will be widely distributed by your publisher’s national distribution channels and can make its way int the national chains.
5. A sales force will represent your book to bookstores across the country.
6. A publicity person will often send out press releases to the local media in the towns where you will be speaking. (Not all publishers offer this option, and some will offer this option only for a time-limited period.)
7. The publisher assumes all printing costs.

Traditional Publishing Cons

1. You must put together an extensive book proposal to sell your book, which can be costly and/or timely to create, and you still have no guaranteed results.
2. You will make approximately 75 cents to a dollar for every book the publisher sells.
3. Once they’ve bought your book, a publisher might take a year or two before they print your book and it actually makes its way into the bookstores.
4. You have zippo control over your cover design and title.
5. A publisher can insist on edits that you might not agree with.
6. You own the copyright but often not much more.
7. Publishers will typically let you buy your book at 40-50 percent off the cover price, so if you want to order a case of books for yourself you can. However, they will charge you for shipping. Example: If a books sells for $12.95, and you have a 50 percent discount, you can expect to pay about $7.50 per book with the shipping cost, leaving you a small margin for profit.

What Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing Have in Common

Whether you self-publish or find a traditional publisher, you are responsible for promoting your book. A traditional publisher will typically provide three months of publicity support, in which time they will send your book (usually pre-publication) to reviewers, and perhaps secure some media placements for you. After three month’s time, you are just about entirely on your own.

Deciding Which Option is Best for You

If your aim is to make money, go the self-publishing route. If you want to use your book as a positioning tool to gain greater exposure for yourself or your business – or as a vehicle to up sell your more expensive services – consider traditional publishing (provided you have a unique concept that publishers will be interested in).

About Randy Peyser

Randy Peyser is the owner of Author One Stop, a national publishing consulting firm. She and her award winning staff edit books, ghostwrite, help people find literary agents and publishers or self-publish. Randy is the author of The Power of Miracle Thinking, http://thepowerofmiraclethinking.blogspot.com, and Crappy to Happy. She is featured inConfessions of Shameless Self-Promoters, Book Marketing from A-Z, Dojo Wisdom for Writers, Visionary Women Inspiring the World, and other books. Randy specializes in writing Internet press releases and gets up to 156,000 impressions per press release that she writes and distributes online.

To contact Randy, go to: http://www.AuthorOneStop.com

or email her at Randy@AuthorOneStop.com.