Making Sense of Your Book Publishing Options in 2023
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Whether you’re writing a book in 1823 or 2023, the process of finishing a manuscript remains largely the same:
Sit down.
Write.
Fortunately, the process of getting your book published has changed quite a bit since the days of the typewriter — especially within the last 10 years. Due to the destabilizing effect of new entrants into the industry and empowering technological innovations, you now have more options than ever if publishing a book is your goal.
To give you a sense of the current industry landscape, we’re going to give you an overview of the three most popular publishing options available to authors today. Let’s help you discover the publishing route that’s best for you and your book:
Traditional Publishing
The traditional publishing model is the most well-known and established way of sharing a book with the world. In this scenario, a writer publishes their book with the assistance of a dedicated publishing company — though getting one’s foot in the door often requires the help of a sales or literary agent (the acquisition of which could be the subject of its own blog post) and a seemingly endless submission process that can last for years.
When to pursue traditional publishing
You have a literary agent;
Your book is centered around a subject that traditional publishers are currently buying;
You aren’t in a rush to be published;
You expect an advance in exchange for the rights to your manuscript;
You’ve got thick skin to deal with rejection and have made peace with the fact your book may never get picked up by a traditional publisher;
You’re comfortable leading the marketing efforts for your book.
When to avoid traditional publishing
You wish to retain creative control and rights over your manuscript;
You want your publishing timeline to be self-directed;
You want to make money on every copy you sell.
Traditional publishing companies provide the project management team and the professional editing and design services that readers expect when buying a book. They also may provide the author an advance. Advances are usually (but not always) “against royalties,” which means that the author needs to pay back their advance from book sales before actually earning additional payments. The typical trad publisher will also have a marketing department whose aim is to help get the word out about a given title, but authors — particularly new ones — in this system are expected to be the main driver of their promotional endeavours. The timeline for publishing traditionally from acquisition to release is generally 1 to 3 years.
As a profit-driven enterprise, traditional publishing companies are primarily interested in a book’s potential saleability. This fact makes it rather difficult for new authors, or those with atypical subject matter, to break through. It also means that an author may have minimal say when it comes to cover design or the back cover copy.
For many authors, the validation and potential financial benefit that comes from securing a book deal is worth the time and effort it takes to work your way into the system. But there’s one other thing you need to weigh when seeking out a tough-to-acquire traditional book deal: there’s a chance no one will pick up and publish your manuscript. Which brings us to...
DIY Self-Publishing
Self-publishing isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s been an option ever since the advent of the printing press. What is new, though, is the shift in perception around self-publishing in recent years. Once written off as vanity publishing, and next dismissed as a fad, do-it-yourself (DIY) self-publishing has transcended both labels. Today, the model has matured into an established — and powerful — option for both writers and book buyers. In fact, self-publishing is now the first choice for millions of authors every year — a mind-boggling figure that’s only growing.
When to pursue DIY publishing
You want to publish as quickly as possible;
You wish to retain creative control and rights over your manuscript;
You’re tech-savvy and thrive when undertaking projects alone;
You’ve got the time, energy, and desire to manually coordinate every aspect of the publishing process (editing, design, marketing, etc.);
You seek to invest as little money as possible into your publishing project;
You want to make money on every copy you sell.
When to avoid DIY publishing
You want to publish a professional-grade book in physical and eBook formats;
You understand the value of essential publishing services like professional editing and design;
You wish to take your time and thoughtfully plan and consider all aspects of your book’s production and promotional strategies;
You seek to make your book stand out amongst the millions of self-published books that are released yearly in North America.
A large portion of the rise of self-publishing, as noted in the introduction, can be attributed to new technologies that make publishing a book as easy as (literally) pushing a button. The DIY space is dominated by large corporations whose primary goal is to make publishing a book as quick and cheap as possible (typically with an emphasis on eBooks). All you need to publish with companies like Amazon, Smashwords, and Blurb is a Word document, some tech skill, and an Internet connection.
In addition to platforms making it easier to publish than ever, the impact of print-on-demand (or “POD”) infrastructure cannot be understated. POD has almost entirely eliminated the logistical hassle that self-publishing authors face when it comes to stocking and fulfilling book orders. If a POD-listed title is purchased today, the fulfillment center will professionally print, bind, and ship it directly to the customer — the author never even touches the book. Many DIY publishing options are POD enabled.
Despite all the ease, most DIY companies provide no editing, book design, marketing, or promotional support (which is also what helps make them the quickest and cheapest way to publish) yet allow authors to retain the highest percentage of a book’s selling price. However, because DIY books are not professionally produced or supported, the quality and sales volume of titles tend to be very low.
Those who continue to write self-publishing off as an inferior alternative to traditionally published books will often point to the lack of quality control and oversight over the products of the DIY model. Although the DIY industry is dominated by much larger players, there remains an alternative third path that authors may benefit from exploring:
Publishing Services
If you’ve found yourself wishing it were possible to combine the professional results of the traditional system with the creative control and high royalties of DIY self-publishing into one distinct publishing option, you’re in luck. Closely following the explosive growth of DIY self-publishing is the emergence of publishing services providers. In exchange for an upfront fee from the author, companies in this category assist authors with professionally self-publishing their books, either digitally, in print, or both.
When to pursue the publishing services approach
You want to publish a professional-grade book in physical and eBook formats;
You desire the support of a team of publishing industry experts;
You understand the value of essential publishing services like professional editing and design and are willing to invest accordingly;
You want to make your book stand out amongst the millions of self-published books that are released yearly in North America;
You wish to retain creative control and rights over your manuscript;
You want to make money on every copy you sell;
When to avoid the publishing services approach
You want to publish as quickly as possible;
You thrive when undertaking projects alone;
You seek to invest as little money as possible into your publishing project;
With the publishing services model, an author gains access to a project management team and services that tend to mirror those of a traditional house: editing, design, promotion support and worldwide distribution. The authors who choose this approach receive a higher per-sale royalty percentage than those of trad-published authors, but a lower percentage than the DIYers. The timeline to publication varies widely depending on the scope and quality of services offered, but turnaround can generally be expected within 6 to 12 months.
Some publishing services providers have distinct submission criteria that guide the projects they choose to publish, while others are capable of assisting writers from all genres and subject matter. And, like the DIY model, publishing services companies are also POD enabled and—when done well—a book published in this model will be virtually indistinguishable from a title by a traditional publisher.
With your publishing options now more clearly defined (we hope!), it’s time to start doing your homework. It pays to diligently research any potential publishing partner to ensure they align with your book’s values and goals. Consider (or directly ask) what makes one option different from others in their space, with a particular focus on the accreditation of the professional team working on your book.
Regardless of your choice, one thing is certain: there’s never been a more empowering time to be a writer.
