Last week I offered up 10 benefits for self-publishing your book. Although I am a propionate of self-publishing and in fact have built a business around self-publishing, there are some benefits to the traditional route of publishing.
So let’s start by hearing an argument FOR traditional publishing from someone in the business, Harold Underdown:
Try Traditional Publishing
My advice is that you do not consider self-publishing until you have spent at least a few years working on your writing, making submissions, and learning about the business of publishing. That won’t be wasted time, because even if you don’t get published, if you do decide to self-publish later you will be much better equipped to do so successfully. You will have a more polished manuscript or manuscripts. You will also have learned something about what you need to do (which is, very briefly, get your book edited, illustrated, designed, promoted, reviewed, and distributed–things a publisher routinely does, but which are difficult and expensive for an individual to do.
There you have it, direct from the horse’s mouth; spend at least a few years…
At the end of those long years, you may not have a published book but you will have enough rejection letters to wallpaper your bathroom.
Or not.
There are first time authors who have found success with traditional publishers; however, in order to be successful you must first do your research.
Do you know what a traditional publisher is looking for?
Brian Klems, columnist for Writer’s Digest offers a list of items a publisher looks for before considering a new author in his article Do You Have What Publishers Really Want. However, the list boils down to this:
- A story idea that fits with their niche that is written well, has marketability and the plan to provide follow-up books along the same lines.
- A marketing plan
- A proven audience.
Let’s take a break for a little story, if you don’t mind indulging me. I was having lunch with a friend who shared concerns about her own business; a home based business that was struggling to provide enough income to pay her bills. She was considering chucking it all and looking for a “real” job.
As we talked she began to realize that the same steps she would need to complete to find a new employer, she would also need to do to find a new customer. She needed to craft her sales pitch (i.e. her story idea) and she needed to develop a marketing strategy for reaching employers looking to hire. She also needed to develop a following; people who knew of her work and were willing to recommend her.
Sounds familiar? All of the work you need to do to attract a publishing house to take on your book and future books to comes, is the same effort you will put forth when self-publishing. The only difference? When you self-publish, you have control over the process.
Let’s put traditional publishing side-by-side with self-publishing and take a look at the similarities, if any, and the differences.
Comparing Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing Your Books
Julia Pimsleur a Contributor for Forbes did the research and provides a comprehensive comparison chart to help you in your decision making process.
Once again, let’s turn to Brian Klems for information on the subject. Brian offers pros and cons to both publishing routes as well. His pros for traditional publishing are worth considering:
- Wide distribution and more exposure
- Most offer an advance, sometimes a large one
- They do the editing, formatting, cover art
- Marketing power
There is no denying that traditional publishing, once you are selected, can offer a much wider audience and therefore the potential of greater profits. However, the odds of having your book rise to the top of the slush pile are slim.
There is a new comedy show on TV Land called Younger that chronicles the life of a 40-year old woman pretending to be 26. She works in a traditional publishing house in Manhattan and in one episode she decides to grab a book off the slush pile and read it on her own time in hopes of discovering a masterpiece.
In the episode entitled “I’m with stupid” she starts her search. The slush pile is referred to as “that sad stack of books.”
Do you want your book to be buried in that pile?
Bottom line: As the owner of a self-publishing house, I will naturally want you to consider self-publishing. Not just for my business but most importantly, for your book.
Here are just a few reasons why writers publish Halo Publishing International:
- Time to market – Book in hands in 30 days!
- Copyrights – You own 100% rights to your work
- Content and design control – You make all the decisions to your book
- Higher royalties – Author makes 95% royalty
- Global Bookstore Distribution
Give us a call to learn more about how we can help. 1-877-705-9647
p.s. My friend who owned her own business and was considering chucking it all for a “real” job? That conversation was five years ago and she just celebrated her eleventh year in business this month!