To Self-Publish Or Not To Self-Publish, That Is The Yada, Yada, Yada. Part#2
Last week we went over the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing. Now, this week we’ll be discussing the ups and downs of going through a traditional publisher. “But Mea, wouldn’t you have already covered most of that while explaining the pros and cons of self-publishing? Wouldn’t making a part two about traditional publishing just be redundant?”
Okay, some things from the previous blog list will be addressed again yes, but I’m not a big fan of chewing my cabbage twice. There were several beats I wasn’t able to hit in the last blog which I’ll be able to explain a little better in this one. Before I do, I would like to preface that how publishers handle their clients varies greatly depending on who you sign with and the conditions of your contract so your experience with your publisher could be very different than that of someone with a different publisher or contract. Also, I myself have never gone through a traditional publisher so I am not nor do I pretend to be an expert in this field. All of my information has been gathered through my own personal research and by asking questions. I highly recommend that before you promise your work to any publisher, that you do your own research as well long before saying yes to anything. With that being said, I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy “To self-publish or not to self-publish, that is the yada, yada, yada THE SEQUAL”
Traditional Publisher Advantages:
All the bells and whistles. Publishers have a nifty way of taking care of your book’s needs. They use money. A thing that many of us writers desperately need in order to get our beloved stories and works out there and into the public. Also for coffee. I hear that’s important. Going through a traditional publisher will take away many of the stresses of having to pay for things like editing. As discussed in my earlier blog post, some publishers will pay for up to three different types of editing, one for spelling and punctuation (proofreading), one who looks for plot holes and inconsistencies (developmental editing), and one who checks for voice, tone, style, and just about everything else (line editing). Not to mention cover art. Not only will a publisher pay for your book cover to be made, but find your artist as well. Forget about the stresses of wading through seas of artists and trying to find one to fit your perfect style and budget. Your publisher has got it all covered. Get it? Covered? Haaa… anyways…
Getting paid to write. For many of us, we don’t get paid until the book sells and depending on how we choose to publish, it could take a while before we see any big changes in the old bank account but with going through a traditional publisher, depending on your contract, you might be able to get an advance to start working on your next book once the first one is out. Sounds like a good deal to me. I mean, I really wouldn’t mind someone handing me a fat cheque and saying “Hey, I really like your style. I want you to do more of that? Here, have some money. No, no I insist, Take it and go do more of that thing you do that you love. Could ya do that for me?” Yeah, I think I could manage that.
Exposure and support. Ah yes, exactly half of what you’d expect from a really good bra. But seriously, a publisher would be able to help get your name out there by advertising marketing campaigns and even social media. They’ll arrange interviews, publish online book excerpts and even set up book signings. Wouldn’t you love your next novel to be featured at a book fair? Don’t you dream of hitting one of the big box stores and signing autographs for the fans who adore your work? It’s possible that a publisher could help you to obtain that dream.
Easier to get into a book store. I like the idea of wandering through a book store and seeing my little novella nestled safely on the Sci-fi/Fantasy shelf next to many of my beloved High Fantasy stories but I’m an indie author. A new indie author. A broke and still very green when it comes to advertising/marketing doesn’t-know-what-she’s-doing-half-of-the-time indie author. So, you know, that dream may be a bit further away from me than some. Now, if you go through a publisher, chances of your book hitting the shelf of your local book store have just gone quite a bit more than mine. It’s good to have friends in high places.
Having experts who know what they’re doing. I literally base my blog off of how little I knew about what I was doing when I started my adventure into the wonderful world of writing but hey, these people know what’s up. A good and trustworthy publisher will have a team of people working with them who know what your book needs. Art cover style, the right marketing strategies, what your brand should be. (Brand is basically how your audience perceives you). It takes the guess work away from you and relieves a lot of unnecessary stress. Stress that would be put to better use trying to fill that gaping plot hole in the second act that’s been gnawing at the back of your head for the past three days like a hungry emerald beetle in an ash tree. *laughs nervously* Ahem. So, yeah. Having a team of experts lightening the load could be pretty helpful.
Traditional Publisher Disadvantages:
Querying. You have to make the first move. Publishers aren’t in the habit of knocking on random people’s doors and asking them if they’d be interested in an awesome book deal and if they are, then I’m definitely living in the wrong neighborhood. This is where querying comes in handy. There are a few ways that I know of, that you can go about querying. One is by joining in the fun during Twitter pitching contests like #SFFPit (sci-fi/fantasy) #AdPit (adult fiction/non-fiction) #PBpit (picture book) or #PitMad (pitch madness). *Forgive me if I’ve missed any*A few times a year, people pitch their books on Twitter in 280 characters or less during designated pitching times with the hashtag of the pitching event. You can comment or re-tweet their pitches but leave the likes for the agents. This gives agents the ability to show their interest in your story. I’ve personally never pitched before so I don’t have all the ins and outs of it yet but I do enjoy supporting my fellow authors by re-tweeting the pitches that intrigue me. There’s lots more information available for you available online and on Twitter about pitch wars and do feel free ask your fellow writers if you’re unsure about anything. The writing community is notorious for being very helpful and kind. To me, the pitch wars look like a lot of fun but I know the work that goes into those Twitter pitches. These writers work hard at pitching their books in a new, different and captivating tweet every hour for the duration of the pitch time. I also see how much of a toll it can take on those who don’t hear from an agent right away. Luckily, the writing community is fast to send love their way and continue to cheer each other on.
Another way to go about it is by sending out query letters to literary agents telling them about your book in a compelling blurb under 300 words. If they like it, they’ll ask for a manuscript, woohoo! If they’re not quite interested or you don’t hear back from them, don’t despair. They’re not the only agents out there.
Rejection letters suck. Nobody likes rejection. It’s not exactly rated high on the fun scale but it can be a valuable learning lesson. Rejection, when done respectively, can be an insight into where your story or even just your Query letter needs a bit of fine-tuning. There are many websites available that can help you create a really good Query letter. The internet is an invaluable tool so don’t forget to use it.
Payment. “Wait. What? Payment is a good thing. Why the heck is this under disadvantages?” Well, depending on when and how much you get paid, it could be one of the downsides of going through a publisher. Again, this depends entirely on your contract, but you could end up getting a one-time payment for your book or maybe a smaller percentage of the sales than you would have originally hoped for. With self-publishing you keep most of your royalties yourself.
Look out for cons. You do not have to pay to have your book published. There are lots of cons out there who will ask you to pay to have your book published and skip town with the money and I would be remiss if I let any of my readers go through that. Always-and I cannot ever stress this enough-ALWAYS do your research into your potential publisher before making any agreements and always read your contract before you sign. You do not want to end up giving away the rights to your book and paying them to take it.
The publisher has rights to your book. Yup. The rights to your book are now handed over to the publisher. If it will be a series that will churn out even more books, the publisher may want the rights to those as well. You’re no longer in complete control. If that’s something you’re not comfortable with, maybe going through a traditional publisher isn’t what’s right for you. When going through a traditional publisher, you won’t always have a say in how many books you write for your series, you might not get a say on how the cover art will look and you may have to give up some creative control in the writing process as well. As always, these things should be stipulated in your contract and it’s possible that you’ll be completely fine with all the changes to be made but it might not always be the case and you should prepare yourself for giving up some of your creative control.
In the end, the most important thing you should always remember is to, always, always, always do your research before you sign any contracts or make any hard decisions on how you wish to publish your book. This is your work, your art and how you decide to take the next step is up to you. How you wish to get your book out there, should be done the way that you are the most comfortable with. Whether you go through a traditional publisher or carry on as an indie author, it should always be what you feel is right for you and your work.
Tldr; Publish traditionally or publish yourself, either way, make sure you do your homework.
The Mantra of the day is something I read on the back of an oatmeal packet when I was a teenager. It kinda stuck with me – There are many paths to the same destination.