Which
Route:
Tradition Publisher or Self-Publisher?
Traditional
PROS: the big time,
worldwide distribution and marketing, best opportunity for fame and fortune. An
advance payment up front, no investment by the author except time. Publisher
pays marketing costs.
CONS: Tons of
competition, a Literary Agent is almost a must. Hard for a new author to get a
good deal. Author gives up all rights and only makes about 5-8% of the income
from sales. The publisher decides about the look of the cover, the marketing
program and will expect the author to make story and text changes as requested.
Self-Publish
PROS: Fulfill your
dream, your book definitely gets published. You are the creative boss, making
the book exactly as you imaged. You own all the rights. Your profit per book is
much greater (50-70% rather than 5-8%), so if your book becomes popular you have
a chance to win big. When a traditional house wants to buy the rights to your
book, you will be in a powerful bargaining position. Writing a book, no matter
how many copies you sell, is an excellent way to jumpstart your career.
CONS: You pay for
everything. You coordinate everything. Fear can stop you. Marketing can become
time-consuming if you are ambitious. While a few strike it big, most
self-published authors don’t make very much money.
###