Indie Versus Traditional Publishing

You’ve decided to write a book, you make a round or two of edits, then what? You have to decide how you want to published this book you’ve worked so hard on. But what is the best way for you to get your work out into the world, traditional publishing or indie publishing?

I realized that I talk a lot about indie publishing, it’s the path I’ve personally chosen for myself. Now I want to discuss with you all, the differences you face between the two types of publishing.

There is no right way to publish your book. But be knowledgeable about your rights as an author and the impact the publishing path you take will affect you and your future work.

*Disclaimer 1: I’m not an expert in traditional publishing. All information is from my own personal research.

*Disclaimer 2: Any information about indie publishing is from my own personal experience as an indie published author.

Traditional Publishing

When it comes to traditional publishing, you need to be prepared for the long-haul. It can take years for your completed book to be picked up by an agent and that’s only the beginning of the journey.

Agents

The first step that you’ll most likely take in your traditional publishing journey is finding an agent. These are the people that will be the first to fall in love with your work. Do your research and find an agent that works with your genre. You will pitch your finished project to them and with time and revisions, you may have yourself an agent that you love.

*Note: most traditional publishing houses will only work with authors that have agents.

Publishers

Once an agent is secured, they will start trying to get you published. This means there will be more waiting as you wait for someone else to believe in your story. It can take a lot of time, but when that book deal comes around, it will be worth it.

*Note: a book deal will specify the number of books you’re selling to that publisher. Once completed, you will need another deal for more books.

Edits

You’ve secured a publisher! Yay! Now time for many rounds of edits. Your book will go through the publishing company’s editors through several rounds of edits. You will have strict timelines of correcting any issues within your work.

Cover Design

For most publishers, the author does not have a say about the final cover design for their book. Most will work with the current trends and your genre to create a cover that works for your book.

Marketing

Before your book is published, you will need to start talking about it (when you’re allowed to, of course). Many publishers don’t take too much time helping smaller authors, so you will need to have a few marketing techniques under your belt in order to successfully get people to buy your book when it releases.

The time it takes for all of this to be completed can be years as I mentioned before. It is a long journey from finding your agent to the release of your book. But the overall credibility of traditional publishers and the availability to be in bookstores is definitely a big advantage of taking this route.

Please be aware that before you seek out an agent, you should do a few rounds of edits on your own to make sure you’re presenting your best work. You should also think about having your book professionally edited which will cost you money depending on the editor.

Pros

Interest in your work

No costs

Team to help from start to publication

Cons

Lengthy process

Little to no say in cover design

Marketing is usually up to you

Indie Publishing

Indie publishing or self-publishing is a faster way to get your book to market. All time frames can be set aside when it comes to indie publishing. The reason why? You get to set the schedule for when your book is published with no one holding you back.

Publishers

Although you can get an agent when self-publishing, it’s not really a requirement. That means that you can go straight to finding a publisher that provides you with the necessary resources to publish your book.

The indie publishers I’m aware of are Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSparks, and Lulu.

You can also go with small press publishers that specialize in indie books. I don’t know much about this topic though, so if this interests you, I suggest you do some research into it.

Edits

Once you’ve done several rounds of edits yourself, it’s suggested that you hire a professional editor. You have a biased eye looking at your writing for the 3rd, 4th, or 30th time, so getting someone else’s opinion is important. Editors help you during all phases of the editing process so make sure to research the type of edits your book will need and timeframes. Most editors need to be booked in advance.

Cover Designers

Unless you’re a graphic designer or willing to spend the time learning, you will need to hire a cover designer for your book. These designers vary in price, so make sure you find one that fits the style you’re going for and is within your budget. A beautiful cover doesn’t have to cost you a ton of money.

*Note: when hiring a cover designer make sure you get all file types you need for your book. For example, hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook covers all have different requirements so make sure your files fit your needs.

Formatting

You will also need to format your own files. There are several programs and formatters out there that can help you or you can do it on your own. Each file type, just like the cover, has it’s own unique set of requirements so keep those in mind when formatting your own work.

Marketing

Just like traditional publishing, you will need to market your book if you want people to buy your book. Creating a marketing plan and learning a few marketing techniques can definitely help you in the sales department.

The problem is that indie publishing has a bad reputation because some people publish their first draft without edits. But many indie authors, hire an editor and cover designer, everything that would be given to them if they went the traditional route.

Pros

On your own time

Full creative control

Cons

Need self-motivation

Costly

No team to help you

Vanity Publishing

A quick mention before I wrap up this post is that there are publishers out there that charge you to publish your book. These people are considered vanity publishers and are quiet possibly a scam. Please be aware of these people when finding a publisher for your book. Also remember, you should never pay to have your hard work published.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’d love to discuss more about publishing in the comments below about your own personal experiences, so let’s talk!