While you've enrolled in this course because you’ve decided to self-publish, it is still important to understand the different ways of publishing a book. Let’s explore the main ways to do this and the pros and cons of each method.

Before you go further, please be aware of vanity publishing. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is:

❌VANITY (Avoid!)

The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) defines vanity publishing as "a publishing service that engages in misleading or, in the worst cases, outright deceptive practices, with the intention not of bringing books to readers but of extracting as much money as possible from the authors."

These companies are often predatory. They promise best sellers and provide substandard services without the goal of helping the author succeed.

One thing you can do is check to see if the publishing service provider is ranked in ALLi's Industry Rating Directory. Not everyone you plan to work with will be in there, but this can be a good starting point for checking. (The Fiat Self-Publishing Academy is proud to be a Partner Member of ALLi!)

TRADITIONAL

You do not pay to publish your book. The publisher finances your book. You typically receive an advance and a small royalty for each book sold. 

Pros

• This can be a great option if you want all aspects of the publishing process managed for you. 
• You should get top-notch cover art, interior design, editing, marketing, and distribution.
• Distribution, or getting your books into retail stores, is a big plus. Traditional publishers should have distribution networks in place for this.
• Their email lists and pre-existing customer base can help put you on the radar of many, many people.

Cons

• It's competitive. 
• You first must submit a proposal to the publisher, which can be very lengthy and time-consuming.
• It can take a long time to hear back and even longer to get the book published, if accepted.
• "A first-time author with a traditional publishing deal might expect an advance of $1,000-$10,000 and 5-18% royalties once they ‘earn out’ their advance" (Reedsy).
• Unfortunately, "in today’s industry, it’s commonly accepted that most book advances don’t earn out" (janefriedman.com). Meaning royalties don't kick in.
• You might lose editorial and design control over the book. Especially for children's books, you may not have a say in the illustrator who is selected.
• Authors are still expected to market the book. Many first-time authors assume publishers do all the marketing, forever. This is not the case. Books are typically marketed for a certain length of time and then it tails off. The author will need to keep promoting and marketing to keep the momentum going.
• Not all traditional presses are created equal. Some produce fantastic, high-quality books. Others may not have the same caliber of design and editorial services. 

HYBRID

You share the cost of publishing your book with the publisher. The Independent Book Publishers' Association has developed criteria on standards for hybrid publishers. If you are ever considering using a hybrid publisher, definitely review these criteria. Some publishers will claim to be hybrid but don't actually check all the boxes. 

Pros

• It's considered a partnership.
• You should be getting access to high-quality services, on par with traditional publishers.
• You gain access to some of the services that are harder to come by if self-publishing, like distribution. 
• You should get a higher royalty rate on the book since you are sharing in its cost.

Cons

• Some companies will claim to be a hybrid publisher, but in fact they take on anyone willing to pay and are not a great return on investment. Remember, hybrid publishers should be vetting submissions just like traditional publishers do.
• The costs can be extremely expensive (thousands of dollars), and you’ll still be giving up royalties after publication.
• You may lose some editorial and design control.

ASSISTED SELF-PUBLISHING

You pay a company to assist with the self-publishing process. These are often sold as self-publishing packages. This is not quite the same as self-publishing on your own. Whenever you are paying one company to do everything, you must do your due diligence. Are you happy with the covers you see on their website? How much creative freedom do you get? Are you listed as the publisher? One place you can check to see if the company is listed is the Alliance of Independent Author's Watchdog Desk. They rate self-publishing service providers and have a very helpful database you can search.

Pros

This might be an option if:

• You don't have an interest in learning how to self-publish or don't have the time to learn how to self-publish.
• You only plan to publish one book in your lifetime.
• You have the funds and have determined it to be a better use of your time and money to pay someone to do this for you.
• The goal of your book is to funnel people to an already-established business that you know you can convert to higher paying clients.
• The company has an amazing reputation, solid reviews, and produces high-quality books. 

Cons

• The company may assign the editor and book cover designer and you ultimately lose control over the process.
• The company may be better at certain areas than others. e.g., They have a wonderful team of editors but are "just okay" at book cover design.
• The publishing packages can be very expensive, much more so than paying to do it on your own. This is because you are paying someone to manage the process for you.
• Many companies purchase the ISBN for you, which sounds nice, but this means they become the publisher of record.
• Many offer services for things you could easily do on your own for a fraction of the cost.
• Often, there are no marketing services, so you are still left on your own to sell the book.

SELF-PUBLISHING (What this course teaches you how to do!)

You finance your book and manage the entire publishing process. My goal for this course and the Academy is that you gain the skills you need to manage the entire self-publishing process on your own!

Pros

• You maintain control. This is your book and your vision.
• You pick and choose your entire team. This includes editors, book cover designers, typesetters, illustrators, etc. 
• You set the price of your book and determine what your profit will be. This typically comes out much higher than if you were to traditionally publish.
• You maintain all rights and can license these rights to whomever you choose!
• You work on your own timeline and can often get a book to the market much quicker.
• Self-publishing also invites different types of books into the market that may not otherwise be published the traditional route. Niche books, books with complex printing needs, and stories from unknown authors, can now find their own way to enter the market.

Cons

• It takes time to learn how to self-publish.
• It can be costly.
• You essentially become a project manager and must lead a team of people. This can be challenging if you don't have project management experience.
• It can be challenging to market your first book when you don't have a large platform or audience ready to buy. 
• Self-publishers often struggle to find distribution (getting books into retail stores).