Why You Should Self-Publish

Three main options exist for publishing a book: vanity publishing, traditional publishing, and self-publishing. Each comes with its own pros and cons. The best fit depends on your goals, resources, and personality. Let’s look at each option.

Vanity Publishing
Vanity publishing has been around for decades, and the name hints at how it works. The author pays a company, sometimes thousands of dollars, to produce the book. In return, the company handles editing, design, printing, and sometimes a little marketing.

The issue is that these companies earn their money from you, not from selling your book. After you pay them, their work is basically finished, even if you never sell a single copy. Vanity publishers maintain control over your book’s content and may remove whole chapters if they choose.

A friend of mine found this out the hard way. He signed a three-book deal with a vanity publisher, but during editing, they cut entire chapters—not because the writing was bad, but because the content didn’t match what the publisher wanted. The contract gave them the final say, so he was stuck. But he found a way out. Since the publisher didn’t work with fiction, he wrote a novel for his second book. That forced them to cancel his contract. Since then, he’s been self-publishing. Now he owns every word, and he’s never regretted the switch.

Vanity presses still exist today, but many have changed how they describe themselves. Some call themselves “hybrid” publishers, while others use terms like “author service companies.” A few are legitimate, but many are not. Some vanity publishers require you to buy a certain number of books upfront and pay in advance. If someone asks for a large payment before publishing your book, take your time and research carefully before signing anything.

Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing is what most people imagine when they think of becoming a “published author.” You send your work to several publishers, usually through a literary agent. If a publisher accepts it, they take care of editing, graphic design, printing, distribution, and they provide a certain amount of marketing and promotion. They may also give you an advance payment against future royalties.

This path might sound perfect, but it is slow and very competitive. It often takes one to three years from acceptance to publication. Over 95% of manuscripts sent to publishers and agents do not meet their standards, often because of spelling mistakes or lack of originality. Only about one in 100 manuscripts that make it past the first round actually get published. If you sign a traditional publishing contract, you also give up many rights to your work, sometimes forever. Plus, the royalties you receive are much lower than what you would earn by self-publishing.

Self-Publishing
Self-publishing is the path for independent authors. You make every decision, from cover design and pricing to distribution and marketing. You can publish your book in weeks instead of years. You keep full creative control and usually earn a much higher royalty rate, often between 35 and 70 percent, depending on the platform and format. The tradeoff is that you are responsible for everything: hiring an editor, finding a cover designer, managing distribution platforms, and creating your own marketing plan. It is all up to you. It is rewarding when you succeed, but there is no safety net, and every mistake is yours to own.

Here’s something else to consider: even authors with traditional publishers are now expected to handle most of their own marketing. Publishers may provide some basic support, but the real marketing work is up to you. So, if you’re going to do the marketing and promotion yourself anyway, you may as well keep your rights and earn more profits.

If you want to build a career as an author, self-publishing teaches you both the craft and the business at the same time. You learn to work with editors and designers, position your book for your audience, and connect directly with readers. By your second or third book, you’re running your own creative business.

Which Road Is Right for You?
Here’s a simple way to help you choose:

Go with traditional publishing if you want your book in many bookstores, don’t mind waiting a long time, and are okay with sharing creative control in exchange for professional support and prestige.

Consider vanity or hybrid publishing if you want a mostly hands-off process, cost isn’t a big issue, and you’re publishing mainly for personal satisfaction rather than wide reach or profit.

Pick self-publishing if you want creative control, a quicker way to get your book published, and higher royalty rates—and if you’re ready to do the work or hire people to help where needed.

There’s no wrong choice, as long as the path you pick takes you where you want to go.

For more information, check out my latest book, Publish Without Permission.