Today, it seems, more than ever, the question aspiring authors keep asking is: What is the best way to publish?
For a long time, and I admit I began in this frame of mind, self-publishing was the way of Authors who couldn't get a book deal. But that isn't the only reason to self-publish, and many great books have begun this way.
There are so many factors to consider, in my opinion. And I am just one perspective, so I encourage you to look at a lot of different opinions. I will focus on three types of publishing: Traditional, Indie Publishers and Self-Publishing. So what are some of those factors? Cost, Control, the Business-Model, Branding, and Timelines!
I'm going to start with the Cost Factor first. For me, that was a huge reason why I have made different decisions along the way!
Traditional publishing focuses on a book deal. This is great, because you're going to end up with an upfront payment TO YOU, and who doesn't like getting paid for their writing? The reality is though, that many of those deals are acquired through a literary agent. And agents also cost money. Keeping that in mind, if you find an Agent and they find you a deal, whatever your advance is, they will likely pull about 15% of that advance for their service!
Working with an Indie Publisher is, still yet, very different in terms of cost. This is where I started out. Most Indie Publishers don't require you to have an Agent to submit your work, which removes that cost factor. However, with that, they most frequently require you to put up the money first. This can range from $600-1,200 easily, just to start the process. Depending on the style book or the additional services you need, you may be paying for an illustrator ($200-700), book design services ($150-300), and the Marketing for the book ($0+).
Indie Publishers are great for getting started, having a business to function through, and learning the process, but the costs can quickly add up. Knowing your royalties, how that is determined, and how you purchase copies matters, because that is how you bring in money to offset these costs.
And lastly, when you're looking into Self-Publishing (Also Indie Publishing) you can look at if from a few different angles, which I'll discuss further with Business Models, but in terms of cost, there still a decent amount, but you're picking what you're paying for. Publishers go through getting the ISBN, barcode, copyrights, and such for you. You'll need to do that yourself. For
all three, that is about $185. Outside of that cost, you'll pay for any additional services you may need, like mentioned previously. So the big difference, is that you've cut out the "Middle Man" and that will save you some money likely. It has for me!
This is just one component of that decision. And I can't make that decision for you, nor can anyone else, but you. Looking at the costs, what do you want to do yourself and what do you want to spend money on?
Next we will talk about t
he aspects of Control with each! Tune in Next Monday for the next factor discussion. Do you have more questions in terms of cost? Ask them in the comments below! I will do what I can to answer them!
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And Join us 12 September 2019 for the 4th Book Release, RESCUE!