The major publishing houses have a monopoly over the voices that get amplified and the stories that get told. That goes for book publishing houses like Penguin Random House as well as short-form content publishing houses like The New Yorker, where a writer has to be invited to be published. If an author just wants to write and not worry about publishing, cover art, distribution, marketing and more, sending their manuscript into a publishing house is the way to go. Of course with shipping of their work, the author gives rights to the publishing team to change major parts of their story. That is a huge chunk of control a writer relinquishes just to get their story published and is part of the reason self-publishing is so popular today.
Since self-publishing is becoming more popular and an author may be tempted to try this route instead of traditional publishing, here is a short list of things to keep in mind while researching the process:
Pros to Self-Publishing:
- You have complete control over what you publish, when you publish, and how.
When submitting to a publishing house, they handle every aspect of the process in house. Meaning, all editorial decisions are up to them, they hire their own editors, proofreaders, distributors, etc. When you publish by yourself, you have the option to edit your own piece or send it to a trusted editor of your choosing.
- You can choose your own cover art.
Publishing houses also tend to hand artists in house that create art for your piece based on the standards of their employer. Of course you have a say in the final product, but most of the process is out of your hands.
- You keep all the profits from your piece.
Depending on where you list your piece for sale, unless you’re working with a distributor, you keep 100 percent of the profit your piece garners. When working with a publishing house, the profits are split between everyone who works on your writing.
Cons to Self-Publishing
- You have to do everything yourself.
When working with a publishing entity, they take care of everything for you. When self-publishing every little thing that you might not have considered when writing your piece is your responsibility to complete. It can be overwhelming for someone who isn’t aware of everything that goes into successful publishing.
- If you don’t already have a following, your piece won’t get much attention.
Publishing doesn’t automatically mean that people will read your work. Even if it’s well-written, engaging stuff, people have to know that you’re present to give you that attention and building an audience is just as much work as writing a piece, if not more.
- If you’re doing everything yourself, there’s a bigger room for error.
Say you know all it takes to publish something and have it be successful. That’s only half the battle, as knowing how to do something and doing it well don’t always go hand in hand. Plus, the more on your plate, the thinner you’re spread, and the more likely you are to forget something important.
This list isn’t to push an eager writer in one direction or another as there are benefits to both avenues of publishing. If you’re deciding between sending your manuscript off to a publishing entity or doing everything yourself, consider the pros and cons of both and what fits you the best.
