Traditional vs. Self-publishing

Ok, Full disclosure, this is not my work.  I'm part of a writing group called "Indie Author Group" on Facebook.  It's a great group, and I recommend it to any authors out there who are seriously looking to get help with their work.  This is a document from one of the admins of the page.  She's a well established author, and really knows what she's talking about.

To traditionally publish or to self publish, that is the question! 

In many ways it's the difference between delayed gratification (traditional or legacy publishing) and instant gratification (self-publishing), between the security of having a large organization behind you or standing on your own and between the possibility of having your book on a bestseller or award lists. 

There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but if you believe that promotion/marketing is the advantage to traditional publishing, think again. Even the best known writers have their own Facebook pages and/or blogs to keep in touch with their fans - and to market. Their publisher expects it, especially of a new writer. Search for any of your favorite writers, and you'll find some way to reach them.

Far too many writers view self-publishing as the easier path, because you decide when and where to post your books. It's not. In self-publishing, it's all on you. And once again, far too many writers do see it as the easier way. They don't see the need to be edited, or have a proper cover artist and formatter to set up their manuscript.

However, there are definite advantages - a traditional publisher will want you to stick to one genre, and they have definite views about Points of View from omniscient (which they hate) to first person (ditto) to third person.

If you decide that traditional publishing is the path you want to take an agent can help you find the right publisher, although you can submit directly. Use a program called Querytracker to find an agent, or research to see which publisher deals with books like yours. 

Traditional Publishing Before submitting either to an agent or a publisher, complete your novel. Polish your manuscript using the Editing 101 document here and a book like The Elements of Style. Then, if you're wise, get it edited by a qualified editor. BTW, the publisher will still do their own editing. Even so, you still want to submit a professional product.

Write a query letter. See Query shark - http://queryshark.blogspot.com/ for how to write a good one.

That query letter should be one page, detailing the genre of book and the length, contain a short description or blurb, and an introduction to the writer. No cheating by changing font size to fit - should be TNR 11 or 12 or a variation thereof. Then wait. Write book two if you haven't already. If you have, write book three. Some publishers can take up to 90 days to respond to your submission. (One took over a year to send a rejection notice to me. By then I'd already sold the book to someone else.) Wait for a rejection letter or a request for partial or full before submitting elsewhere - especially if they request that you don't do multiple submissions. If they request a partial or full, send EXACTLY what they request. Consider it a test - they're testing you to see if you follow instructions.

Wait for a rejection letter, acceptance, or request for revise and resubmit.

If accepted, an agent will negotiate the best deal they can for both the writer and the publisher. Anyone who thinks that an agent works for them is naive. They are part of the gatekeeping process - finding a manuscript that they think will sell in the market that exists at that moment. If you don't have an agent, have the contract reviewed by a contract attorney. You want to understand who owns the rights to everything from the overseas contracts to any possible film contracts.Prepare for the editorial process. Most editors are on your side, but their job is to make your manuscript fit their publisher and to make your work shine. That's not just spelling and grammar but repetition or unnecessary detail. That being said, be ready to kill your darlings. If that perfect sentence doesn't advance the story, it will be cut. And you may be asked to make major changes. Remember, the editor works for the publisher, not you.

Once the editing process is complete, a release date will be announced and a cover created. You may have some input into the cover but not much. Don't expect the cover artist to recreate a scene in your head on the cover - the publisher will make it fit their covers.

It can take as much as a year to two years before you get that contract. (Not including the amount of time spent sending in submissions.)That contract? You'll be offered anywhere from 15% to 30% of the proceeds from your book (unless you're a big name writer where you might receive 42%). Out of your proceeds, you'll pay your agent, if you have one.  

Market, market, market. It's up to you to make your first book matter to readers. The publisher will expect it. They'll also expect you to create and maintain a web page, Facebook author page and Twitter account. Use them. Announce release dates. Arrange promotion via FB and other promotional sites. 

Self Publishing

Technically, you can create a document in Word and a cover yourself, and put it up on Amazon or Smashwords. Don't do this. A poorly prepared, unedited book with an unprofessional cover is an announcement that you're an amateur, and a rank amateur at that. At the very least, use Editing 101 and the Manual of Style to polish it as much as possible.

If you haven't already, write book two, and then book three.

Meanwhile, before releasing book one find beta readers, an editor, formatter and cover artist. Polish your manuscript as above. Beta readers are readers willing to look at your manuscript for free to catch basic errors in grammar and continuity. Send to the editor of your choice. Here is where self-publishing has the advantage - the editor works for you, not the agent, and not the publisher. However, the job remains the same, to make your manuscript shine. Ignore their advice at your peril.

Choose a cover artist - look at the samples on their web page, find examples you like from books in Amazon or Smashwords and tell your cover artist what it is you like about them. Don't expect a cover artist to recreate a scene in your head for the cover - they aren't mindreaders, and it will be prohibitively expensive to purchase the rights to all those images. Most will ask for the blurb (short description) of the book, and details of main characters. Have no expectations. Consider using premade covers for the short term.

Send edited manuscript and cover to formatter (or learn to DIY). Create and maintain a web page, Facebook author page and Twitter account. Use them. Announce release dates. Arrange promotion via FB sites. Do a cover reveal to attract readers.When release date arrives, promote but don't spam. The best marketing for book one is book two, etc. Depending on the vendor, you'll receive anywhere from 30% to 70%.