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Writer's picturerobertlouishenry

Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing Part 2: Traditional Publishing (2024 Update)

Updated: Oct 28

In Part 1, I discussed some direct comparisons between traditional publishers and the self-publishing method, so be sure to read that post if you're interested in a comparison.


Today, we'll continue that discussion by focusing on traditional publishing, discussing the evolving book market, and the different types of publishers out there.


As a fair warning, I tend to see traditional publishers as big bad wolf characters trying to take advantage of hard-working writers while simultaneously feeding readers a mix of sometimes brilliant but mostly generic content.


Despite my personal feelings, I also realize that some authors have specific goals that are more realistically reached with a traditional publisher when this route is possible for them. I will attempt to explain some facets of traditional publishing without being hypercritical, but take any of my judgments with a grain of salt.


The Book Market Is Evolving


In the past, traditional publishers basically held the market thanks to having the funds and connections available to reach an audience via major retailers and prominent placements. While some people have always self-published in some way or another, there was often very little way to create a national or international market for such "homegrown" products, at least in the way we think of commercial success these days. A lucky few may have broken that generalization or been later picked up by traditional publishing and distribution companies, but many were just passion projects.


I am a huge fan of passion projects, so I don’t see these endeavors as futile attempts. There is more to publishing than money. As much as I believe in the business of publishing, I certainly believe in the art element as well. Even within that sector, we have previously self-published books throughout history that are extremely relevant today, especially in literature and early sciences. Walt Whitman's poetry collection Leaves of Grass was initially self-published. While he never saw any significant financial success, he undeniably impacted poetry, literature, and pop culture.


Back to the point, it suffices to say that traditional publishers still maintain a large part of the market even with the growth of self-publishing. Even in the self-publishing space, large companies are still reaping the benefits of hard work by independent authors.


Even as the independent market grows, the large publishers still benefit from funding and network connections. Buying advertisements, putting up posters in brick-and-mortar locations, and simply placing books in actual bookstores can have a huge impact on sales, and that is far easier for them to achieve than most of us independent authors and small publishers. This sounds like a no-brainer, but as bookstores decline in numbers and eBook downloads slowly rise, so does the usefulness of this traditional methodology for many authors. Many traditional publishers are watching as the book market begins to shift, and as time goes on, we can see that these large companies take far less risk than they used to take. They are not quite as interested in budding authors without a fan base already in place. While they may rarely pick up a book that is already self-published (it has happened), they will sometimes gladly invite self-published authors that have seen success to submit something their way, or sometimes even sign an agreement for X amount of books. Plus, there are plenty of renowned authors and celebrities writing books, and these are given first dibs on the good publishing deals.


So do new authors ever break through these obstacles? Yes, but it is a difficult road and not possible without a bit of luck. The right person has to see your manuscript at the right time and in the right mood.


So the major players may be a bit of stretch for your first novel or your great non-fiction book. It isn’t impossible, and if that is your goal for the book, then by all means chase that dream. However, if being “traditionally published” is the only goal, understand that not all publishers are equal.



The Big 5

When someone says, "The Big 5," in relation to publishing, they are talking about the major publishers. This includes Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. These major players also have a large number of smaller imprints, so while it may seem like there are many more major players than these five, the truth of the matter is that these companies control the market.


Pop-up or Start-up Publishers

There exists in the market a large amount of small publishers that seem to pop-up and disappear before making much of a significant splash at all. These smaller publishers are often just handling the publishing process the exact same way a motivated self-published author may handle it themselves. They leverage platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, and as an author, your books are simply printed or transferred as orders are placed. Essentially, it's exactly the process we see with a typical self-published book. These small publishers work on minimal budgets, sometimes with a single person wearing many hats. There’s nothing wrong with this, and some of these grow into respectable businesses.


However, it is important to understand what you are signing up for, how promises and guarantees are not always the same thing, and that you really shouldn’t sign away your rights for long periods of time with budding publishers. Don’t get me wrong, working with new publishers can be very exciting, and you may get a large amount of personal attention and make friends along the way. For poetry, literary fiction, and outside-the-box authors, these are sometimes the proper home for your work. Just understand that disappointment is a real possibility and understand that good intentions are not always followed up with great execution.


Independent Publishers

There is definitely a place in the industry for these types of small independent publishers. Not all of them are empty promises and short-lived pipe dreams. This is especially true for many would-be self-publishers whose goals are not promoting their business, making large sums of money, or becoming famous. The right small publisher may very well allow them to be the artist they wish to be by taking away the time spent perpetually scratching their heads about how to really put these things into a proper format even though they don’t expect a large payout in return.


And yes, sometimes, a small publisher is surprisingly effective, books do well, and people make a decent amount of money for all their effort.


Vanity Presses

Then there are the “vanity presses.” One common example is PublishAmerica, who has a long history of doing very little to help their authors without trying to charge them a fee. They scream at the top of the rooftops that they are “traditional publishers” and “do it all for free unlike anyone else!” Funny enough, they go on to compare themselves to self-publishing platforms instead of other traditional publishers… who do the exact same thing without all the hoops.


After publication and signing away your rights for 7 years or more, you come to find out that your book is way overpriced, and that if you want any marketing from them, you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket during all their great "deals." These deals end up being an endless cycle of email spam aimed at taking your money. Could you technically be published by them and make some money? Probably, but they will do their best to bleed you dry, almost always overprice books, and aren't very professional in demeanor. At least that's the general consensus of authors they've managed to piss off.


Other vanity presses operate with much less trickery, but they are still somewhat dishonest about exactly what is going on. They blatantly explain that you are going to be paying large fees upfront, but they still like to tout that you will be “traditionally published.” Over the years, many of these services have realized that people are willing to pay for services and do not need to be tricked, but they are still prone to upselling and spammy email newsletters.


The easiest way to avoid these types of problems is to go to Google, type in the name of any prospective publisher, and then type the words “review” or “is it legit” or “scam” and see what comes up. If more often than not there are people complaining, then it’s a safe bet it’s time to run as far away as possible. You may as well self-publish, and if you can't handle everything yourself, there are plenty of contractors/companies that will be honest with you throughout the process. Right Hand Publishing comes to mind.


The Process Can Be EXHAUSTING

I am going to greatly simplify the traditional publishing process here, but it should help you understand that you’re in for a long game approach. The very general process looks like this:


  • Write the book, edit it yourself.

  • Submit the book to publishers that allow unsolicited submissions (i.e. don’t require an agent).

  • Wait anywhere from 3 months to over a year to hear back from publishers, often only to receive a rejection in the form of an impersonal form letter.

  • Repeat this process over and over until you find a publisher or decide to get an agent.

  • Agent may charge you upfront, though this isn't always the case.

  • Agent may suggest working with an editor to improve the book.

  • You may work on the book some more for quite a while.

  • Your agent may submit to larger publishers only to go through the same long waiting times and rejection cycle again.

  • Finally, someone wants your book. They also want to pay 10% royalties, no advance, keep the rights for many years, and once again want to make major changes to the text (not always a bad thing).

  • The book goes through a huge process of design and publication.

  • The book goes for sale, and there’s a chance that it will become a best seller or you could receive very little attention and make very little money. Nothing is really guaranteed, but larger publishers will often have plenty of resources.

  • You are finally a published author!


This is a terribly generic explanation of the process, but talk to an author that has attempted traditional publishing with the goal of only focusing on large publishers, and very often you will hear about just how terrible and long the process can truly be. This is especially true for a work of fiction that doesn’t neatly fit into trending genres or comes from an author without an existing readership to prove their worth.


It is, in my opinion, a huge and horrible waste of time that feels a lot like playing the lottery. Often regardless of quality, innovation, or creativity, a book may get picked up quickly or passed over repeatedly! A small number of people will decide your book’s fate, and you’ll have to deal with the crushing reality of rejections even though you know very well these are only a small number of (sometimes snobby) individuals. At some point, you may have to consider working with smaller publishers or going the route of self-publishing.


Remember, self-publishing and smaller publishers CAN eventually lead to bigger publishing contracts. So if your ultimate goal is being available in big bookstores, allowing your first few books to be published elsewhere doesn’t mean all hope is lost. There is still something to say about becoming a bestseller, working with a large publisher, having that “rock star” status, and for some writers, this is part of “the dream.” It is possible. It isn’t guaranteed even if you're a great writer.


In Part 3, we'll focus on self-publishing and the many challenges that come with going down the publishing rabbit hole on your own. Feel free to ask questions by emailing me at robertlouishenry@gmail.com.



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