The Questions to Ask as You’re Deciding Between Traditional and Self Publishing

First-time authors often struggle with deciding whether to self publish, work with a hybrid publisher, or pitch their book to traditional publishers.

Which route should I go? Should I self publish or query publishers?

If you Google “traditional vs. self publishing,” the majority of the articles that pop up in the results are about the financial differences between the two — how much it costs, how much you can make from selling your book, what sort of ROI you can expect.

I found both of these statements:

Lots of SELF PUBLISHED authors sell effectively nothing. They may make a loss from self publishing.

Royalties: TRADITIONAL publishers typically offer much lower royalties than self-publishing, which means you may earn less money in the long run if you go the traditional route.

So, which is it? Which is better for making bank?

Profit outcomes aside, what I’m seeing here is that for a lot of people, the first question they’re asking when it comes to publishing is: What sort of MONEY can I make from a book? But is that the right question to be asking as the first step in your publishing journey? What else is there to consider?

These are the other questions I’ve learned to ask in the last 3 years, as I’ve written 4 books, ghostwritten 1, and produced 4 journals…

• What’s the vibe at traditional publishers vs. newer ones, including hybrid publishers?

• What does the ENERGY feel like in both of these worlds? What voices are being amplified?

• What sort of team do I really want to work with?

• How can I keep creative control of my art?

• Is this publisher going to place limitations on me?

• How much say do I have in the cover design?

• Is this group of people trustworthy, fun to work with, a team with integrity?

• Am I having fun in the process?

• Do I feel supported? Who has my back here?

• Does being a ‘NYT bestselling author’ matter to me? What would that mean to me?

• Is my goal with this book to win awards or make a difference?

How many people would need to read this book for it to be ‘worth it’ to me to have written it?

And as it relates to investment vs. profit:

Do I care about making as much money as possible by selling as many copies as possible? Or is self expression, building my confidence, and making a difference in the world more important to me?

What are my specific financial goals for my books?

What unique ways can I leverage this book to make money?

How will this book connect me to other artists who I can collaborate with?

How will this book bring me the right partnerships and new clients who are truly in alignment with my dreams and goals?

For me, there’s so much more to writing and publishing a book than making money.

Not saying that’s the case for everyone, but just a little food for thought. What do you guys think?

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