Nine Reasons Authors Still Choose Traditional Publishing

We all come to writing for love of the craft. Some of us are storytellers, others are wordsmiths. Some of us have ideas we want to share. But for all of us, it starts with writing.

Once it’s time to think about publishing, everything changes. We have to think about legal issues, like contracts and copyright. We have to consider artwork for book covers. How do we get our books printed and produced? How do we get them into stores? How do we get our writing into the hands of readers?

For centuries, all these considerations have belonged to the publishing industry. Authors wrote the books, did interviews and book tours, but much of the work that didn’t involve writing was handled by the publisher. At the very least, the publisher provided guidelines and navigated writers through the process.

Today, self-publishing has put a tremendous amount of power and control back into the hands of writers. It’s your story. Your poetry. Your idea. If you want, you can retain total control of it. But for many authors, traditional publishing still gives writers the support and guidance they need to get through the publishing process.

Why Authors Want Traditional Publishing

Historically, self-publishing was a last resort, an act of desperation by a writer whose work had been rejected countless times. Now, with the advent of the Internet and ebooks, writers are skipping the submission process entirely and actively choosing to self-publish their books. But for many (probably most), traditional publishing is still the most desired route to publication.

Here’s why:

1. Validation: when an agent agrees to represent your book and when an editor buys it, you will undoubtedly feel validated. After all, squeaking through the gates of traditional publishing is like getting membership to an exclusive club because your book has been chosen among thousands of rejections.
2. Advance: we publish either to reach readers or to make a living with our writing (most of us want both). When you sell your book to a publisher, you get an advance, a sum of money averaging somewhere between $5000 and $15,000 for an unknown, first-time author.
3. Editing: it’s inadvisable for writers to polish (edit, proof) their own work and it’s also not the best idea to hand this task over to friends or family. Hiring a professional editor for a full-length manuscript can be costly (expect to pay well over $1000 at the low end). Publishers have in-house editors and proofreaders who will help you iron out the kinks and polish the prose.
4. Cover: most authors are not artists or designers, which explains the barrage of hideous covers on self-published books. A traditional publisher will most certainly assume full control of the cover but they’ll also make sure it’s rendered by a professional designer. In other words, your book will look professional, not cobbled together.
5. Print and production: before going to print or ebook production, the manuscript has to be formatted and while it may look easy, laying out a book is no small task. Publishers provide book designers to compile an aesthetically pleasing design and optimum reader experience. Plus, they handle the print run. Most self-published authors don’t even bother with print and book reviews often complain about poorly formatted manuscripts.
6. Distribution: have you ever wondered about the process that takes books from the printer to the book stores? If you self-publish, your book will probably be limited to online book stores. But a publisher will get your book distributed online and in brick-and-mortar stores, so you get greater exposure to readers.
7. Marketing: marketing only gets one spot on this list but it’s really a key factor in a book’s success whether that book is self-published or traditionally published. If your book is published traditionally, you’ll be heavily involved in marketing but at least you’ll get guidance and support. Some authors say that even with traditional publishers, most of the marketing fell on their shoulders, but some help is better than none if you know little to nothing about marketing.
8. Cost: If you choose self-publishing, you will bear the cost of publishing your book from editing and cover design to print production and marketing. You’ll foot the entire bill. Most successful authors who traditionally publish also incur expenses (many hire PR firms and do a lot of their own marketing) but at least the publisher foots some of the bills.
9. Prestige: The stigma of self-publishing is fading but it still exists. Some people just don’t respect self-publishing and will judge you and your book negatively if you haven’t gone through the gatekeepers. Some book reviewers will not review self-published work. Some book clubs won’t read self-published books. Some readers won’t buy them. Also, some publishing houses carry more prestige than others. If you need a stamp of literary approval to feel good about your book and if you want a shot at every available reader, traditional publishing is a better route for you.

Having said all that, there are just as many reasons to choose self-publishing as traditional publishing. We’ll explore reasons for choosing self-publishing in an upcoming post. Ideally, you’ll research both publishing methods and decide which is best for you and your book.

Have you ever tried to get your writing published through traditional channels? Have you self-published? Share your thoughts and experiences with publishing by leaving a comment and keep writing!