by Jenna Kalinsky
First of all, congratulations on finishing your novel! It is a BIG deal to complete a book-length project, and you should feel extremely proud of yourself.
Now you are in “Phase 2” which is when you look at how you’ll put your book out into the world. Each of the three streams of publishing: traditional, independent and university presses, and self-publishing has positives and negatives and addresses different criteria.
It’s a lot to consider, so to help you determine which is right for you and your novel, I created this primer, which will give you a healthy amount of information and serve as a launching point from which you can deepen your research.
To publish with one of the “Big 5” traditional trade publishers:
you need a literary agent.*
*Some of these big publishers have imprints who do accept un-agented (“unsolicited”) manuscripts, so if your book meets their criteria, you are welcome to query them directly.
A literary agent is the gatekeeper to the big publishing houses. Once you have a completed manuscript and an agent takes you on as a client, they will do their utmost to sell your book.
This includes negotiating the deal, handling rights (foreign and domestic), getting excerpts or other of your writing placed in newspapers and magazines to generate interest in the upcoming release of your book, and generally helping you to varying degrees nurture your career and boost your value as an author in the marketplace.
A good agent is a goldmine and one worth waiting for.
The contract they have you sign is between you and the agent, meaning even though your book is the means through which you acquire the agent, once you’re together, as long as the relationship is mutually beneficial, you may work together for subsequent books and other writing projects.
Many writers remain with their agents for their whole careers but splits and upsets can happen like in any marriage!
The agent works for you just as you work for the agent: your book needs to be gorgeous (and saleable) for the agent to put their reputation on the line and shop it to the publishing houses, so they may have you work on it for a period of time until they feel it is a project they can get behind.
Commonly a literary agent is also an editor, and their editorial feedback coupled with what they know about the saleability of a project will guide their notes to their writers.
Pros:
Cons:
Joining the ranks of literary greats by being published at a known house is a dream of most authors. Once a big traditional publishing house buys your book, with an advance that ranges from acceptable to sizeable, depending on how the book is anticipated to sell, you can know that within 1.5-2 years, your work will be on shelves in major bookstores, and you will be on the rise in the public eye.
Pros:
Cons:
You do not need an agent to approach an independent or university press. You can pitch your book by sending them a proposal directly. You will need to pitch your book based on each press’ specifications (available on their websites) and have a draft that is as perfect as can be when you submit.
Pros:
Cons:
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing has opened up into a dynamic and user-friendly option for many writers. You can hire an outlet that provides a full suite of services and does everything for you from the print run to placement in online bookstores, or you can DIY nearly the entire process apart from the actual printing. There are many options to choose from, each one offering a slightly different service:
Author Christian T. Huber wrote a comprehensive article about the pros and cons of self-publishing his novel as well as his (satisfied) personal experiences using Amazon.
His informative blog also contains great resources and information about the self-publishing world and where to start.
Because self-publishing isn’t regulated, it’s important you do your homework! When you find a company or two that fit your criteria, talk to other authors who have used them to get a sense of their experiences, and check this site, which has rated hundreds of self-publishing companies.
How much you pay depends on the level of service you purchase. A full-service package will handle the editing, formatting, cover art, placing the book in online outlets, ISBN, Library of Congress registration, print run, rights, and even sometimes marketing and publicity.
An intermediate service, like the Self-Publishing Book Formatting and Upload Assistance we offer at One Lit Place handles the formatting and uploading to Amazon KDP for e-book and print and Smashwords, who serve all the other online retailers for e-books.
Lastly, you can DIY most of the process to keep costs down and maintain all the autonomy- and if you truly do everything yourself, it’s free!
Pros:
Cons:
Many of the administrative aspects of self-publishing are fairly straightforward and can be done yourself. Editing, proofreading, and professionally formatted cover art, however, should be entrusted to professionals.
Even if you are an excellent editor yourself, your brain is too familiar with your work, making you far less physically able to catch errors in a way someone new to the project can.
What makes the democratic nature of self-publishing so wonderful is also what makes it so dangerous.
It may be tempting to DIY the editing, proofreading, or cover art, but if you go the extra length to ensure you’re putting your very best work out there, you will be glad you did!
People eat with their eyes, and your reputation is at stake.
Handle as much as you can yourself, but the editing, proofreading, and unless you’re a professional graphic designer or illustrator, cover art should be outsourced.
All three streams of publishing: traditional, independent or university press, or self-publishing are a valuable and honorable way of getting your work out into the world.
Have a heart-to-heart with yourself about your priorities: creative control, timeline, income potential, notoriety, and future plans that would hinge on this work, and in the end, as long as your book makes it onto the page, you’ll have done the right thing.
If you want to write a novel but haven’t begun laying out your ideas (and perhaps the task of writing feels so daunting you can’t wrap your head around it), let us support you through it step-by-step with our Write Your Novel, Memoir, and Business | Self-Development Book in 4 Months Programs.
Continuous mentorship, comprehensive lessons in writing craft and practice, and a custom writing schedule ensure you have everything you need to confidently tell your story and get a first draft in only 4 months!
