Self Publishing Vs Traditional Publishing - Which Path Is Right for You?

If you’re an aspiring author, one of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing. Both paths have their perks and pitfalls, so let’s break it down.

Traditional publishing means securing a literary agent, landing a book deal with a publishing house, and having professionals handle editing, cover design, marketing, and distribution. It offers credibility, wider reach, and potential bookstore placement, but it’s also slow—often taking years—and gives you less creative control and a smaller cut of royalties (typically 5–15%).

An unspoken downside is that if the chosen marketing campaign of the publishing house flops, you have no recourse to change things around (for example, cover, marketing demographic) to attract the right audience.

Self-publishing, on the other hand, puts everything in your hands. You can publish as soon as your book is ready, keep up to 70% of royalties (depending on what platform you choose to publish on), and retain full creative control. However, you’re responsible for everything—hiring editors (developmental, copy and line), designing a professional cover, marketing (which is endless), and managing distribution. It’s a steep learning curve, and requires constant attention. You aren't just an author if you self-publish, you're the entire publishing house. But the payoff is brilliant, and many indie authors build loyal audiences and earn great money.

So, which is better? If you want industry support, prestige, and don’t mind waiting, traditional might be for you. If you love autonomy, faster publishing, and are willing to learn the business, self-publishing is your best bet. If this sounds like you - check out the blog of programs I use to help with all the backend. Either way, the key to success is writing a book readers can’t put down, so check out my blog post that has the resources to build bullet proof fiction books.