Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: Examining the Paths to Publication

This post is written by Francesca Catlow, bestselling author of The Little Blue Door and Under a Greek Sky.

If you want to publish a book, there are two routes you can take: self-publishing or traditional publishing.

With traditional publishing, a publishing house manages the whole process — from editing to distribution — and provides you with a share of the royalties.

Self-publishing, meanwhile, is just that: you are your own publisher. You retain all rights and profits, but you also have to do everything and sell the book all by yourself.

I’ve self-published and traditionally published my books, so I can walk you through these processes to help decide which one is right for you! In the past five years I have:

• Self-published six books
• Traditionally published two books
• Received over 20,000 ratings of 4 stars or higher on Amazon
• Been a finalist for the 2023 Kindle Storyteller Award

We’ll start with a table to compare the main differences between the two:

Read on for a more in-depth exploration of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, along with tips based on my own publishing journey.

Expected cost & earnings

Traditional publishing costs nothing — but royalties are lower

When you sign with a traditional publisher, they’ll take on all financial responsibilities for your book. You’ll also be paid an advance on your book sales (averaging around $1,000 to $2,000 for smaller presses and $5,000 to $10,000 for larger ones.)

This advance usually indicates how well they think your book will sell, though not always. Some publishers, for example, have standard rates for each genre. It’ll also depend on the publisher’s size, the competitiveness of your genre, and your existing author platform.

Here, I should also talk about the reality of “earning out” your advance. Say you’re given a $10,000 advance — a nice chunk of change for a debut author! Once your book is published, you’ll receive a percentage of the net profit (after printing costs, retailer charges, etc.) for every copy sold. 

But here's the catch: your royalties go toward paying back your advance first. So if you get a $10k advance and your contract specifies 10% royalties, you’ll need to see $100k in net profit (10% of 100k = 10k “earned out”) before you can receive any further payments.

And keep in mind, failing to “earn out” your advance can also affect your ability to get a second book deal — even with a totally different publisher! It’s also worth noting that getting a large advance, or any advance, is increasingly rare in publishing. (I myself have been approached by multiple publishing houses that did not include an advance as part of the contract.)

All that said, if you do want to publish traditionally, I would encourage you to hold out for a contract with some kind of advance. Know your worth and negotiate accordingly.

Pro tip: To improve your prospects, I highly recommend paying for a professional edit before pitching agents and/or publishers. Aim to professionally edit at least your first three chapters. You’re much more likely to get a response with a well-manicured manuscript!

Self-publishing can be costly — at first

For independent authors, self-publishing means investing a decent amount of time, money, or both. Editing, formatting, cover design, and marketing are all crucial parts of the process. When you self-publish, you'll either need to handle these yourself, or hire some professionals to help. 

Reedsy provides something I wish I had when I was starting out — a cost calculator that breaks down how much you can expect to spend on each editing service:

These costs might seem significant, but think of it like starting a business: you need to spend money to make money, as it were.

On the bright side, self-published authors take home a much higher royalty percentage than their traditionally published counterparts. If you self-publish, royalties are typically between 35% and 70% for ebooks, and 40% to 60% for print books (Amazon actually represents the higher end of these ranges.)

So self-publishing may be pricier upfront — but the higher royalty rates mean you'll earn far more per book sold in the long run. And remember, investing in a high-quality final product means you’re all the more likely to sell more copies and earn more money!

Creative control

Traditional publishers can curb your creative control

One of the main benefits of trad pub is gaining access to a team of in-house professionals. That said, the more people involved in your book’s production, the more creative compromises you will have to make.

This often means ceding control on things requiring market research and technical knowledge, like marketing and cover design. For some authors, it can be tough to grapple with… especially if the strategy diverges from how you see your own story.

Now, this doesn’t mean you’ll get zero say throughout this process. I was fortunate to work with a great, receptive team at Lake Union Publishing for Under a Greek Sky; I disliked the initial cover design they sent over, so they changed it in line with my suggestions. But not every author is so lucky!

If you’re worried about losing creative control, make sure to carefully read over a contract before you sign it. Ideally, you should also speak to the team, ask about their recent work with authors, and assess how likely they are to listen to your opinions. If they seem inflexible, I’d think twice about signing.

Retain full control with self-publishing

With self-publishing, it’s simple: creatively speaking, you’re in charge of absolutely everything.

This is definitely one of the biggest draws of self-pub. You get to call all the shots, from what goes on the page to what your cover looks like.

That’s not to say you should ignore the feedback from your own editors and designers. But they’ll work toward realizing your vision — so you shouldn’t have any stressful power struggles in the process.

Read more here about my own “creative control” experience with The Little Blue Door.

Typical publication timelines

Traditional publishing takes two years or more

When you sign with a publisher, you’ll be given a preliminary publication date — often around two years in the future. For example, fellow author Rebecca van Laer sold the book proposal for her memoir Cat in August 2023, with an eye to publish in October 2025.

So why the long wait? Well, as we’ve just discussed, traditional publishing involves working with a team to turn your book into a top-notch title. While their input is helpful, it can also be time-consuming… and at times, outright frustrating.

For some people, the endless emails between you, your agent, and the publisher’s team are totally exhausting. I don’t have an agent, so my communications with Lake Union Publishing were a bit more streamlined — I was able to go straight to my editor with questions. (Of course, for most authors, having an agent to mediate is a good thing overall; it just takes up more time.)

Other factors can delay your book’s release as well. Remember, even small publishing houses work on a handful of titles a year, and bigger ones work on hundreds of them! Your book must be slotted into their wider publication and marketing schedule, meaning you’ll likely have to wait at least a year before your work is published — and that’s the best-case scenario. 

Pro tip: Keep in mind that some genres/types of books get published more quickly. Timelines for fiction, for example, tend to be faster than non-fiction — more like 16-18 months for fiction as opposed to two years for nonfiction.

Self-publishing can be as fast (or as slow) as you like

Again, things are a lot more straightforward with self-publishing. The only time constraint is how quickly you (and any professionals you hire) can get things done.

Most authors will plan their launch for as soon as they can reasonably finish their book. That said, you may still wait for a certain time of year to launch (like wintertime if your book has a seasonal backdrop), or spend time organizing a book party to spotlight your sparkling new release.

But with self-publishing, you always have the option to publish whenever you want. The choice is yours!

Marketing responsibilities

Traditional publishers handle less than you might expect

With a traditional publishing contract, you’ll typically be assigned a publicist. They’ll be responsible for securing book reviews, arranging media opportunities, and distributing advance reader copies (ARCs) to major publications. You’ll also work with a wider marketing team on additional materials for your book.

When I worked with Lake Union Publishing for Under A Greek Sky, they:

1. Distributed ARCs on NetGalley.
2. Secured me an invite to a TikTok course with Tandem Collective (which was particularly exciting!)
3. Helped create marketing materials for my newsletter and social media.
4. Set up advertising on major platforms and ran promotional deals on my ebook.

This might sound like a lot — and honestly, I had a great experience with Lake Union! But even with all their help, I was posting on social media myself, drafting my own newsletters (with their additions), and engaging with readers personally. At the end of the day, I was the one representing my book — and this would be true at any publisher, with just about any title.

Relatedly, from speaking to other trad pub authors, I know that levels of marketing support can vary hugely. I was lucky with Lake Union, but some authors get far less help. I’ve had several trad pub authors reach out to me for help running their own Facebook ads!

All that to say: even if you land a publishing contract, don’t expect the marketing process to be a breeze. You’ll still need to “show up” regularly for your book to be a success.

Self-published authors are 100% responsible for marketing

Needless to say, if you self-publish, you’ll have to show up tenfold. You’ll need to cold-pitch other industry professionals, learn how to use advertising platforms like Amazon, build relationships with book bloggers and podcasters, and manage all the business infrastructure yourself.

I won’t lie, it can be difficult in the beginning — but you can employ your own marketing professionals, and connect with other authors (on social media and in real life), to help you find your way.

When I was promoting The Little Blue Door, I reached out to my local radio station to see if they might talk with me about my new book. The first interview was over the phone, but it went so well that I was invited back to be a sofa guest!

One more thing I want to mention is how vital social media has become for modern book marketing. Building a personal connection with readers through platforms like TikTok and Instagram will help generate organic buzz and momentum around your book.

Pro tip: Aim to post on your social media platform of choice at least once a week. As you get closer to launch day, ramp up to 3-5 times per week. Exposure is critical and consistency is key!

Distribution options

Traditional publishing can get you into brick-and-mortar stores

A traditional publishing deal is generally a safer path to bookstore shelves.

Here’s how it works: publishers provide bookstores with catalogues of their upcoming releases. Bookstores then stock the titles that they find most appealing. A publisher may also pay upfront for window displays and table space in bookstores — but this is mostly reserved for bestselling authors and highly anticipated new releases.

And indeed, a publishing contract doesn’t guarantee shelf space. Some publishers don’t push their new acquisitions as hard as their tried-and-true authors, and some books (including my own!) have other distribution issues that make them hard to stock.

This was actually the case for my own traditionally published works; my publisher did not distribute them to bookstores. For context, this is because Lake Union (established through Amazon) is a “digital-first publisher” — meaning that any print-based promotion is largely left to the author.

This hasn’t bothered me at all, partly because I’ve forged my own relationships with local booksellers for regional distribution (see more on this below!). However, it’s definitely something to consider regarding your own publisher. If you want to be stocked in stores across the country, then signing with a Big 5 imprint is the way to go.

Self-publishing can too — but it depends on you

Not to sound like a broken record, but once again, self-publishing your book means that distribution rests entirely in your hands.

For indie authors, the first part of this will be setting up ebook distribution for digital copies. I’ve chosen to put my self-published ebooks on Amazon only, so I can reap the benefits of their KDP Select program. Some authors prefer to “go wide” with other, non-Amazon retailers. That can work well too — you can read all about ebook distribution options here to make the right call.

The other part, obviously, is print distribution. Even though traditional publishers often have strong networks for print, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get your book on shelves as a self-published author — and I’m the perfect case study for this!

I did, however, need to put in the effort to present my book convincingly. To start, I approached my local Waterstones branches with the following fact sheet:

After a pleasant conversation with the manager, they were happy to feature The Little Blue Door in their store — and all my other self-published books as they came out.

It was a similar story when I visited my local independent store (Dial Lane Books in Ipswich, UK). Not only did they stock my books, but they even agreed to host a book signing event for me!

I will say, again, that I’ve been pretty lucky with my experience. Not every self-published author will meet with such receptive sellers (especially the big chain bookstores). But still, if you’re an indie author, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! Having high Amazon ratings, a beautiful cover, and a professional approach will open more (little blue) doors than you might expect.

Rights & long-term opportunities

Traditional publishers manage rights on your behalf 

Finally, a publishing house may acquire some or all of the rights to your book. You might get an offer for:

• World rights – the rights to publish your (written) manuscript in all possible forms.
• World English rights – the rights to publish your work in English worldwide.
• Regional rights – the rights to publish your work in specific regions.
• Subsidiary rights – the rights to license a book for use in different formats (such as audiobooks, translations, film adaptations, etc.)

While most major publishers will want at least some subsidiary rights, a good literary agent will advise you to retain as many of them as possible. You can then sell the individual rights to other, more suitable publishers and studios if you want to publish in different formats and markets.

Pursue your own opportunities with self-publishing

Naturally, if you self-publish, you won’t have to worry about signing away your rights via contract. That way, if and when an opportunity arrives, you can efficiently sell subsidiary rights to the highest bidder.

For example, I sold the audio adaptation rights for The Little Blue Door to W.F. Howes, the UK’s leading audiobook publisher. This made me some extra money on top of my Lake Union contract and opened up a new channel for reader discovery!

That freedom extends to other formats too. If, for example, you’d like your book translated into a different language (as I did for The Little Blue Door series), you could hire a translator to help you do so. Just make sure you work with a professional — AI translations are still shoddy at best, and human translators truly do amazing work.

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There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to the question of self-publishing vs traditional publishing — but I hope I’ve given you a lot to think about.

Perhaps the slower, more tried-and-true traditional publishing route suits your preferences. Or maybe speed and creative control are of utmost importance to you, and you’ll end up self-publishing all your books. However you arrived at this post, try to genuinely consider every angle I’ve laid out above; you might realize your priorities are different than you previously thought.

Best of luck with this decision and on your publishing journey as a whole!

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Francesca Catlow writes bestselling fiction filled with passionate love stories that feature flawed, and sometimes broken, characters as they face a crossroads in their life. She often explores heartbreaking themes while also whisking readers off to beautiful locations.

In 2023, Francesca was a finalist for the prestigious Kindle Storyteller Award, and was nominated for an Innovation Award for her work with libraries in Suffolk.

Francesca loves to travel. Born and raised in the heart of Suffolk, England, she has travelled extensively in Europe with her French husband and, more recently, their two children. In 2024 she relocated to France where she spends her days dreaming up stories and her evenings sitting in her garden relaxing with her family. She is the author of the four book Little Blue Door romance series, as well as the recently published Under a Greek Sky.  You can subscribe to her author mailing list here and you can find her social accounts here: Instagram / TikTok / Facebook. Thanks for reading!