To self-publish or not to self-publish?

You’ve written your book and are desperate to find a publisher, but no one seems to be interested in offering you a contract. You may even have struggled to find an agent willing to represent you. Is it worth hanging on for that ‘big break’, or is it best to go down the self-publishing route?

Here are five questions to ask yourself if you’ve been weighing up your options.

1.     Is your manuscript ready? First of all, ask yourself whether your book is as good as it can be. Has it been professionally edited and proofread? Have you given it to beta readers for feedback and made changes accordingly? Have you tested it out on members of your target audience? Traditional publishers won’t be interested if it’s not good enough, and people won’t buy it if you self-publish. So make sure your book is in excellent shape either way!

2.     How much control do you want over the process? Some authors are shocked to discover that a publisher not only owns the rights to their work but can make major changes to the content. Publishers usually have the final say on editing and cover design, and can even rename the book if they feel it will increase sales. If you want to be in charge of every detail, self-publishing may be the way forward. Having said that, most publishers want their authors to be thrilled with the end result and will work collaboratively with you. If you’re offered a deal, chat through the process with the commissioning editor before signing anything.

3.     What is your measure of success? Some authors are looking to become the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, while others simply want to write something for their families to treasure. If your dream is just to see your book in print, self-publishing can be a great option. If your heart is set on having a famous logo on the cover, it may be worth holding out for that, particularly if the number of copies sold is your success marker. Just remember that a trad publisher will keep the lion’s share of the proceeds, whether your book does well or not.

4.     How much time and money do you have? If you want to get your book out there asap, self-publishing is probably the way forward. It takes most traditional publishers a year or two to publish from the original submission date, so it is rarely a swift process. However, you will need to stump up the upfront costs if you self-publish, including editing, proofreading, cover design, typesetting, printing, creating ebooks, uploading to Amazon and other platforms, and marketing. Do you have the time or expertise to complete any of these stages yourself or know someone who does? If not, it may be better to seek out a traditional publisher, who should have trusted professionals in place to take care of each stage of your publishing journey.

5.     How will you sell your book? Many authors assume that copies will simply fly off the shelf if they find a publisher. This is rarely the case! Unless you are David Walliams or Margaret Atwood, your book can easily get lost among the millions published each year. Yes, your publisher should market the book well (ask about this before you sign your contract!), but some of the impetus will need to come from you. As such, it’s important that you know your market well, have a strategy in place for selling your book, and consider hosting a book launch, contacting book bloggers, doing schools or library visits, offering giveaways, liaising with bookshops and so on. If you’re self-publishing (or your trad publisher has no marketing plan in place), it may even be worth paying an agency to manage this process.

In summary, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Self-publishing can work really well for those who want a quick turnaround and control over the content of their book. Traditional deals are best for those who lack the upfront costs or expertise to produce and market their manuscripts. The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook is a great place to find advice about writing, finding an agent and approaching traditional publishers as well as self-publishing.

Emira Press is a small, traditional publisher and is currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts. However, if you prefer to self-publish we can also put you in touch with great professionals to help get your book out there. We’d love to hear from you!