The pros and cons of traditional publishing

Traditional publishing is no longer the only route to publication, but it’s one option that many writers aspire to over self-publishing or hybrid publishing. It is, however, a tough nut to crack and there are downsides as well as positives to taking the traditional route.

You may well have heard of the ‘Big Five’ who dominate the traditional publishing landscape – Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre, Macmillan Publishers and Simon & Schuster. Look beyond them and there are countless small, independent publishers all around the world, many focused on particular genres or literary niches which might be just up your street.

But what are the pros and cons of traditional publishing? Let’s get the negatives out the way first…

The cons of traditional publishing

It’s hard to break in

Getting into the traditional book publishing market is notoriously hard, so be braced for rejection after rejection. Many publishing houses won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, which means getting yourself an agent before you stand a chance. Those that do have an open-door policy may well be flooded with manuscripts, so the chances of yours being picked up remain slim.

Lower royalty rates

If you are lucky enough to get picked up by a publishing house, you may not earn as much as you’d expect once they and your agent have taken their cut. While self-published authors can typically take home up to 80% of the royalties from book sales, a traditionally published writer is more likely to see around 25%. If you’re motivated by the money, this may not be the best option for you.

You may have to lose creative control

Many writers who are traditionally published get little say over how their book is presented to the world. Publishing houses can insist on changes to the text itself, and while your agent might fight back on your behalf, it’s often a losing battle. They may also have the final say on the cover art and blurb, so be prepared to cede control if you want to be traditionally published.

You will also lose your rights

Self-published authors get to retain the rights to their books, but traditionally published writers hand theirs over to the publisher. Once you’ve signed a book deal, the publishing house owns the rights. While that’s not necessarily the end of the world, it can cause problems if, for example, your book was meant to be part of a series and the publisher changes their mind about subsequent books.

It takes a very long time

The publishing industry is notoriously slow-moving, so don’t expect to see your book on the shelves just weeks after it’s been accepted. We’re looking at months, sometimes years. The actual time-frame will depend on what else is being published, how long it takes for editing and revisions and a number of other factors. If you want to follow the traditional route, you’re going to have to have a lot of patience.

The pros of traditional publishing

You have an incredible amount of support

Signing a book deal with a publisher means you suddenly get an entire army of people behind you to offer support and see everything is taken care of. That includes editing and proof-reading, design, production, distribution, royalties and, of course, marketing. These are all things that self-published authors have to sort out for themselves, and they can be a nightmare without the publishing house machine at your disposal.

You can win more acclaim

If your book is good enough, your publishing company may decide to enter it into some high-profile, prestigious awards. This is something self-published authors can only dream of because your chances of getting a self-published book onto a prize short-list are slim to zero. With a traditional publisher behind you, your opportunities to pick up some glittering awards increase.

You’ll reach more people

The online publishing market is over-saturated and with over a million new ebooks published on Amazon every year, the odds of readers stumbling across yours are pretty low. One of the biggest positives of going with a traditional publisher is that you have greater visibility. By that, I don’t just mean on bookshelves in real-world bookstores, but also through an orchestrated campaign of book signings, author events and even those awards I mentioned before.

No need to pay upfront

Any self-published writer will tell you, publishing a high-quality book comes with a price tag. Upfront costs self-published writers can be lumbered with include paying for editors and proof-readers, having covers designed or marketing expenses. If you’re picked up by a traditional publisher, these costs are all taken care of in-house, saving you from having to find money upfront.

You may have more time to write your next book

It’s not just money that you save by going the traditional route, but something arguably even more precious to a writer – time. Self-publishing requires a lot of leg-work on your part, and all that editing, looking for beta readers and marketing your own book can eat into the time you’d far rather spend writing. With a publishing house handling all the minutiae, you’re free to concentrate on getting that follow-up penned.

Traditional publishing isn’t for everyone, but it does come with some significant advantages. You need to ask yourself ‘what matters most to me?’ 

If the answer is getting your book published as quickly as possible and without the pain of querying agents and publishers, then the traditional route may not be your cup of tea.

If you’d prefer to take your time and enjoy the security and expertise of a bricks-and-mortar publisher, then this could be the best route to take.

Weigh up your options and decide where your priorities lie.

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