Exploring Different Publishing Options: Traditional, Self-Publishing, and Hybrid Routes

I'm going to start this article out by saying that there is no real right or wrong choice in the publishing options, the right one is the most compatible and in line with your goals, budget, and timeline as a writer. 

Each of the three options comes with its pros and cons and it's essential to know these before you set yourself on your publishing journey. 

So what are the three options?

Traditional Publishing

Traditional publishing is the most known option for getting your novel into the hands of readers. It's a process that involves submitting your work to a literary agent and publisher who handles most of the publishing process for you such as editing, formatting, and design. 

Traditional publishing has its pros and cons that can make or break a writer's decision to choose it as an option.

 While the pros include:

• Higher royalties
• Increased Distribution  
• No Upfront Financial Costs 
• Support Team

The cons however include the following:

• Little Say in the Creative Process
• Lower Royalties Rates 
• Long Publication Times (up to 2 years)
• Loss of Rights to Your Work 

Traditional publishing may seem like a gamble on whether or not it'll be worth it, but the decision is ultimately up to you. 

Just make sure to do your research into each agent or publishing house as they are not all valued equally, you can reach out to some of their authors to ask about their experience or search through forums online to get an understanding of how they treat their writers.  

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing is the most popular of the publishing options due to the many advantages it gives to the author of the work, though this isn't to say that this method is without its downsides. Self-publishing is a process just as it sounds where everything is completed by the writer of the work. While this leaves the writer with the most control, it can come at a high cost, financially that is. 

While the pros of self-publishing are:

• Faster Publication 
• Higher Royalty Rates
• Complete Creative Control 
• Retain the Rights to Your Work 

The Cons are not to be taken lightly:

• Lower Distribution 
• High Cost of Services (Marketing, Editing, Formating) 
• Competitive Market 

There are thousands of books being self-published each day so it's important to know if you are choosing self-publishing as a path you need to make sure you can make your book stand out and find a way to make it seen. 

While marketing your book doesn't have to be an expensive venture when the right set of hashtags on some sites can do you wonders, expenses such as editing and formatting should not be skipped if you can afford them. 

Hybrid Publishing 

Hybrid publishing can sound a bit confusing at first, but it's a method that combines traditional and self-publishing aspects. While the author still carries the financial cost it comes with a team of professionals to get your book market ready. 

The pros of hybrid publishing are a mix of the two methods:

• Complete Creative Control 
• Author Retains the Rights 
• Faster Publication 
• Support Team

The main con of hybrid publishing is:

• The Cost

Costs for hybrid publishing can rise quickly past the quoted price with things such as additional editing, marketing materials, shipping, and many others not being able to be priced out until later in the process.  

 To me, this method is no different from self-publishing since most self-publishers do need to hire out some of the same services, editing, marketing, and more, just as with hybrid authors. The difference is that the hybrid authors have all these people working as one team as a collective group instead of hiring individual people for each aspect. 

The main thing with this method is DO YOUR RESEARCH hybrid publishers hold a bad reputation due to a few select companies taking advantage of authors, this is not all companies but checking the reputability of a company before sending them a check is going to be the most important thing when choosing a hybrid publisher.  

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 Choosing a publishing method is not a choice to be taken lightly and should be done after researching and carefully weighing the pros and cons of each option. 

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to publishing and the best choice in the end is going to be the one that aligns most with your goals and preferences. 

Best of luck on your publishing journey. 

With love, 

B. King xo xo

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