Which Way to Publish?
What kind of author are you? Traditional, Independent or
Hybrid?
A year ago, these three terms didn’t mean too much to me. I was of the erroneous idea there were ‘proper’ authors whom the demi-gods of publishing had deemed worthy to accept through the golden gates of literature, or there were self-published writers – a rather sorry bunch of second class literary citizens who hadn’t quite made the bar. I’ve learned a thing or two in the last year though, and if you’re a budding author it should make interesting reading. Times have changed.
Nothing is how it was, not even two years ago. And for reasons that baffle me slightly, the publishing industry seems unable to adapt. It’s probably never been easier to sell writing (if you are flexible about how you package it), yet bookstores are collapsing like houses of cards (or cheaply-produced celebrity biographies). Borders no longer exists. Amazon appears to be taking over the world. The publishing giant Hachette has raised the battle cry, and an infantry of writers armed with nothing more than a four-figure advance have been sent to the front line of ebook. Meanwhile back in London, Will Self is gnashing his award-winning teeth as he watches his royalties plunge into the abyss.
What’s going on? The tectonic plates are shifting beneath the publishing world. Like it or not, the way we buy and sell books is nothing like it was ten years ago. Fancy staying off the poverty line? You’d do well to take note. More than ever, new authors need to be clear about their objectives. You have written a book. Great. Now, are you going to publish it traditionally, or independently?
One way or another, I converse with a number of traditionally published authors. I don’t think a single one of them lives from their work. This isn't simply anecdotal hearsay though. A recent survey showed that the vast majority of traditionally published U.K. authors received advances well below an acceptable salary level. So, if you'd like to earn a living from your writing, you might need to face the fact it's probably not going to happen with a traditional publisher. The royalties are too small, you receive little help in marketing and promotion, and the traditional publishing world has simply been too slow to embrace the most obvious tool for spreading news, creative writing and ideas; the internet.
Not everything is money, though. Most writers aim to produce quality work. Traditional publishers are set up with experienced editors to forge manuscripts into literary gold (well, that’s the theory at least). Currently, in the minds of the vast majority of literary folk, a traditionally published book is considered superior quality to an independently published one, though having now entered the author-pubbed market as not only a writer but a reader, I'm beginning to question that premise. Am I the only one to feel bored by the offerings of traditional publishing shelves? Where is the cutting edge? Where are the Calvinos, Sartres or Virginia Woolfs? It seems they're elsewhere. Perhaps they always were. (Virginia was a self-pubbed author herself, after all).
A new era is upon us. I’m speaking from the inside here. I’m a member of something called the Alliance of Independent Authors, and even from its back benches it's obvious; there is a novel breed of author-publisher on the horizon. They are led by the likes of Orna Ross. They hire professional editors and cover designers, and craft quality books. They are their own bosses and their own marketers. They are making money and striving for excellence, simultaneously.
Nonetheless, the plains of publishing in 2014 are still swampy. Though the traditionally published and the independents like to take pot shots at each other, in truth, there are both diamonds and rats lurking in the trenches of either side. So for clarity’s sake, I’ve rustled up a table of the pros and cons.
A year ago, these three terms didn’t mean too much to me. I was of the erroneous idea there were ‘proper’ authors whom the demi-gods of publishing had deemed worthy to accept through the golden gates of literature, or there were self-published writers – a rather sorry bunch of second class literary citizens who hadn’t quite made the bar. I’ve learned a thing or two in the last year though, and if you’re a budding author it should make interesting reading. Times have changed.
Nothing is how it was, not even two years ago. And for reasons that baffle me slightly, the publishing industry seems unable to adapt. It’s probably never been easier to sell writing (if you are flexible about how you package it), yet bookstores are collapsing like houses of cards (or cheaply-produced celebrity biographies). Borders no longer exists. Amazon appears to be taking over the world. The publishing giant Hachette has raised the battle cry, and an infantry of writers armed with nothing more than a four-figure advance have been sent to the front line of ebook. Meanwhile back in London, Will Self is gnashing his award-winning teeth as he watches his royalties plunge into the abyss.
What’s going on? The tectonic plates are shifting beneath the publishing world. Like it or not, the way we buy and sell books is nothing like it was ten years ago. Fancy staying off the poverty line? You’d do well to take note. More than ever, new authors need to be clear about their objectives. You have written a book. Great. Now, are you going to publish it traditionally, or independently?
One way or another, I converse with a number of traditionally published authors. I don’t think a single one of them lives from their work. This isn't simply anecdotal hearsay though. A recent survey showed that the vast majority of traditionally published U.K. authors received advances well below an acceptable salary level. So, if you'd like to earn a living from your writing, you might need to face the fact it's probably not going to happen with a traditional publisher. The royalties are too small, you receive little help in marketing and promotion, and the traditional publishing world has simply been too slow to embrace the most obvious tool for spreading news, creative writing and ideas; the internet.
Not everything is money, though. Most writers aim to produce quality work. Traditional publishers are set up with experienced editors to forge manuscripts into literary gold (well, that’s the theory at least). Currently, in the minds of the vast majority of literary folk, a traditionally published book is considered superior quality to an independently published one, though having now entered the author-pubbed market as not only a writer but a reader, I'm beginning to question that premise. Am I the only one to feel bored by the offerings of traditional publishing shelves? Where is the cutting edge? Where are the Calvinos, Sartres or Virginia Woolfs? It seems they're elsewhere. Perhaps they always were. (Virginia was a self-pubbed author herself, after all).
A new era is upon us. I’m speaking from the inside here. I’m a member of something called the Alliance of Independent Authors, and even from its back benches it's obvious; there is a novel breed of author-publisher on the horizon. They are led by the likes of Orna Ross. They hire professional editors and cover designers, and craft quality books. They are their own bosses and their own marketers. They are making money and striving for excellence, simultaneously.
Nonetheless, the plains of publishing in 2014 are still swampy. Though the traditionally published and the independents like to take pot shots at each other, in truth, there are both diamonds and rats lurking in the trenches of either side. So for clarity’s sake, I’ve rustled up a table of the pros and cons.
THE PROS AND CONS OF PUBLISHING TRADITIONALLY AND
INDEPENDENTLY
Traditional Publisher
The publisher creams off most of the profit from your novel, and you’ll either need a day job or to live in a cave to survive.
A traditional publisher offers an umbrella of prestige and credibility. Few are those who question the opinion of the demi-gods of publishing. Easier (though by no means automatic) to obtain reviews in mainstream newspapers. You lose the rights to your work. Your book can (and probably will) be pulped in a year if it doesn’t sell its required quota. You will never make a cent on your book from then on. It will be easier to distribute in brick and mortar stores on the High Street. You are limited regarding any other distribution outlets, and you probably cannot get hold of cheap enough copies of your work to sell independently. This is crucial if you have a niche book suited to a specific location. It looks to be less work. The publisher takes the responsibility of the book and the marketing. You have little or no say in the cover design, layout or appearance of your book. You have no say in the retail price of your book. |
Author-Publisher
The royalties are all yours. If you have a decent book with a beautiful
cover and market correctly you can live from your work, though it might not
happen overnight.
You will need to have your work endorsed or win prizes to gain credibility. Get used to comments about your book needing to be proof-read, despite it having been scoured by five editors. You need to be more creative to obtain reviews, though the internet is indie-author friendly. Go for bloggers rather than newspapers to review your work. You’ll probably sell more through a blogger review anyway. You retain the rights to your work forever. You can re-release it as often as you like. It can be available year after year with steady sales. You can re-edit it, change the ending and re-sell it. You can have it translated, or release it as an ebook. You are in charge and you can do anything you like, whenever you like. The big chains won’t usually take your book. You can have as many books printed as you like, and distribute where you like (apart from the High Street). Independent bookshops, hotels, cafés and gift shops can sell your work. Independent publishing requires effort. You become not only an author, but a business person. Get ready to learn about marketing, sales and promotion. You create your book from top to bottom (or hire others to do it, and pick and choose). You decide how to market it. You choose how much to sell your book for, and you can change it at will. |
Photo: Melissa Maples
So, will you continue to send your manuscript to
agent after agent ad infinitum? (Because no publisher in the UK is going to
spend a minute of their time dealing with the likes of an unpublished author,
thus you’ll need an agent first. Oh and don’t forget, the agent is taking another
15% of your already dwindling royalties).
There are reasons, other than masochism, that a writer might still go traditional, but they’re not generally the reasons people believe. Financially speaking, the only viable option for a new author in the traditionally published world would seem to be as a hybrid author.
Hybrid? What has Toyota got to do with publishing?
You could be the Prius of the writing world. While being taken on by a publisher probably won't result in you retiring to Barbados, it might generate recognition. One plausible author-publisher strategy would be to publish one book with a publisher, net a sprinkle of mainstream newspaper reviews and use this endorsement to sell more of your independently published work.
Cynical? Not completely. But writers, just like the rest of humanity, need to eat, and if the traditional publishing industry can't feed them, then it stands to reason that they will hunt for other approaches. If like me, you strive to develop and perfect your craft and desire financial independence, you might see a one-book deal with a traditional publisher as a way of drawing professional editorial advice and honing your talent. Though, let's be honest, you could also pay a professional editor, probably one of those laid off by the publishing industry, to do exactly the same thing.
Yes. Times have changed.
There are reasons, other than masochism, that a writer might still go traditional, but they’re not generally the reasons people believe. Financially speaking, the only viable option for a new author in the traditionally published world would seem to be as a hybrid author.
Hybrid? What has Toyota got to do with publishing?
You could be the Prius of the writing world. While being taken on by a publisher probably won't result in you retiring to Barbados, it might generate recognition. One plausible author-publisher strategy would be to publish one book with a publisher, net a sprinkle of mainstream newspaper reviews and use this endorsement to sell more of your independently published work.
Cynical? Not completely. But writers, just like the rest of humanity, need to eat, and if the traditional publishing industry can't feed them, then it stands to reason that they will hunt for other approaches. If like me, you strive to develop and perfect your craft and desire financial independence, you might see a one-book deal with a traditional publisher as a way of drawing professional editorial advice and honing your talent. Though, let's be honest, you could also pay a professional editor, probably one of those laid off by the publishing industry, to do exactly the same thing.
Yes. Times have changed.
