You’re already eager to release your story, but you’re still wondering whether you want to offer your book to a publisher or you’d rather go down the self-publishing route?
Then let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing and publishing through a publisher:
The advantages of self-publishing:
- All rights of use remain with you, e.g. the publishing rights of various formats, film or merchandising rights.
- You have full control over all publishing processes such as the choice of editor, the design of the book cover or the timing of publication
- You receive higher royalties and therefore earn more with your book
The disadvantages of self-publishing:
- You have to pay all the costs yourself, e.g. the costs for editing and printing.
- You have to take care of the complete marketing of your publication yourself.
- If you don’t have a creative streak and have the cover professionally designed by a graphic artist, you will have to pay additional costs.
- You have to take care of the stock and reprinting yourself.
- Books by self-publishers are usually not considered for major literary prizes.
The advantages of a publisher:
- The publisher takes care of all the processes of publishing and covers all the costs
- The publisher organizes the editing and proofreading as well as the printing of the book
- Many publishers work with professional graphic artists who design the cover and typesetting of the book.
- The publisher always keeps an eye on stocks and takes care of reprints
- Some publishers even pay an advance to the authors.
- The publisher supports you in marketing
The disadvantages of a publisher:
- You cede most of the rights to use your story to the publisher.
- Since the publisher pays the costs, you naturally receive less than you would in self-publishing.
- You have no say, for example, in the pricing or circulation of your book.
- Most publishers only pay out royalties once a year.
Caution is advised with so-called “printing cost subsidy publishers”. Before the publisher gets started, you have to make an advance payment, usually in the four-digit range. A serious publisher does not work like that. In the end, you end up with a second-rate printer and, in the worst case, you are stuck with the costs.
