Self-Publishing Advantages:
  • You are in the driver’s seat. You choose your cover designer. You choose your editor. And, if that editor wants to make changes to your book you don’t agree with, you don’t have to do them.
  • Not so with traditional publishing. The publisher provides the editor and designer. And (normally) you have very little say in what the cover looks like and how your story is changed.
  • You earn a higher percentage of royalties on book sales. If you publish on Amazon, you can get 70% royalties on your eBook. And you can get 60% on your paperback — minus the cost of printing the book.
  • Compare that to the traditional publishing world — where you can expect a 4% - 10% royalty on paperbacks and 25% - 50% royalty on eBooks. (If you’re a new author, expect the lower end of those percentages!)
  • When you’re ready to publish your manuscript, you can have it for sale on Amazon in a matter of hours/days. Nearly instant gratification! It could take a year or more to see your book get published by a traditional publisher.

Self-Publishing Disadvantages:
  • As a self-publisher, you don’t get a cash advance on royalties like traditionally-published authors do.
  • You are responsible for all expenses related to publishing your book — while traditional publishers cover all those things for their authors.
  • It is more difficult to get your book into bookstores and libraries. Some larger bookstores won’t take self-published books at all.
  • You are solely responsible for the marketing of your book. Traditionally-published authors have to do some of their own advertising, but the publisher takes care of PR and sets up book signings.

Both self-publishing and traditional publishing have advantages and disadvantages. You just need to choose what works best for you.