This is Part of 3 of “How to publish your book: Self publishing vs Traditional publishing”.

If you haven’t read the first 2 parts of this article, please click:

• Part 1 - DIFFERENCES between Self- and Traditional publishing

• Part 2 - PROS and CONS of Self publishing and Traditional publishing

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Or keep reading…

Why you should choose Traditional Publishing

These are the three most important reasons why you should work toward becoming a traditionally published author.

1 - Brick & mortar bookstores

Traditional publishers are adept at placing print books in brick and mortar bookstores.

That’s because, in the pre-internet era, brick and mortar bookstores were the only place that publishers sold books. Hence, they have built long-standing relationships with bookstores.

I know several authors who have told me that they would feel like a real author only if they see their books on a bookstore shelf. That validation is their primary motivation to keep working on their writing craft and aiming for literary excellence.

So, if you relate to that sentiment and feel strongly about seeing your books on a bookstore shelf one day, then traditional publishing is a good choice for you.

2 - Publishing services

If you don’t have the funds to hire editors, get your book cover designed, and audiobook narrated, consider traditional publishing.

Once you sign a publishing contract, then it is the publisher’s responsibility to provide these services, either through their in-house staff or by hiring freelancers, at no cost to you.

3 - Literary awards

And lastly, if you have aspirations to win awards like the Pulitzer prize or the Booker prize or want your book to have a shot on the prestigious NYT bestseller list then again traditional publishing is the ideal choice for you.

The powers behind literary accolades typically favour traditionally published books.

Why you should choose Self Publishing

And now, let’s discuss why you should aim to become a self published author.

The self published author wears two hats:

• the author hat, &

• the publisher hat.

Wearing the two hats confers two kinds of freedom to the author-publisher.

1 - Creative freedom

As an author, I love creating fictional characters from thin air, then lean back and watch them take a life of their own — it really feels magical.

And acting as my  publisher, I believe in spreading that same magic among readers, but without any alterations made by gatekeepers. Even when I hire freelance editors and cover designers, I have the final say in their work.

Similarly, self published non-fiction authors have complete freedom to articulate their ideas and share their unique worldviews with readers.

This creative freedom to write stories and ideas, and deliver them to readers in their original form, is very empowering to authors.

2 - Freedom to Orchestrate

The second type of freedom is what I like to call the “freedom to orchestrate”.

When you wear the author hat and the publisher hat simultaneously, you don’t need permission to publish, market, and sell your books.

A word of Caution...

Even though self published authors enjoy enormous freedom, it is easy to fall into the trap of mediocrity. Indeed, many have.

You may have heard statements like:

• “Self published books are not well-written.” or

• “Self published books are overhyped.” or even

• “Anyone can self-publish nowadays.”

If you are leaning toward self publishing, ponder over this:

As the author-publisher, it is your primary responsibility to write a quality book, get it edited by a professional editor and have an appealing book cover designed.

You owe it to your readers to be your own gatekeeper and publish stellar books for them — both in terms of content and in presentation.

2 non-negotiable factors

So far, we have talked about the differences between self- and traditional publishing. But there are two factors that are equally relevant to self publishing and traditional publishing.

Both these factors are non-negotiable and both of them are completely within your control.

1 - Marketing

The first one is not a secret — it is marketing.

I cannot emphasize it strongly enough that marketing will prove to be a powerful weapon in your writing arsenal, whether you choose self publishing or traditional publishing.

You’ll find Youtube a wonderful starting point to learn about marketing.

Spend some time on youtube, find people whose advice and instruction you connect with. Devour their videos.

Visit their websites, read their blog and articles, join their email lists, follow them on social media, and listen to their podcasts.

People who teach marketing on youtube and podcasts, many of them write books. Read those books.

2 - Writing Craft

And that brings us to the second and far more important factor that applies equally to self- and traditionally published authors: The craft of writing.

I think of writing craft as the taller, stronger brother of marketing … because it has been proven time and again that:

Think of authors like Dickens, Jules Verne, Arthur Conan Doyle, and my personal favorite: Alexander Dumas.

These authors crafted amazing stories that thrilled readers both during their lifetimes and even now — decades and centuries later.

As you and I begin our writerly journeys in the 2020s, it is our responsibility to follow in the footsteps of these greats, and craft our own words with great care and diligence.

And to help you level up your writing craft, here are my recommendations for the top 10 books for creating captivating characters and nail-biting plots.

You’ll find these books useful if you write fiction and creative non-fiction.

This free PDF is waiting for you at: https://www.adavidsingh.com/cp1 or click on the pic above.

By now, if you have started weighing the pros and cons of self- & traditional publishing and are excited about getting your book out into the world, then I wish you all the very best!

Thanks for reading & have a great day,

A. David Singh