Publishing E-Books For Dummies

Choosing Between Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing

You can take one of two broad routes to publication: traditional publishing or self-publishing:

Traditional, or legacy: You write a proposal (or an entire book, if you’re writing a novel) and find an agent or a publisher to represent you. You maintain the copyright over your work but sign over certain other rights. In return, you (usually) receive an advance and, eventually, royalties.

Self, or indie: You complete the work on your own — a task that many writers find exciting and daunting in equal measure. You write your book, and when it’s finished to your satisfaction, you publish it. You keep all rights to your book. You receive no advance, but you have the opportunity to earn a higher profit per unit sold. You retain full control — and full responsibility — over pricing, cover design, and marketing.

The rapid rise of self-publishing has divided the industry. Some agents, publishers, and traditionally published authors have raised concerns about the quality of self-published books, and though the stigma of self-publishing is no longer nearly as strong as it once was, it lingers. Several prominent authors, though, have spoken out on behalf of self-publishing; J.A. Konrath (whom I discuss later in this chapter) is a notable ...