Anyone who has an interest in writing and publishing a book has probably wondered whether they should self-publish or go the traditional route. This question becomes even more poignant as you begin to go through the process and see how terribly difficult it can be to land a publishing deal! But while success can certainly be found by those who self-publish, you are much likelier to find success with a traditional publisher; here are some of the advantages of traditional publishing.
Stamp of approval: Most readers do not know quite how difficult it is to land a publishing deal, but nonetheless, they know that barriers to entry exist. When a publishing house chooses to take on a book, this creates – in the minds of readers – a sort of "stamp of approval" from that particular publishing house. With self-publishing, on the other hand, there are no barriers to entry; so not only does the reader not know whether they will like the writing and the story – they do not even know if either will be good!
Experience: Even though you may be a great editor of your own work, there is no one who is so good they do not need a second set of eyes. After all, even the greatest writers in history have all had an editor with whom they worked, and you are no exception! Additionally, publishing houses bring experience and expertise in book design and marketing; you cannot do either of these quite as effectively on your own.
Exposure: This is perhaps the biggest advantage of all, when it comes to traditional publishing, as your book will actually be in stores with a traditional publisher! Although the book market continues to change – and people continue to buy more and more of their books online – it is still helpful for your book to be in actual stores. When you publish on your own, you will simply not be able to match the exposure given to you by a traditional publisher.
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Of course, there are certainly people for whom self-publishing is a good choice – but keep these things in mind, in order to know the advantages of publishing in a traditional manner.