Writing a novel is a huge accomplishment, but what do you do if you want to share it with the world? There are several options open to you, each with pros and cons. I will break these down for you so you can get a good head start on which path you feel is best for your work. We will start with something you're all familiar with:
Traditional Publishing
This is the typical publishing style you think about when you pick up a book. An author, almost always through an agent, delivers a manuscript to a publisher who then decides to publish the book for them. The traditional publisher has an editor who will work with the writer to make any needed changes. They also manage the book layout, marketing, promotion and distribution. They will pay royalties and may offer an advance.
The upside to traditional publishing is they have a team of experts who know the ins and outs of the publishing world. They will ensure you have a wide distribution and they take some of the heavy lifting off your shoulders.
The downside is trad publishers often have their own ideas about what makes a story work. They might require you to rewrite portions of your manuscript that don't match what you were trying to convey. For example, one traditional publisher offered me a contract with the caveat that I rewrite the entire novel from a different perspective and change the ending. I said no. The changes they wanted might have been good. They might have been great. It might have made the novel a better story, but it would no longer be my story.
Another downside is a lack of control. When you go with a traditional publisher, you lose part of your own narrative. Once you sign a contract, you sign over a lot of your voice. The publisher has final say over cover art, page layout, marketing and distribution.
One downside that is often argued is the smaller royalties received, but I can't go there. With other types of publishers, you will receive either a much larger portion or all of the profits. However, your distribution and marketing will be much smaller, which means, at best, it evens out. More likely, a traditionally published author makes far more than authors published in other venues.
This seems like a lot of downsides, almost like I'm pushing you not to go the traditional route. Not so. I am suggesting you dig a little deeper. Start with the different types of traditional publishing houses. There are, of course, the big five (Penguin/Random House, Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon and Schusters, MacMillan). In order to get published with them, you have to have a great novel, a good agent and luck. Lots of luck. The good news is, there are hundreds of other presses looking for your novel. Some of them are well known. Others not so much. All of them know talent when they see it.
Smaller presses have fewer authors and fewer openings, but they have more time to devote to you. They may not offer you an advance, but they often provide higher royalties. A boutique press is one that is much smaller and usually has a specific niche. Finding a boutique press may be the right choice for your novel. You'll work closely with the publisher, develop an actual relationship with the team putting your novel together and often have a much stronger voice when it comes to the final outcome. I am fortunate enough to be working with AcuteByDesign. I love that authors have a voice in marketing, cover design and layout. It has been a wonderful journey with them and I feel I couldn't have made a better choice.
A Warning About Small Presses
I want to reiterate that I think a small press is a great choice. However, there are always risks. Without naming any names, I had several offers from small publishers (prior to signing with my agent) that I heavily weighed and then, based on nothing but a gut feeling, decided against. In two cases, I dodged a bullet.
Small Publisher 1 was the first to offer me a contract. To say I was excited is a vast understatement. It was an amazing feeling. I had done my research on them before sending my query and, while I didn't know any of the books they published, I also hadn't found any red flags. After talking with the acquiring editor, something felt off. I couldn't explain it to myself or anyone else. It was just a bad fit for no reason. I decided to say no and continue looking elsewhere.
Small Publisher 2 had a lot going for them. They were well known in the world of small publishers. They had published award winners and best sellers. Talking with the acquiring editor and owner gave me the warm fuzzies. Everything seemed great until I received the contract. The little voices in my brain and my stomach got together and said no. I didn't know exactly what it was, just some language that seemed odd. In fact, it was this offer that caused me to look for an agent instead of a publisher. At this point, I realized I needed help from someone in the know.
What happened? In the months after I said no to SP1, I received word, through their newsletter, that they would no longer be distributing through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. In addition, their most recently published book was decidedly racist propaganda that I would not have wanted to be associated with. It was, to me, a great good thing that I avoided that particular press. I will say, however, that I have looked them up recently and it looks like they've turned things around and good for them, but also good for me for avoiding what could have been a bad situation.
SP2 has a much sadder story. The owner and acquiring editor passed away suddenly and the publishing house effectively shuttered. However, all contracts were still retained by the publisher, leaving those who were in the midst of being published without a book to hold or a book to sell. The last I heard, several authors were going through the arduous legal battle of breaking their contracts. Due to the timing of all of this, I would have been one of those authors. Now, before you think that I think I'm a psychic, I don't and I'm not. There wasn't anything in this person's tone that made me think she wouldn't be with us for much longer. It was just dumb luck on my part. Nothing more.
If I have sufficiently scared you away from seeking publication with a small, traditional publisher, I'm sorry. You could have a really great experience, as I have. You could hold out for one of the big publishers, as was suggested to me or you could go a different route, but that's another blog for another day.
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