If you’ve ever pruned roses, you’ll understand the thicket that is the current publishing situation. You want your book, like a bud, to blossom and bloom into all its grandeur. But you are faced with all these complexities, including deadheads, suckers, and, of course, many, many thorns.
Let’s imagine this rosebush with two main branches: traditional publishing and self-publishing, each with its own offshoots. Understanding these branches is vital for both new and experienced authors. So grab your floppy hat and favorite trimmers, we’re going to work in the garden.
Traditional Publishing: The Main Stem
Traditional publishing is one of our main stems. The “Big Five” publishers—Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan Publishers, and Simon & Schuster—dominate this space. Traditional publishing tends to be what most authors want.
These publishers offer extensive distribution networks. They have relationships with global bookstore chains, know the ins and outs of Ingram distribution, and are tapped into online retail databases like nobody’s business. This is all crucial for wide reach. Traditionally published books tend to carry more clout. Bookstore buyers and librarians often trust stocking traditionally published books without much hesitation because they have titles that the industry has come to know and trust. New books ride the coattail of years of brand trust and reliability.
In addition to industry prestige, many traditional publishers still offer substantial marketing and public relations services. This helps give the author greater exposure and maximizes sales.
What’s the downside? Relinquishing creative control and enduring the long wait from acceptance to publication, which also includes finding an agent, can deter many. Authors must be prepared for the pruning process, too, which can include significant edits to a manuscript, a limited marketing and public relations strategy that may not fully align with one’s vision, and little say over items like one’s book cover design. Have you ever deadheaded roses? It can feel distressing when someone chops away at your darlings.
Medium, Small and Independent Press
In addition to the Big Five, medium, small, and independent press are viable offshoots of traditional publishing. They offer more specialized niches and are often close to equaling the distribution reach and the reputation of their larger counterparts. These publishers can be a perfect match for authors whose books are more specialized, or have a narrowly defined audience.
In terms of marketing and public relations, the smaller presses often offer less than the larger publishing houses, though. Authors should be prepared to provide their own marketing and promotions to supplement what the publisher provides or find an agency to help support their efforts. The sizes of these presses and the subsequent reach can vary greatly, meaning that they may not go as far and wide as they author would like.
The Deceptive Offshoots: “Suckers”
I’m not talking about all of hybrid publishing. First, I want to address the deceptive “suckers” that are offshoots of traditional publishers. Some traditional publishers that have divisions, or imprints, or even separate companies, that cater to authors as hybrid presses.
These companies are more akin to the “vanity presses” of yesterday. But in a way, they are even more muddling because they seem to intentionally create confusion about who they are and what they offer. To the author, these offshoots lean into their parent company’s brand name. How exciting is to get a call from a division of, let’s say, Simon & Schuster? Then, how confusing and disappointing to later discover the press is actually a hybrid that uses the parent company’s brand name to attract clients.
In some instances this model might be a good fit for authors who are eager to see their book in print. If the author is limited on time, or maybe they plan on selling or gifting their book to a small audience—in some cases business books fall into this category—then this is a viable option. Being able to hold a beautiful, professionally produced book in one’s hands is indeed a great accomplishment. But a word of caution—books published under these imprints are often inadvertently branded negatively in the industry. Family, friends, business associates or colleagues may appreciate your book, but it might not find a bigger audience.
That vanity press’ imprint, the very brand name that sounds so impressive to a new author, sometimes becomes a scarlet letter on the book. The logo on the spine doesn’t increase the author’s reputation or visibility of the book, instead, it can impede the goals of an author who wants to reach far and wide.
These types of vanity presses operate under a model where the author bears the cost. Authors exploring these options should tread carefully, ensuring they fully understand the terms and implications of such partnerships. When it comes to marketing and public relations, these “suckers” will often upsell promotional packages. In a way, these vanity presses are more of a marketing company than a publisher. The caveat is that they often don’t do either the publishing, or the marketing, very well. Instead of getting the best of both worlds, an author often sacrifices on both fronts.
Self-Publishing: Cultivating Your Own Garden
On the other side of our rosebush, self-publishing spreads its reach far and wide, offering authors complete creative control and the freedom to publish on their terms. This branch allows authors to act as their own gardener, deciding when and how their rose— their book—blooms. The self-publishing path is enticing for its immediacy and autonomy, allowing writers to bring their stories directly to readers without the gatekeeping of traditional publishing houses.
However, self-publishing is not without its challenges. Authors must be prepared to acquire a lot of industry knowledge or risk delays and unmet expectations. It can be complicated and time-consuming learning all the intricacies of self-publishing. Areas I frequently see self-published authors struggle with include: setting up their own dashboards; interior formatting; ISBN and Library of Congress numbers acquisition; metadata optimization; just to name a few.
Platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing have democratized access to publishing, but success in this space requires a blend of writing talent and technical savvy, not to mention a keen understanding of distribution channels.
The allure of self-publishing lies in its potential for higher royalties per sale and the ability to retain full rights to one’s work. Yet, the responsibility for the book’s success rests almost entirely on the author’s shoulders. From setting the price, to choosing the cover art, to strategically placing the book in the right categories, all the way to the marketing and public relations, every decision can significantly impact the book’s visibility and sales.
Or Are You Ready to Be Your Own Project Manager?
For those who choose the self-publishing option, there exists another method to consider if you don’t want to go it alone. If you, as an author, possess some skills in self-publishing, are willing to assemble a team of professionals to manage various aspects of the book’s production and marketing, then you may opt to become your own project manager. This approach allows authors to leverage the expertise of editors, designers, and marketers while tailoring the publishing process to their specific needs and goals.
Authors taking this route can maintain creative control and ownership of their work while benefiting from the professional expertise of others. This model requires a willingness to invest in one’s book and a commitment to overseeing the project, but it can combine the best aspects of self and traditional publishing.
Hybrid Publishing: The Grafted Branch
Emerging from the self-publishing rootstock, hybrid publishing represents a grafted branch on our publishing rosebush. Hybrid presses offer services akin to traditional publishing, such as professional editing, design, and sometimes marketing and distribution. However, the cost of these services are assumed by the author, and in some cases the hybrid publisher still takes a royalty, marking a clear departure from the traditional model where the publisher invests in the book’s production and marketing, and often pays an advance and royalties.
Hybrid publishing can be attractive for authors seeking the expertise and support of a firm that knows publishing inside and out, without relinquishing total control over their work. Hybrid publishing also offers a quicker route to market than traditional publishing.
However, authors must exercise caution and due diligence when selecting a hybrid publisher, as the industry includes both reputable firms and those whose practices are more akin to “vanity presses”, offering little value in exchange for significant fees, and who act more like those suckers on our rosebush than like a true, viable branch.
It’s essential to research and understand the terms of any agreement with a hybrid publisher. Look for transparency in costs, a clear outline of the services provided, and realistic expectations of the book’s market potential.
Another unfortunate downside of hybrid publishers is their tendency to tell the author exactly what they want to hear. Please remember the old saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is”. When it comes to marketing and public relations, hybrid publishers (much like the already mentioned vanity presses) are very likely to offer an array of marketing services. I feel it is wise to be discerning.
If you need help in navigating hybrid presses, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) offers guidelines and criteria to help authors evaluate hybrid publishers. The document is available as a downloadable on their website.
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
I wish I could hand you a perfect rose that suits your specific author goals and tell you it’s your best publishing option. The truth of this very bushy matter is that there are many options nowadays, and while it can be daunting, the good news is that you have options.
Once, not too long ago, authors were stuck with those old school vanity presses if they couldn’t get a traditional publishing deal. And those guys were much worse than their contemporary counterparts. Authors’ marketing and promotional options were incredibly limited prior to digital media. And before print on demand existed, an author would rarely be able to hold their book in their hands, flip through the pages, and smell the parchment brimming with their words.
I hope you don’t mind if I put on my rose-colored glasses as I take a moment to see the bright side of publishing today. As someone who works with authors from all spectrums, I am grateful for every model of publishing available. There are countless opportunities for writers to explore. In this century, there are so many stories being published and voices being heard that once would not have been. That is progress, and for that, I am grateful.
This article first appeared in WriterCon Magazine’s Spring 2024 issue. For more about WriterCon Magazine, to subscribe to their Substack, and to learn more about WriterCon events, please visit the WriterCon website.
About Desireé Duffy
Desireé Duffy is the Founder of Black Château, a marketing and public relations agency; Books That Make You, a Webby Award-winning a multi-media brand that promotes books and authors through its website, podcast, and radio show; and The BookFest® Adventure, a biannual online event that brings together booklovers from around the world. Discover more on each website: Black Château, Books That Make You and The BookFest®.
